1. Back In Time What if you could be like Marty McFly in the movie “Back to the Future” and you could travel back in time? What would you see and experience? What aspects of daily life of children your age would be the same or different? Let us travel back in time to the year of 1944 and discover some things children your age experienced during this time period in American history. A Child’s Life in 1944

2. Rationing of Goods Rationing of consumer goods began soon after America entered the war in 1941. By 1944 more items were placed on the rationing list. Households were given ration books and drivers of cars had to carry a special fuel rationing card. The national speed limit was reduced to 35 miles per hour to save ware on tires and save rubber. Stamps were allotted by the month to each household. If a household ran out of stamps for items, the items could not be purchased until the next month. Rationed items included: processed foods, gasoline, rubber (tires and shoes) appliances, heating oil, coffee, tea, sugar, and red meat.

3. Rationing Math Problem You are the oldest child in a family of four. How many pounds of meat is your family allowed in one week? Please provide two possible answers and explain how you came to each conclusion.

4. Radio Shows Radio shows were a popular form of entertainment for most children during 1944. Most households had radios. Televisions were not being produced because of the war efforts. We can still listen to old radio shows today on internet radio and satellite radio. Popular radio shows for kids included the following: The Roy Rogers Radio Show, The Shadow Knows, and A Date with Judy. Many radio shows were developed from comic books like The Shadow and Dick Tracy. Dick Tracy is still published today. httphttp://www.youtube. com/watch?v=PkhyNFP YZ1o http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=ZlzNDvRwroU&list= PLzhNYT2pXWVHC9WjB5 8wpZStAEPx4STS5 http://www.youtube.com/w atch?v=8wPQjTyMNpw

5. Toys and Games Many toys that were played with by children in 1944 are still around today. Bubbles were invented in 1944 by a Chicago chemical company named Chemtoy. Children had been blowing soap bubbles with home soaps until this invention was made popular

6. Toys and Games The Slinky was accidentally invented by Richard James. He was trying to make springs to cushion cargo on ships. His wiry invention fell off a shelf and began “walking” its way down boxes. His wife Betty named his new toy Slinky.

7. Clothes Pin Game Clothes pin game was invented by children who could not afford to buy games in stores. They used household clothes pins and milk bottles. Each child received 10 pins each and tried to drop them into the milk bottles. The child with the most pins in a bottle won the game.

8. Comparing and Contrasting Two Songs 1944 number one song “I’ll Be Seeing You” by Frank Sinatra http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xKWNay0y2Bc 1974 number one song “The Way We Were” by Barbara Streisand http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=kxRpq_6kjg8

9. Two Songs in Time Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand are popular singers. Frank Sinatra began his career in the 1940’s and Barbara Streisand began her career in the 1960’s. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast one song from each artist. Both songs were the top songs of the year but in different decades. Frank Sinatra’s song “I’ll Be Seeing You” was popular in 1944. Barbara Streisand’s song, “The Way We Were” was a top hit in 1974. There are many similarities between the songs from the meaning of the lyrics to the meter of the beats. The lyrics or the words are similar because the theme of each song is about missing someone who is no longer around. Both songs are accompanied by large instrument ensembles and the songs are in the 4 meter. Plus both songs are sung as solos. When you begin to listen to each song it is not hard to hear the differences if you listen really close. The main difference between the two songs is the solo singers are male and female. Frank Sinatra’s “I’ll Be Seeing You” is a standard swing song accompanied by a type of swing band called a Big Band. In contrast, “The Way We Were” is a love song ballad. The big band song has the swing rhythm common to this style of music. The tempo of the swing rhythm is andante which means walking speed. The tempo and rhythms of “The Way We Were” are smooth and largo or slow. This song is accompanied by an orchestra. Even though the two songs are from different decades and different artists it is not difficult to find similarities between the two songs. “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “The Way We Were” are songs that people still love to sing. Maybe you will choose to sing one of them now that you have read this essay.