National Teacher Appreciation Week Header

The past week has been dedicated to celebrating teachers everywhere - especially those who have had to modify their lesson plans and dedicate extra hours to their students amid the current global climate.

We not only value the efforts educators have done to keep their classrooms safe, but we also appreciate the extra lengths they’ve gone to make learning fun in a socially distant way for their students.

That’s why we’re pleased to offer these remarkable classroom heroes a day off in their everyday lives with our free downloadable activity pack* – the perfect guide to keep young creative brains busy while also learning about the world of record breaking!

In this booklet, students can:

  • Design a record vision board
  • Experience what it’s like to attempt a real record title
  • Engage with numerous puzzles and more!

And as part of the celebrations... here are some fun record breaking facts about teachers to share with the classroom:

Teacher Fun Facts!

  • Medarda de Jesus Leon de Uzcategui (b. June 8, 1899), alias La Maestra Chucha, taught in Caracas, Venezuela for 87 years from 1911 to 1998 and had the world’s longest career as a teacher.
  • Two teachers from Brookman Elementary School, Alana London and Adam London, helped to organize and achieve the record for the longest chain of pipe cleaners in Las Vegas, Nevada. The attempt was done as a way to promote reading at Brookman Elementary School. Every time a child read a book, they were given ten pipe cleaners to add to the chain. By the end of the attempt, over 25,000 books had been read by the children in the school.
  • The world's longest rubber band chain was assembled by school children from Gettysburg Elementary School in Clovis, California, USA and measured 30.5 km (19 miles) long. The schoolchildren tied thousands of bands together, then painstakingly measured them with the help of their teacher, Mr. Jeff Ogas.
  • The longest surviving heart transplant patient was Ted Nowakowski (USA, b. 23 November 1948) who lived for 34 years and 261 days after receiving his transplant on 25 April 1983. After the transplant, Ted continued working as a teacher, and later became a principal, never failing his dedication to education.
  • Who says teachers can’t have cool hobbies?! Teacher Daniel Frame (Canada) achieved the most caber tosses in three minutes with 16 just two years ago. He set this record to set an example for his students of how you can set goals and work to be your best.
  • Canada-based journalist and former teacher Roy Ward Dickinson (UK, 1910-1978) effectively invented the world’s first game show format when he adapted quizzes he had set for his pupils to the radio. Professor Dick and His Question Box aired on CKCL Radio on 15 May 1935, and Dickson went on to produce many pioneering game show formats, including the first panel game Claim to Fame.
  • The oldest person to cross America by bicycle (female) is retired teacher Lynnea C. Salvo (USA) who was aged 67 years and 32 days when she completed her journey between Oceanside, California to Bethany Beach, Delaware, USA on 23 October 2016. Lynnea cycled 5,090.37 kilometres (3,163 miles) through temperatures which sometimes exceed 37.78 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

And in addition to fun teacher facts, we also have more exciting activities to offer students who want to participate in the safety of their own home!

Try This At Home Activities

National Teacher Appreciation Week Try This at Home

Check out our GWR At Home page to see how you can add record-breaking into your lesson plans.

And because we can't get enough of learning, check out this bonus content from our partners at 4-H ...

This week we celebrate all the teachers who are making an impact in the lives of young people every day. Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with a collection of at-home learning resources in the 4-H at Home Activity Guide!
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*Answers to Word Search Activity