J.R.R. Tolkien and Manatees - March 25
Learning in the Shire and in the Mire
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Today is Greek Independence Day, International Waffle Day, Manatee Appreciation Day, National Pecan Day, and Tolkien Reading Day.
Women's History Month Resource of the Day: American Masters - Searching for Augusta Savage
AMERICAN REVOLUTION HISTORY ON THIS DATE
1745 – Birthday of John Barry, “Father of the American Navy”.
1776 – American Patriots raid Tybee Island, seeking to capture runaway slaves who had sought refuge with the British.
Today's Birthdays
Songs of the Day
Today's Theme: J.R.R. Tolkien
ON THIS DATE
- 1306 - Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scots.
- 1584 - Sir Walter Raleigh is granted a patent to colonize Virginia.
- 1655 - Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christiaan Huygens.
- 1911 - In New York City, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 garment workers. (American Experience - Triangle Fire Resources)
- 1931 - The Scottsboro Boys are arrested in Alabama and charged with rape.
- 1957 - United States Customs seizes copies of Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl" on obscenity grounds.
- 1965 - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led 25,000 marchers to the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest the denial of voting rights to blacks.
- 1745 - Naval officer and "Father of the American Navy" John Barry
- 1826 - Women's rights advocate Matilda Gage
- 1867 - Cellist and conductor Arturo Toscanini
- 1881 - Hungarian pianist and composer Béla Bartók
- 1925 - Writer Flannery O'Connor (American Masters - Flannery)
- 1928 - Astronaut Jim Lovell
- 1934 - Feminist Gloria Steinem (PBS Newshour Story)
- 1942 - Singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin
- 1947 - Singer-songwriter Elton John
- 1965 - Actor Sarah Jessica Parker
- 1967 - Skater and physician Debi Thomas
- 1971 - Basketball player and coach Sheryl Swoopes
- 1982 - Racecar driver Danica Patrick
Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore - LISTEN- Led Zeppelin - Ramble On - LISTEN
Arturo Toscanini - Conducting Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries - LISTEN Aretha Franklin - Say a Little Prayer - LISTEN Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - LISTEN
- Grades: PreK-1 - Sesame Street - Lord of the Crumbs (5:13) -VIEW
- Grades: 5-12 - NHPBS VIDEO - Rainbow Readers - Review of The Hobbit (1:03) - VIEW
- Grades 6-12 - PBS LearningMedia - The Great American Read - George R.R. Martin Discusses Lord of the Rings (4:01) - VIEW and DO
- Grades 7-12 - PBS LearningMedia - It's Lit - The Constructed Languages of J.R.R. Tolkien (14:17) - VIEW and DO
- Grades 7-12 - ReadWriteThink - Tolkien Resources - DO
- Grades 9-12 - NHPBS Video - University Place - J.R.R. Tolkien in Wisconsin (41:48) - VIEW
THEME: MANATEES
- Grades PreK-12 - Save the Manatee Live Web Cams - VIEW
- Grades K-2 - PBS LearningMedia - Manatees! Interactive Lesson - VIEW, READ, DO
- Grades K-5 - PBS LearningMedia - Wild Kratts - Manatee Rescue (1:52) - VIEW
- Grades K-5 - PBS LearningMedia - Wild Kratts - Divergent Evolution (1:54) - VIEW
- Grades 3-5 - PBS LearningMedia - Dragonfly TV (5:44) - VIEW
- Grades 3-8 - PBS LearningMedia - Nature - Manatees (4:38) - VIEW and DO
- Grades 3-12 - NHPBS - Wildlife Journal Jr. - West Indian Manatee - READ
- Grades 3-12 - NHPBS - Wildlife Journal Junior - Sirenia - dugongs, manatees - READ
- Grades 5-7 - PBS LearningMedia - Facts or Opinion: Manatees - VIEW, READ, DO
- Grades 5-12 - NHPBS Video - Nature - Meet the Manatees (3:20) - VIEW
- Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - PBS NewsHour - Biologists Try to Save Florida Manatees from Starvation (8:26) - VIEW
- Grades 7-12 - NHPBS Video - Changing Seas - Manatees: Conserving a Marine Mammal (26:43) - VIEW
About New Hampshire PBS: New Hampshire PBS inspires, educates and connects all Granite Staters every month—on-air, online, on mobile, in classrooms, and across our communities. From award-winning local and national programs to innovative education and community initiatives, we’re turning stories into action and ideas into impact across the Granite State. Driven by passion. Fueled by you. We are 100% community funded.
###
NHPBS PRESSROOM
Connect: Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn • TikTok • nhpbs.org
____________________________________________________________________
DIGITAL | PBS APP | YOUTUBE | NHPBS | EXPLORE | WORLD | CREATE | PBS KIDS | NHK
BROADCAST | NHPBS | EXPLORE | WORLD | CREATE| PBS KIDS
New Hampshire PBS | 268 Mast Road | Durham, NH 03824 | 603.868.1100
11 Durham, 34 Pittsburg, 23 Littleton, 18 Keene, 36 Hanover
Station Management
Peter A. Frid
President & CEO
pfrid@nhpbs.org
603-868-1100
Dawn DeAngelis
Vice President & Chief Content Officer
ddeangelis@nhpbs.org
603-868-1100
Pressroom Contact
Carla Gordon Russell
Director of Communications
crussell@nhpbs.org
(603) 868-4339