American industrialist, film producer and aviator Howard Hughes broke the U.S. transcontinental air record, flying from Burbank, California to Newark, New Jersey in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. The New York Times report of the event can be found here.

British explorer Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition reached the South Pole, but discovered that Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian team had beaten them by over a month. In addition to Capt. Scott, Lieut. Bowers, and Dr. Wilson, two others, Capt. Titus Oates and Petty Officer Edgar Evans made the final push to the Pole. Conditions were appalling: temperatures plummeting to minus 45 degrees F., nearly impassable terrain, blinding blizzards, or blinding sunshine. On January 16, nearing their objective, Scott and his team make a disheartening discovery – evidence that the Norwegians have beat them to the Pole. In fact, the Norwegians had arrived four weeks earlier on December 14, 1911. Psychologically numbed by the finding, the team pushes on. We pick up Scott’s journal on the following day… [more].

Birth of Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Baron Fairfax of Cameron, English general, commander of the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. Known as “Black Tom” for his dark complexion, Sir Thomas gained a reputation as a gallant and courageous commander in the struggle to control Yorkshire — but his fortunes were mixed. In March 1643, the Fairfaxes were routed by Lieutenant-General Goring at the battle of Seacroft Moor near Leeds; then in May, Fairfax took Goring prisoner in a spectacular victory at Wakefield against heavy odds… [more].

This worksheet is part of the new Scheme of Work through which the entire topic of Lenin’s Russia is taught through an extended roleplay with students taking the role of different Politburo members.

This lesson follows on well from the studies of individuals (see entire unit here). Students consider the big changes – transport, agriculture, smelting and so on – and try to link them together in a meaningful way. I have now added are some samples produced by my own students: Olivia | Hanif | Grace

Birth of Joan of Arc, French martyr, saint and national heroine. (This is the date given in a letter from Lord Perceval de Boullainvilliers. Her actual
date of birth is impossible to verify, and she could only estimate her age)