Friday, July 30, 2021

Education : Beatrix Potter : Let's talk about children's books & nature ! Resources

 




Beatrix Potter 

credits: Smithsonian Natural History Museum—KRT/Newscom

via Britannica

  • “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story."

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter, celebrated English author and illustrator of children’s books would on this day, 28 July, 155 years-old. 

Before her days as a children’s author, Potter devoted herself to the study of natural history and became an adept scientific illustrator. She was particularly fascinated by mycology, and in 1897 her paper “On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricineae” was presented to a meeting of the prestigious Linnean Society by one of the male mycologists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (women could not attend the society’s meetings). 




The Art of Beatrix Potter
Emily Zach, 2016

Potter wrote 24 children’s tales, infused with Victorian and Edwardian morality, and brought to life many beloved animal characters, including Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Mr. Jeremy Fisher, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and others. 



Peter Rabbit, illustration from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Copyright © 2008 by Dover Publications, Inc. Electronic image © 2008 Dover Publications, Inc. All rights reservedvia Britannica

Her enduring stories remain popular, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit alone has been translated into more than 45 languages.

In 1900, different publishers declined to take up Potter's first book proposal for The Tale of Peter Rabbit, a story which originated from an illustrated letter she had written seven years earlier to the children of her former governess, Annie Carter Moore.



The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
First edition, first printing, December 1901

Unperturbed, Potter privately published her book, which sold well, with buyers including the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Aware of the success, Frederick Warne & Co changed their minds and published the book in 1902. 




The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
 first edition, second printing. Frontispiece and title page 
Note the date February 1902

When it came to the production of the book, Potter was a very involved author, making careful corrections to the text, suggesting the colours for the endpapers (though her choice was not used) and binding, and designing the cover and title page.


The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
Peter Rabbit first commercially published edition, 
first printing, October 1902

The result was the first commercial edition of 8000 copies in various bindings, each with a colour illustration on the cover and 31 colour plates alongside the text.



Beatrix Potter 150 years, 2016

July 28, 2016, marked her 150th anniversary celebrated everywhere. Before she began work on her well known series of books, Beatrix Potter developed a fascination with fungi and was a frequent visitor to the Herbarium at Kew in the 1890s. 

Already having a strong interest in the natural world around her and being a keen artist,  Potter was inspired to study and draw fungi by a family friend, the naturalist Charles McIntosh, with whom she became acquainted on family holidays in Scotland. 




Fungi illustration by Beatrix Potter
via Women YSN

Using microscopes, she drew beautiful, accurate illustrations of fungi and started to conduct experiments on their germination. Realizing that she wanted to learn more about the plants she was studying, Potter was determined to discuss her observations with a specialist and study them further. 

Having encountered little support from the scientific establishment, Beatrix Potter moved onto creating her tales of Peter Rabbit, containing her delightful depictions of the natural world.

As she got older, Beatrix Potter became a proud conservationist, working hard to defend the landscape she loved so well against industrialization and logging. Now over one hundred years old, Peter Rabbit and his animal friends have become cultural touchstones and continue to delight readers of all ages.


(Opens in new window)



The Classical Tale of Peter Rabbit
Beatrix Potter 
illustrated by Charles Santory

Education:

“Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were--Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. ”

Beatrix Potter

A lovely idea to include into your lessons. Children's books and nature don't you think? Through Potter's books, children will find two lovely themes: the love of reading and nature at primary school. 






credits: Magnolia photos/ Alamy
via BBC Earth

Start a school vegetable garden with your little students and begin to immerse themselves in farming and gardening. 

Planting some of the vegetables kids find by reading Potter's histories: carrots, beans and radishes, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms from the vegetable garden which will be included in the meal they will eat at school by guaranteeing the love of nature  and access to the healthy meals they need.

In this pandemic times, spending time to learn in the nature, planting some vegetables and reading a book will be so healthy!


Resources:




Beatrix Potter's Journal
by Beatrix Potter

Using witty, observant commentary taken from Beatrix’s own diaries, the journal moves London to Scotland to the Lake District, and features a wealth of watercolour paintings, sketches, photographs, letters, paper-engineered items and period memorabilia to recreate a world where nature and imagination are brilliantly combined.






Beatrix Potter's Journal
by Beatrix Potter

This lavish, illustrated journal describes Beatrix Potter's life as a young woman in Victorian Britain as she struggles to achieve independence and to find artistic success and romantic love.

Other resources: 

Beatrix Potter, the Flopsy Bunnies and The British Museum (2016)

Beatrix Potter wrote stories
Kate Coombs
illustrations: Seth Lucas
Little Naturalists

Beatrix Potter wrote twenty-three children’s tales, inspiring little ones to follow their dreams and care for plants and animals.

Kate Coombs’ engaging narrative and Seth Lucas’ captivating art teach young readers about this inspiring children’s author and artist, encouraging little naturalists to Be Kind and Be Adventurous.



 
Beatrix Potter Scientist
Lindsay H.Metcalf
illustrated by Junyi Wu

In this children’s book, Beatrix Potter, Scientist, author and Kansas City Star parenting columnist Lindsay H. Metcalf explores Potter’s work as an amateur mycologist who presented her research to England’s foremost experts. 

While sexism kept Potter’s discoveries out of the scientific canon, the book shows some of her great work. Reading Beatrix Potter Scientist will motivate little girls to follow sciences career.




Beatrix Potter [1866-1943]
at Birnam in Scotland, 1892
Hulton Archive/ Getty Images


Beatrix Potter is one of the most beloved and influential storytellers of all time. The Tale of Peter Rabbit and her other gloriously illustrated children’s books tickle the human imagination through the fantastical aliveness of nature and its creatures.


  • “I hold that a strongly marked personality can influence descendants for generations.”

Beatrix Potter

G-Souto

29.07.2021
Copyright © 2021G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


Education : Beatrix Potter : Let's talk about children's books and nature !  Resources ! bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

May in Review & Climate change : Deadly flooding in Europe !




Germany floods
credits: REUTERS





Germany floods
credits: EPA

Western European countries including Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands had received up to two months’ rain in two days from 14 to 15 July, on ground that was “already near saturation”.

Photos taken at the scene of some of the worst water surges and landslides show huge, gaping holes where earth and buildings had stood until mid-week, after media reports pointed to well over 190 confirmed fatalities in Germany and Belgium on Friday morning, with an unknown number still missing across vast areas.




Inondations en Belgique
via Premier Ministre de Belgique
@alexanderdecroo




Journée de deuil en Belgique
@GeorgesGilkinet


La Belgique a observé hier le 20 juillet une journée de deuil national, à la suite des intempéries et inondations dévastatrices qui ont frappé le pays la semaine dernière et qui ont coûté la vie à 31 personnes jusqu’à présent, selon le dernier bilan officiel. 

On July 20, Belgium observed a National Day of Mourning for those who lost their lives or were affected by the recent severe weather conditions in our country.




credits: Weibo Images

And this week in China! Twelve people have died after record-breaking rainfall flooded underground railway tunnels in China, leaving passengers trapped in rising waters.

Climate change : Act Now!


We need to step up climate action, we need to step up the level of ambition; we’re not doing nearly enough to stay within the targets of the Paris Agreement(on Climate Change) and keep temperatures below two degrees Celsius, even 1.5C, by the end of this century.”

António Guterres, UN secretary-general






Education:

Every one of us can help limit global warming and take care of our planet. By changing our habits and making choices that have less harmful effects on the environment, we can tackle the climate emergency and build a more sustainable world.

Our lifestyles have a profound impact on our planet. Our choices matter. Behavioral changes, like replacing car trips with public transport, wasting less food, or foregoing a long-haul flight, can reduce our carbon footprint. 

Get started with these ten simple actions. 

Invite your students to download the action guide. And for more actions, to dowload the app

Oops! I forgot to write about the posts of May. Let's do it ! The world continues to be affected by severe pandemic restrictions. Only UK opened. 

In so many countries schools are always closed or reopen and reclosed schools. Millions of students don't have access to in-person lessons

In Portugal, in-person classes with hybrid teaching finished lin June. Only Secondary schools and Universities continue for the exams.


Here are the most popular posts of May:


Science & Music at school ? ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet & Coldplay music in microgravity ! 

House of Dragon prequel ? For sure ! Here we are again ! 

Science : Super Blood Moon & Total Lunar Eclipse ? Wow ! Let's enjoy the cosmic show ! 

Schools ! Culture Matters : Let's talk about Museums ! 


There are strict measures to deal with the new wave coronavirus across European countries and other countries all around the world. Not in UK (?)

Many involve the reintroduction of restrictions that had been eased after initial lockdowns. 

Be safe! Take care!

G-Souto

22.07.2021
Copyright © 2021G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


May in Review & Climate change : Deadly  flooding in Europe ! bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


Thursday, July 1, 2021

April in Review & Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann, founder of the Paralympic movement !

 


~


Portrait of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann 
©Eva Loeffler

From the very first sporting event at the National Spinal Injuries Centre in 1948, my father said he wanted the Olympics for the disabled. His dream and pioneering vision certainly came true.

Eva Loeffler OBE, daughter of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann

Professor Sir Ludwig 'Poppa' Guttmann CBE FRS is known as the father of the Paralympic movement. He was the medical pioneer who proved that disabled sport could be as competitive and exciting as non-disabled sport.

Guttmann was born in Tost, Germany (now Toszek, Poland) on this day, 3 July 1899 and went on to receive his M.D. in 1924.


 



Google Doodle Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann's 122nd Birthday
artist: Ashanti Fortson

Google Doodle:

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Baltimore-based guest artist Ashanti Fortson, celebrates the 122nd birthday of Jewish, German-born British neurologist Professor Sir Ludwig “Poppa” Guttmann, founder of the Paralympic movement. 

Ludwig Guttmann Google honors’ Father of the Paralympic Games with a doodle the German doctor considered the father of the Paralympic Games

The Doodle shows various paralympic athletes along with a picture of Sir Ludwig Guttmann.




 credits: unknown
via Dictionary of Neurology 

He began research on spinal cord injuries and performed several neurosurgical procedures, rising to prominence as one of Germany’s top neurosurgeons by his early thirties. 

However, with the rise of the Nazi party and the passing of the Nuremberg Laws in 1933, Guttmann was prevented from practising medicine professionally. Following Kristallnacht in 1938 and the increasing persecution of Jews in Germany, Guttmann was forced to leave Germany with his family and was able to escape to England in 1939.





Stoke Mandeville Games/Olympics for Disable
credits: unknown
via BBC Mundo

In 1948, he organized a 16-person archery contest, one of the first official competitive sporting events for wheelchair users. Later called the Stoke Mandeville Games or the “Olympics for the Disabled,” the competition demonstrated the power of elite sport to break down barriers for disability and garnered the attention of global medical and sporting communities.  



Guttmann presenting gold medal to Tony South at the 1968 Summer Paralympics in Tel Aviv

In 1960, Guttmann facilitated the International Stoke Mandeville Games, following the 1960 Summer Olympics, the first of many Paralympic Games

He received numerous accolades for his contributions, the highest among which was being knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 1966.

Today, Paralympic athletes are rightfully recognized for their skills and achievements. 

The Paralympic Games continue to be a driving force for promoting the rights and independence of people with disabilities, with a lasting impact on equal treatment and opportunity.




Paralympic games, London 2012 
credits: Getty Images
via BBC/ Mundo

Resouces:

Founder of the Paralympic Movement, Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann was the medical pioneer who created the first Paralympic Games

Invite your students in-person lessons or remote learning to learn more about his story and legacy on Google Arts & Culture.

Oops! I forgot to write about the posts of April, and May. Let's do it ! The world continues to be affected by severe pandemic restrictions. In so many countries schools are always closed or reopen and reclosed schools. Millions of students don't have access to in-person lessons

In Portugal, in-person classes with hybrid teaching finished last days of June. Only Secondary schools and Universities continue for the exams.


Here are the most popular posts of April:



There are strict measures to deal with the new wave coronavirus across European countries and other continents.

Many involve the reintroduction of restrictions that had been eased after initial lockdowns. 

Be safe! Take care!

G-Souto

01.07.2021
Copyright © 2021G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®


April in Review & Professor Ludwig Guttmannm founder of Paralympic movement ! bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.