Children's Health Month. For more information, go here.

Crime Prevention Month. For more information, as well as safety tips, visit the National Crime Prevention Council's Web site.

Energy Awareness Month. By Presidential Proclamation. For more information, go here.

Family Health Month. Designated by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Visit their Web site for more information.

International Dinosaur Month. Be sure to visit the online dinosaur exhibits at the  National Museum of Natural History as well as the American Museum of Natural History. The National Park Service offers The Dinosaur National Monument Web site. A list of dinosaur lesson plans may be found here.

International Walk to School Month. For more information, go here.

National Book Month. Sponsored by National Book Foundation, presenters of the National Book Awards.

National Go-On-A-Field-Trip Month.

National Popcorn Poppin' Month. For more information, go here.

National Stamp Collecting Month. Sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service.

James Earl Carter, Jr. Birthday. Born October 1, 1924. Carter served as the 39th President of the United States (1977-1981). Discovery School offers a lesson plan appropriate for grades 6-8, "Carter as President and Ex-President." For a brief biography, go here.

Prime Meridian Conference. Anniversary. The Prime Meridian is an imaginary longitude line running through the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich, England. The Prime Meridian is the meridian at which longitude is 0 degrees. It separates the eastern and western hemispheres. On October 1, 1884, delegates from around the world met in Washington to determine the position of the meridian. You may read more about the conference here.

Mahatma Gandhi. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 2, 1869; Died January 30, 1948. Gandhi was a major political and spiritual leader of India. There is a plethora of information available on the Internet about Gandhi. A good place to start is here.

National Storytelling Festival. October 2-4. A three-day festival held in Jonesborough, Tennessee. For more information, go here.

Thurgood Marshall Sworn In. On this day in 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first black U.S. Supreme Court Justice. For more information, go here.

Sputnik Launched. On this day in 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. For more information, go here.

Karen Cushman. Birthday. Born October 4, 1941. Cushman is a children's book author, winning the Newbery award for The Midwife's Apprentice. Visit her Web site. For a list of teaching resources, visit the Web English Teacher's Web site.

National Children's Health Day. By Presidential Proclamation. Observed on the first Monday in October.

Mental Illness Awareness Week. October 4-10. Go here for more information.

National Fire Prevention Week. October 4-10. This year's theme: "Stay Fire Smart: Don't Get Burned." For more information, go here.

Rutherford B. Hayes. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 4, 1822; Died January 17, 1893. Hayes served as the 19th President of the United States (1877-1881). For a brief biography, go here.

World Space Week. October 4-10. This year's theme, "Space is for Saving Lives." Check out the teacher's kits, activity guides, teacher's awards, and more at the World Space Week Web site.

David Shannon. Birthday. Born October 5, 1959. Shannon is a children's book author and illustrator. He wrote No, David! For more information, go here. For a video interview, go here.

The Great Chicago Fire. Anniversary. On this day in 1871, legend has it that a cow kicked over a lantern in the barn of a Mrs. O'Leary. Regardless of how it started, the fire spread quickly, eventually leveling four square miles and killing approximately 250 people before it died. Be sure to visit National Geographic Kids: Chicago Fire! as well as the Great Chicago Fire and Web of Memory online exhibit and America's Story: The Great Chicago Fire. EDSITEment offers a lesson plan for grades 9-12.

Recommended book: The Great Fire by Jim Murphy (Scholastic Press, 1995; ISBN: 0590472674; 144 pages; Ages: 10 and up).

Faith Ringgold. Birthday. Born October 8, 1930. Ringgold is a children's book author. She wrote Tar Beach, among others. For more information, go here.

R.L. Stine. Birthday. Born October 8, 1943. Stine is the author of the Goosebumps book series. Visit the author's Web site.

Leif Erikson Day. By Presidential Proclamation. Erickson was a Norse explorer. He is believed to be the first European to visit North America. For more information, go here.

Giuseppe Verdi. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 9, 1813; Died January 27, 1901. Verdi was an Italian composer of operas (primarily). For general information, visit the Official Giuseppe Verdi Web site. For a list of works by Verdi, go here.

Robert D. San Souci. Birthday. Born October 10, 1946. San Souci is a children's book author. He wrote The Samurai's Daughter, among others. For more information, visit his Web site.

World Mental Health Day. For more information, go here.

Russell Freedman. Birthday. Born October 11, 1929. Freedman is an acclaimed children's book author. He wrote the Newbery award winner Lincoln: A Photobiography. For more information, go here. Go here to watch a webcast at the Library of Congress. For a cyberguide for Lincoln, go here.

Eleanor Roosevelt. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 11, 1884; Died November 7, 1962. Roosevelt was known as "the first lady of the world." Married to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, she was a writer and activist for social causes. For brief biographies, go here and here. Be sure to visit Dear Mrs. Roosevelt to read letters children wrote to the first lady during the Great Depression. Includes lesson plans.

Recommended books: Eleanor by Barbara Cooney (Viking, 1996; ISBN: 0670861596; 40 pages; Ages: 4-8) and Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman (Clarion Books. 1997; ISBN: 0395845203; 208 pages; Ages: 9-12).

Columbus Day. Anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World.

National School Lunch Week. October 12-16. This year's theme: "All-Star School Lunch ." For more information, go here.

Dwight D. Eisenhower. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 14, 1890; Died March 28, 1969. Eisenhower served as the 34th President of the United States (1953-1961). For a brief biography, go here.

National Health Education Week. A national health observance sponsored by the National Center for Health Education. For health education lesson plans appropriate for grades 6-12, visit Discovery School.

National Dictionary Day. Noah Webster, the author of the American Dictionary, was born on this day in 1758. Dictionary day is observed to encourage everyone to own and use a dictionary. For more information, go here.

Sound Barrier Broken. Anniversary. On this day in 1947, Chuck Yeager, then a test pilot, flew faster than the speed of sound. To calculate the speed of sound at any particular air temperature, go here.

Oscar Wilde. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 16, 1854; Died November 30, 1900. Wilde was an Anglo-Irish poet, playwright, novelist, and short story writer. For more information, visit his official Web site.

World Food Day. Observed each October 16th in recognition of the founding of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945. For more information, go here.

Ed Emberley. Birthday. Born October 19, 1931. Emberley is a children's book author and illustrator. He wrote Go Away, Big Green Monster among others.

National School Bus Safety Week. October 19-23. Always held in the third full week of October. This year's theme: "Avoid Harm. Obey the Stop Arm." For more information, go here.

Victory at Yorktown. On this day in 1781, the British General Cornwallis surrendered to the Franco-American force, effectively ending the American Revolution. Visit the Yorktown Victory Center for more information.

Ursula K. LeGuin. Birthday. Born October 21, 1929. LeGuin is a science fiction writer. For more information, go here.

National Character Counts Week. October 18-24. For more information, go here. Visit Good Character.com for teaching guides, links, and lesson plans.

National Chemistry Week. October 18-24. This year's theme: "Chemistry—It's Elemental." For more information and resources, go here.

Franz Liszt. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 22, 1811; Died July 31, 1886. Liszt was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer in 19th century Europe. Go here for a biography.

Make a Difference Day. Sponsored by USA Weekend. A national day of doing good. For more information, go here.

United Nations Day. By Presidential Proclamation. For more information, go here.

Pablo Picasso. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 25, 1881; Died April 8, 1973. Picasso was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. For a teacher's guide and lesson plans appropriate for grades 6-12, visit the National Gallery of Art. For more ideas appropriate for grades 2-8, go here.

Johann Strauss II. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 25, 1825; Died June 3, 1899. Strauss was an Austrian composer known especially for his waltzes. Visit the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain Web site.

Nicoló Paganini. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 27, 1782; Died May 27, 1840. Paganini was an Italian violinist and composer. For more information, go here.

Theodore Roosevelt. Anniversary of Birth. Born October 27, 1858; Died January 6, 1919. Roosevelt served as the 26th President of the United States (1901-1909). For a brief biography, go here.

Statue of Liberty Dedicated. On this day in 1886, the statue, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States, was dedicated. The statue was known originally as Liberty Enlightening the World. Go here for a flash tour. The following is a list of materials and lesson plans:

Utah Education Network: Simple Symbols and American Children. Grade: K.
EDSITEment: The Meaning and Use of a National Symbol. Grades: 3-5.
thirteen|edonline: Liberty Defined. Grade: 4.
PBS: The Statue of Liberty. Grades: 4-9.
EDSITEment: The Statue of Liberty: Bringing the "New Colossus to America. Grades: 6-8.

Stock Market Crash. On this day in 1929, stock prices collapsed and billions of dollars in investments were wiped out. The crash was followed by the Great Depression. For more information, go here.

Eric A. Kimmel. Birthday. Born October 30, 1946. Kimmel is the author of more than fifty children's books. Visit the author's Web site.

Halloween.