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A group of children from the history club "Artifact" travels to Arizona where they discover the layers of the Grand Canyon, visit the Navajo and Hopi people, hear an ancient legend and barely escape an angry elk.  Jonathan, one of the boys, learns a secret to overcome his trouble with running. Be sure to order our children's history magazine, ARTIFACT, at brilliant-mornings.com for related stories, activities, games, comics and more - all focused on highlights from HISTORY!  For authentic legends from Native Americans, this book is very helpful and rich: Voices of the Winds: Native American Legends, by Margot Edmonds, Ella Clark, Ella Elizabeth Clark

Who made the footprints in the clay? Archeologists on Calvert Island have made a discovery, and we enjoy an exciting story of a family traveling to North America to explain their findings.  Could Tuya be the mother of the indigenous nations of North America?  Please visit our website, brilliant-mornings.com and sign up for our mailing list to receive the children’s magazine, ARTIFACT; the first Volume is free for our listeners!   Also, follow us on Instagram @brilliantmornings to vote on whether this story should be made into a book!  Join us for the next episodes which includes a road trip across America!  This podcast was written and produced by Heidi Illian.  Music (all but intro) from ep. sound.  Write to [email protected] for more information. 

The 2022 invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to much of the world - but not to certain experts, who closely watch Russia's triggers.   What does Russia seek above all else? What is its "special military operation" all about?  Find out some clues by listening to a captivating story of a baseball game - an analogy of Russia's military action in Ukraine which will help explain current events to the children in your family. With much to unpack, your family will be sure to have intriguing conversations after this episode! 

Playing a wild, hands-on game of football or singing along to well-known songs with a crowd as you watch your favorite drummer play, or gathering with family for clam bakes and bonfires as you dig your toes into the smooth sand of the New England beaches - do these things sound like what you or other young people today might do for fun?  Can you believe that they originated with the Native Americans hundreds and even thousands of years ago?  Today we get to go back in time, jumping into the early 1600’s, before any permanent English settlements had been built.  We’ll fly over the Eastern Coast of North America with a momma duck and imagine what the lives of the thriving indigenous peoples looked like; and we might just catch a glimpse of Squanto and Pocahontas when they were little!  Print out your free activity page from http://brilliant-mornings.com to use while listening to the podcast (scissors and glue will help too!).  Find Ms. Stephanie and a wonderful Algonquin language story on video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac3nsmFQ2ok

The year 1600 is full of secrecy; as separatists in England begin to hold secret church meetings hiding from the Queen, that very Queen is holding secret meetings with the Ambassador of Morocco.   What will come of all this? From the tropical rainforest of the African Congo, to the great Kingdom of Benin, to present-day Morocco and England, join a migrating Cuckoo bird with a sweet tooth to discover some of the key players of this exciting time in history!   Check out our website Brilliant-mornings.com for resources that go along with this episode! We borrowed quotes from Lewes Lewknor, an English courtier, who wrote about the Moroccan Ambassador’s visit, as an eye-witness!  He described the scene of Queen Elizabeth's royal court when the Moroccan Ambassador arrived.  Intro and Outro Music by Matt Grajcar Thank you to Ep. Sound for the following soundtracks: Gorilla-growl-3-SBA-30011747 For the Love of England Summer is Over Horse Gallop Towards 1 In Front of Us Caught in the Waves ES_Wind Storm 5 - SFX Producer 

Follow an adventurous bird and a mysterious sailor through a life-changing trip through Korea and Japan, in the year 1600.  Understanding the world of 1600 helps explain our world today!  Visit brilliant-mornings.com for our free printables and amazing resources for your home or school! 

Explore the world of 1600 - in Asia!  We begin this episode in India, travel to China, and will continue in Korea and Japan in Part 2. A swift bird becomes entangled in a risky agreement between an Indian princess and a mysterious Portuguese sailor.  Can she escape?  Visit Brilliant-mornings.com to download line drawings for you to paint or color while listening to the episode - as well as a map and resources!  

What was happening all over the world in the year 1600? From a lush lakeside in Kenya, through Egypt, Israel, and finally Germany, follow the migration of a pair of storks as they travel north to start a family; discover the geography, cultures, and historical figures they met along the way! Please visit http://brilliant-mornings.com for maps and resources to use WHILE listening to this fascinating episode!! 

Brazil, Cuba, and Poland - our special guests came to America from these beautiful lands.  With a love for their old countries, and a joy about the opportunities they have found in the United States, their stories teach us and give hope!   We are blessed with John Kano's original music which can be found at johnkano.com.  Check him out! 

Secret meetings in Philadelphia? What did that group of five men originally write as the Declaration of Independence?  Learn important parts of this Declaration through song - they reappear throughout history, in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Dr. Martin Luther Jr.'s famous speech, "I Have a Dream".  Why did the colonies want to leave England?  What led to the Declaration of Independence?  Did the Declaration lead to the Revolutionary War?  Find out today, and enjoy wonderful music as we dive into motives behind the actions in history! As always, check out the primary sources that tell us what the Founding Fathers actually said!  Sources: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript https://allthatsinteresting.com/who-wrote-the-declaration-of-independence https://www.varsitytutors.com/earlyamerica/freedom-documents/asked-jefferson-write-first-draft-declaration-independence https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.html https://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/sense6.htm

Three teams of fathers and their children race the clock to set up their very own inventions on Mt. Washington!  Inspired by father-child teams from history, they create devices to help hikers!  We are celebrating fathers and father-figures this week in honor of Father's Day! Let Doc Susie Anderson inspire you - she  saved patients' limbs and climbed mountains of snow as an amazing midwest doctor:  https://www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/digital-colorado/colorado-histories/20th-century/susan-anderson-mountain-doctor/ What did Alexander Graham Bell do? Here's a short video: https://www.britannica.com/video/180119/Overview-invention-telephone-focus-work-Alexander-Graham A father and son tinker together to make the first passenger trains in England: https://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/george-stephenson-and-the-development-of-the-railway Extension activities:  1. Fathers/parents what skills do you have that you can pass on to your children?  Can you use those skills to help others?  Share your ideas with me on the Brilliant Mornings Instagram! 2. Design an invention which will help others!  Draw it!  If possible, try to build one. =) Share your ideas with me on the Brilliant Mornings Instagram!

This Juneteenth, celebrate the inspiring woman Henrietta Wood, whose story was lost to descendants for over one hundred years.  We follow her dangerous and convoluted journey to freedom and learn how her endurance leads to victory!  CHALLENGE: FOR THOSE YOUNGER LISTENTERS, CAN YOU JUMP EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THE WORDS "FREE" OR "FREEDOM"? CHALLENGE: FOR ALL WHO COUNT...HOW MANY TIMES IS THE WORD "FREE" MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE? ANSWER @BRILLIANTMORNINGS ON INSTAGRAM FOR A POSSIBLE PRIZE! Episode Poem: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? Copyright © 1983 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. (Special permission granted for educators teaching through audio during 2020-September 2021.) Our dynamic cast includes individuals who inspire the world on a daily basis!  Discover them below: Amber O’Neal Johnston (consultant and barbecue host) is a home educator, speaker, writer and consultant who inspires families around the world with her own journey in creating an inclusive, culturally-rich home education using the Charlotte Mason philosophy.  She can be found on at Heritagemom.com, or on Instagram @heritagemomblog where she shares her wisdom, encouragement, and a vast collection of resources.  We are so very grateful to Ms. Amber for her wisdom and participation in today’s episode! Celebrated actress Mina Thomas (true words of Henrietta Wood; Maya Angelou's poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings")  currently graces the stage of Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, MO, where she has most recently played the role of Mary Magdalene in the show Jesus. While you plan your trip to the theater, view a recent interview here: https://www.facebook.com/sightsoundtheatresbranson/videos/932053714292274 Damion Sanders, (Barbecue host) a gun violence survivor, lives to help the hurting heal & change worlds with words. His core belief is that freed people should free people. Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damionbsanders/ Randy Mason, a husband, dad and hip-hop artist has a heart for the next generations.  Find his music and more information here: https://linktr.ee/randymasonmusic Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randymasonmusic/ Sharon Chang, our narrator, recently made headlines as the first Black female partner in William Morris Endeavor's history! Check out her story here: https://variety.com/list_item/sharon-chang/ She has also brought her talent and passion for music as worship director to Pascack Bible Church for 30 years! (Thank you, Mrs. Chang, for being my first singing teacher!) Our cast also includes Timmy L., Micah I., and Bella I. Special Mention to our editors and consultants: 1. Erika Alicea https://www.instagram.com/cmcityliving/ 2. Shaun McClin 3. David Chang 4. Natasha Sanchez  Primary sources are priceless. Please check out these life-changing stories I found during the in-depth research stage of preparing for this episode: 1. Henrietta Wood's story, in her own words! http://wcaleb.rice.edu/omeka/collections/show/9 2. Stories of former slaves in the Oklahoma/Texas region (in their own words): http://lcweb2.loc.gov/mss/m