April is a month of fresh beginnings as spring blooms around the country. So we’ll be digging into units about the environment for Arbor Day and Earth Day, as well as celebrating the April birthdays of some important icons. As always, keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates on our Free Topics. Have an awesome April!April 2nd – Bartholdi’s Birthday (1834) If you were sculpting the Statue of Liberty, would you base its face on your mother’s? That’s what Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi did when he began work on our most famous monument in 1871. In our unit on the Statue of Liberty, Kids can learn about how Bartoldi got the idea for the statue, how it was designed, and the people who helped build it. April 15th – Titanic Sank in 1912 Even though the Titanic sank 100 years ago, its dramatic demise still grips the imagination. In April, 1912, when it began its fatal voyage, it was the largest moving object on earth and symbolized the height and the might of the Industrial Revolution. In our unit on the Titanic, kids will learn about how this colossus was constructed, the lives of the passengers on board, and what happened on the cold night she sank. April 22nd – Earth DayThe first Earth Day was in 1970, and is said to be the beginning of the modern environmental movement. On this day we take time to think about how we’ll build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations. Explore our Discover Map to find dozens of topics in Earth Science, within units such as Wetlands, Oceans, and Geology. For a deeper conversation on protecting your community’s environment, check out our unit on Conservation, which includes topics like Sustainability, Our Carbon Footprint, and Landfills and Recycling. April 23rd – Shakespeare’s Birthday (1564) William Shakespeare has been called the greatest writer in the English language. From about 1590 to 1613, he wrote 36 plays, including tragedies (Hamlet), comedies (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and histories (Henry V). And he wrote all of his thousands of words with a quill pen made from birds’ feathers! Today, his plays are performed all over the world and in dozens of different languages. Use our unit on Shakespeare to teach about the Printed Word in His Time, Elizabethan England, and the History of Plays and Sonnets. April 29th – Arbor DayAmazingly, trees cover over 30 percent of the world’s land area, and they work hard every day producing oxygen and providing shelter for animals. Arbor Day is an annual observance that celebrates the role of trees in our lives and environment. Plant a tree in your community today! And read about how trees make energy, pollination and reproduction, and our special relationship with trees in this FREE mini-unit.