 Education and Activities
Geography: England, whose capital is London, sits on the island of Great Britain along with Scotland and Wales. The country covers about 50,000 square miles (roughly the same area as New Mexico).
Social Studies & History: Early summer in England is marked by the famous tennis tournament held in Wimbledon. The matches began in 1877 with men’s games, and included women in 1884. They take place outdoors on grass courts and include singles, doubles and mixed-gender games. Just like the fans of golf, the crowds at Wimbledon are supposed to watch silently and quietly applaud when appropriate. This year you can watch the matches beginning June 23rd.
Language Arts & Reading: Lads and lasses ages nine through 12 can learn about England’s famous tennis championship from Jeff Kubik’s Wimbledon. Those even younger can pick up This is London, by Miroslav Sasek, to learn about the city’s cultural sites.
Math: Male Wimbledon champions earn their title by winning best-of-five sets. Women and mixed-match players win by being the first to take two of three sets. Each set is scored with numbers that run from zero (called “love”) to 15 to 30 to 40 and then to the winner.
Food: Many dairy products come from England, including Cheddar cheese. Traditional English foods include fish and chips, scones (biscuits) and Yorkshire pudding (a popover served with gravy). Strawberries with cream is a popular snack served at Wimbledon.
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