 
This wasn't a high mileage week for either class, but the
fourth graders managed to increase their lead over the fifth
graders. Currently, the 4th grade is 46½
miles ahead of the 5th grade.
Both classes are still in the
state of Oklahoma, their fourth state. It's a state with
some pretty interesting facts. For instance, did you know...
  The
world's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City
in 1935.
Okmulgee, Oklahoma owns the world record for: the largest
pecan pie; the largest pecan cookie; the largest pecan
brownie; and, the biggest ice cream and cookie party.
The
National Cowboy Hall of Fame is located in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.
The town of Beaver, Oklahoma claims to be the Cow Chip Throwing
Capital of the World. It is here that the World Championship
Cow Chip Throw is held each April.
An Oklahoman, Sylvan Goldman, invented the first shopping
cart.
Bob Dunn, a musician from Beggs, Oklahoma, invented the
first electric
guitar in 1935.
In Gurhrie, Oklahoma nearly 20,000 lighters and "fire starters" are
displayed at the National Lighter Museum - the only
museum devoted to the collection of lighters.
Clinton Riggs of Oklahoma designed the YIELD sign.
Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state, with
over one million surface acres of water.
Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any
state in the U.S. Many of the 250,000 American Indians
living in Oklahoma are descended from the 67 tribes who
inhabited the Indian Territory. Oklahoma is tribal
headquarters for 39 tribes.
More than three times as many people live in Oklahoma than
in the state of Montana. Montana's population is 944,632.
Oklahoma's population is 3,579,212. However, Montana has
twice the amount of land area than Oklahoma.
Want to learn more about Oklahoma? Visit our page of
Oklahoma facts and trivia.
So, where are the kids now? The 5th graders are in the area
of
Vinita, Oklahoma.
Vinita was the first town in Oklahoma to have electricity.
Hopefully the 5th graders will recharge their batteries
while there and make some tracks toward the Texas border.
The 4th graders are in Catoosa, Oklahoma. Catoosa is a town of
about 5,000 people... and one
BIG blue whale!
It's one of the most recognizable icons on Route 66. The
whale was built by Hugh Davis in the early 1970s as an
anniversary gift to his wife Zelta, who collected whale
figurines. There's a pond that surrounds the massive blue
whale, as well as sand and picnic tables. Mr. Davis hired
life guards and opened his masterpiece to the public. In
1988, the aging couple found that they could no longer
handle the management of the attraction and it was closed.
Just two years later, Mr. Davis died. The park soon fell
into disrepair, crumbling from neglect and weather. However,
a decade later, the Route 66 landmark benefited from
fund-raising and volunteer efforts. The Blue Whale was given
a fresh coat of paint and the picnic area restored.
Along the way this week the 4th graders went through
Claremore, Oklahoma, which is where the
Will Rogers Memorial
is located. Will Rogers is known as Oklahoma's f avorite
son. He was born to a prominent Indian Territory family and
learned to ride horses and use a lariat so well that he was
listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing
three ropes at once - one around the neck of a horse,
another around the horse's rider, and a third around all
four legs of the horse. He traveled around the world three
times, made 71 movies, wrote more than 4,000 newspaper
columns, and became well known around the world in the 1920s
and 1930s.
The kids are certainly looking forward to Christmas
vacation, which is now only two weeks away! The 4th graders
still have 278 miles left in Oklahoma and the 5th graders
have 325 miles remaining before reaching Texas. With only
two weeks left until Christmas break, it appears that both
grades will bring in the new year while virtually running
and walking in Oklahoma. We're hopeful that they can enter
Texas, their fifth state, during their first week back to
school in January.
That's all the news to share from this particular milepost.
If you haven't yet sent the kids a note of encouragement,
perhaps you could do that right now. They sure would
appreciate it.
Just click here to send your
note!
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