Grandpa's cruise to Alaska in June was spectacular! See his movie, read his poem. Learn an igloo craft, learn to make the state dessert of Alaska!

Mimi and McAveler's grandpa took a cruise to Alaska. Let's listen in as Mimi and McAveler talk about what they learned about beautiful from grandpa.

Then let's read the poem grandpa wrote about his .

Then let's view grandpa's movie about Alaska below.

Mimi, which was the forty ninth state to join the union?

I don’t know McAveler. Was it Oregon? They seem to be late at doing things.

Good guess but wrong, Mimi. It starts with the letter A.

Alabama?

No! One more guess.

Was it Alaska?

Yes it was! And what was the year and who was the president when Alaska became a state?

McAveler, you are the young scientist. Suppose you tell me all about Alaska. I know he's going to tell me more than I want to hear, thought Mimi to herself, he always does.

It would be my pleasure, Mimi, says McAveler. Alaska joined the union on 3 January 1959 when Eisenhower was the US President.

Alaska is the largest state of the United States. It's even bigger than Texas!

It has Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. Russia lies further west across the

About half of Alaska's 700,000 residents live in the Anchorage metropolitan area. Alaska remains the least densely populated state of the U.S.

Alaska was purchased from the Russians on March 30, 1867, for about two cents per acre. The land became an organized territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.

The name "Alaska" is derived from the Aleut word "alaxsxaq" (Alakshak), meaning "the mainland" or literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known by the Aleut name of Alyeska, or the "great land".

OK, enough already! I suppose Chico Chihuahua told you all about Alaska, right, quizzed Mimi?

Don't be silly, Chico has never been on a cruise to Alaska. I learned all this from our grandpa. He's been there lots of times.

In fact, he even wrote a poem about it. He called it "Ahhhlockshahhhkkk". Want to read Grandpa's poem about his cruise to Alaska?

McAveler, what did grandpa teach you about igloos? Wouldn't it be great to live in a house made of ice?

Mimi, were mainly used by the Inuit people of Canada's central arctic and in Greenland. And then usually only for shelter for hunting parties, not long term dwelling places. Even if it is -49 degrees fahrenheit outside, it can be as warm as +61 degrees fahrenheit inside an igloo, by body heat alone! Snow makes an excellent insulator.

McAveler, I know how to make an igloo craft. I'll show you how this afternoon.

Great! Mimi, then we should also make the state dessert of Alaska to go with our igloo.

Alaska has a state dessert, what is it, McAveler?

Why, it's Baked Alaska of course, laughed McAveler, entirely proud of his humor. Let's make McAveler's Easy and Famous Baked Alaska Recipe!

And, grandpa took lots pictures and put the best of them into a short movie. Do you want to see Grandpa's movie of the cruise to Alaska? Alaska is very beautiful. Click below to see it!

A Message From Chico Chihuahua

McAveler is right. I have never been on a cruise to Alaska. However I have a friend that moved here from Alaska. His name is Amesko. He is an He doesn't like summertime here but he loves our winters.

He loves and protects and plays with his family but he doesn't much like strangers or when little kids poke at him.

Amesko also loves which requires that he perform a variety of tricks and obedience talents while his trainer does creative dance steps to the music.

I too am a great dancer but I prefer to specialize in



From Cruise To Alaska page back to Kids Crafts page

To Kids Crafts Index Page