For Kids Note to our students: In spite of what you might see or hear on the web or on the news, Mother's Day has no ties to the ancient cultures. It is a modern holiday. Can you imagine the ancient Greeks or the ancient Romans honoring their mother simply because she was their mother?  People love to credit the ancients with everything. But they did not invent everything. There's lots of room for new inventions, and new holidays are being created all the time. Perhaps the next one will be created by you!  Here's how Mother's Day got started: Anna Jarvis, an American woman, believed that all of us forget sometimes to thank our Moms for all they do for us. (True enough!) Anna Jarvis worked very hard to convince the American people that we needed one day set aside for each of us to do just that, to truly and sincerely thank our own Mom, to strengthen family bonds.  In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first Mother's Day proclamation, stating that the observance serves as a "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country." (This is more of a political statement than an explanation of the holiday, but it made it official.) Here's a site to visit that is full of Mother's Day ideas: Kids Turn Central   For Teachers Activity Idea: On Earth Day,   paint a pot  and plant a seed.  For Mother's Day, take it home! Oral Interviews: Suggested project idea for your class: Have students create a short list of questions to ask their Mom or Dad or a relative or caretaker. Not all of us have a mother, but most kids have someone who is important to them. Find out things you don't know, things like: "What kind of jobs have you had? What clubs did you join in school? If you could travel to any country or place for free, which one would it be? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?" Free Presentations in PowerPoint format Our Holiday Gift to You: Historic Indiana Farm Recipes  Free Clip Art    All Rights Reserved    Clip Art Credit: Phillip Martin Have a great year!