You may or may not know this, but Thursday, September 9, is National Teddy Bear Day. Fun holidays like this can be a lifesaver to a homeschooling family looking to make learning fun. While Teddy bears are associated with preschoolers, the history is interesting and full of a wealth of information even for the teacher.
The history of the Teddy bear is said to date back to a cartoon that was printed while Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt was president. According to the National Museum of American History, the story goes like this:
"While bear hunting Mississippi and Louisiana in 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt decided it was unsportsmanlike to shoot a bear that had been surrounded by dogs, rendered unconscious and tied to a tree. Roosevelt asked a hunting guide to kill the bear with a knife, putting it out of its misery. This event became the subject of an editorial cartoon by Clifford Berryman of the Washington Post who, neglecting to document the death of the bear, portrayed Roosevelt in a compassionate light, sparing the bear’s life, and thus igniting the teddy bear craze. The cartoon was redrawn and published several times and the image of the bear subsequently changed, becoming smaller and more endearing, finally depicted as a bear cub.
The story of Roosevelt’s unsuccessful bear hunt sparked the imagination of Morris Michtom, who asked his wife Rose to create a toy plush bear to commemorate the event."
The history of this child's toy can be a plethora of informational fun for your preschooler in the house. But, it can also open up many lesson ideas for even your high-school level student. You can study the history of Theodore Roosevelt and the events happening during his presidency. You could study the importance of the written word and the artistic-drawn communications such as the cartoon. This could open up studies in art or historical documentation or even how our current communications in the internet came to be. From the Pony Express to the invention of the telephone to modern-day e-mail, this study could be endless.
Your home economics or craft class could consist of making your own Teddy Bear. You could start from scratch with a pattern or use a bear that is partially sewn and stuff it yourself. St. Louis area homeschoolers can enjoy special savings at Build-A-Bear Workshops for the day and throughout the rest of the month of September while supplies last. You can build your own Candy Corn bear for $16.00 at the St. Louis Galleria Build-A-Bear store.
Not into sewing or spending money on a plush toy, consider making your own Teddy Bear cookies. These are as cute as they are delicious. And, of course, you can eat your cookies at your very own tea party. If your children are young, the Teddy Bears can also be guests. If your children are older, you can use a tea party setting in a more formal style and stress the importance of manners and etiquette or even the history behind tea.
Of course, anyone with a child has probably heard little finger plays and poems such as:
"Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, reach up high
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, wink one eye,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, slap your knees,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, sit down please."
An elementary student might enjoy reading the adventures of Paddington Bear. A younger student might enjoy watching or reading Corduroy Bear stories or, of course, Winnie The Pooh. All of these books and videos/DVDs are available at local libraries free for the checkout. It's fun to read and act out classic stories as well, such as Goldilocks and The Three Bears.
The ideas to turn a fun holiday into a learning experience are practically bottomless. you might just find yourself turning a one-day fun holiday into a month-long learning adventure.
History of Teddy Bear and Original Cartoon
Timeline of the Teddy Bear Toy
More Teddy Bear Rhymes with links to Clipart
Nashville Early Childhood Parenting Examiner Article on Teddy Bear Day 2009 with Video of Cookies
Teddy Bear Coloring Pages, Crafts and More from About.com
Theodore Roosevelt on the History Channel
Comments
Great mini-lesson on the history of the teddy bear and ways to celebrate National Teddy Bear Day. I had no idea. Thanks for informing me.
Teddy Bears are still the coolest!
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