U.S. Independence Day, World Chocolate Day, Japan's Star Festival, Mongolia's Sport Festival, Nelson Mandela's 67 Minutes of Service, Americans with Disabilities Act, Global Friendship

Last month, we spent time in Athens with my husband's family and took a little side trip to Crete, the largest island in Greece. We explored the Palace of Minos at Knossos - the center of Minoan civilization during the Bronze Age, strolled through mountain villages, ate lots of fresh fish, and swam in the Libyan Sea. I'm so lucky to call Greece my second home!

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Founder & CEO, Globe Trottin' Kids​

NEW COUNTRY PROFILE: NETHERLANDS Pack your bags - we’re heading to the Netherlands, one of my personal favorites! This new country profile introduces students to a fascinating place known for tulips, windmills, canals, bicycles, cheese, and clever ways of living with water. Explore the geography, culture, landmarks, traditions, and everyday life of the Dutch people through kid-friendly facts, photos, books, and learning links. Learn more

Through July 19 FIFA World Cup Activities for Kids

Who else is having so much fun watching the matches?! In case you missed our post last month, click here for activity suggestions!

July 4 Independence Day, United States Happy Birthday, America! 250 Years!!

Explore the founding of the United States of America in Issue Thirty-Two, Building America. Discover the stories behind the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, duels, famous founders, Washington's teeth, and much more. Featuring 64 beautifully illustrated pages filled with engaging adventure and learning. Plus, get fun activities, illustrations, and comics created to inspire kids. -Honest History​

How do you explain to a child what it means to be American? This award-winning picture book delivers a hopeful, inclusive message that helps children understand our country not by apple pie and fireworks, but by its shared values: kindness, courage, freedom, and diversity. -Amazon​ Co-author Rana DiOrio shares her inspiration behind this book: "I want children to understand the foundation upon which this country is built and the essence of what it means to be American. I want children to know the value of service to others, the power of democracy, the reward of helping those in need, and to truly believe that anything is possible. Above all, I want them to know that greatness is best when we achieve it together." Read more on Medium. Download a free K-2 Educator's Guide.

July 7 World Chocolate Day

Mars, Incorporated, and National Geographic Partners combine their missions to educate and inspire through 14 fact-and-fun-packed lessons in the Educator’s Guide, Great Moments in World History - Global Stories Where Chocolate Sparked Discovery, Innovation, and Imagination.​

​​It’s a chocolate-filled adventure of little-known facts, colorful illustrations and maps, and activities that promote creative thinking, collaboration, and action. Working individually, in pairs, and in teams, students explore print and online resources and develop projects in which they discover chocolate’s influence through intriguing people and world events.

*Although the guide focuses on grades 4 to 8, these lessons can be recast to engage younger or older groups.

Lit Connection: Grandpa Cacao: A Tale of Chocolate, from Farm to Family This beautifully illustrated story connects past and present as a girl bakes a chocolate cake with her father and learns about her grandfather harvesting cacao beans in West Africa. - Amazon​

July 7 Tanabata, Japan

Bring a little starlight into your global learning this month with Japan’s Star Festival. Kids can learn the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi, write wishes on colorful tanzaku, explore Japan on a map, and make connections to storytelling, astronomy, art, and culture. Click here!

July 11 - 13 Naadam, Mongolia

Introduce students to Mongolia’s national festival, celebrated each July with wrestling, horse racing, archery, traditional clothing, food, music, and community pride.

​Our post explores the cultural importance of Naadam and includes simple classroom connections to help students learn how festivals preserve history, identity, and tradition.

July 18 Mandela Day

Mandela Day, celebrated each year on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, invites people around the world to spend 67 minutes helping others - one minute for each of Mandela’s 67 years of service.

It’s a meaningful way to help students learn about kindness, empathy, justice, and global citizenship. Whether your class writes thank-you notes, collects donations, cleans up a shared space, or creates a kindness project, Mandela Day reminds children that small actions can make a big difference.

Explore kid-friendly Mandela Day activities, service ideas, discussion questions, and book suggestions to help students honor Nelson Mandela’s legacy through action.

July 26 Disability Independence Day - celebrating the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. This important civil rights law helps protect people with disabilities from discrimination and supports equal access to schools, workplaces, transportation, public spaces, and community life. The day is a time to recognize the achievements, rights, and contributions of people with disabilities and to continue working toward a more accessible and inclusive world for everyone.

Lit Connection: Author Read-Aloud, All the Way to the Top - plus a free educator's guide!

July 30 International Friendship Day

This day is a wonderful opportunity to help students practice kindness, empathy, inclusion, and respect for diversity. These simple classroom activities connect friendship with global learning through discussion, writing, cooperative games, pen pals, books, and acts of kindness.

Join the (Book) Pub Club! A Special Opportunity for Educators

An offer from children's author Emma Otheguy: "Adventure in the City of Stories, a companion to Cousins in the Time of Magic, will be published this month in English and Spanish, and I hope that it will soon make its way into many of your classrooms and libraries. For this book, I’m offering schools a special chance to get to know me and the book better - a pub club!"

Adventure in the City of Stories Cousins Jorge, Camila, and Siggy never imagined that dusty old puppets and a mysterious book would launch them into a time-traveling adventure. But when they discover their aunt has treasures belonging to Pura Belpré, the trailblazing Latina librarian and storyteller, they’re transported back to 1930s New York City. Their mission? Race against time to return Pura’s puppets and a signed first edition of her book, proving their aunt isn’t a thief. - Amazon​ ​

By joining, your class will receive: a handwritten letter from me (Emma Otheguy), an invitation to a fun webinar, and writing prompts tied to the book. In exchange, I’ll ask you to make the book available in your school or classroom library, read the first chapter aloud, and help me promote the book, whether by writing a review or sharing online. Join the Club!​

Click here for a Reading Group Guide - with discussion questions and extension activities.

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