December is a great time to reflect on key events of the past year. The more kids know about the world around them, the more they’ll engage with their generation’s news, politics, and advancements. This can be a great way to build awareness and help them find what they’re most passionate about!
In this article, we’ll consider ten fun facts in 2024 that are worth including in your end-of-year lessons.
Ecuador’s Ancient City – January 11th 2024
The year started with the discovery of an ancient complex in the Ecuador Amazon. Experts believe it would have had a larger population than the Aztecs or Mayans. As many as 15,000 or even 30,000 might have lived in the area at some point.
Ginny’s Last Mars Flight – January 18th, 2024
Ingenuity, or ‘Ginny,’ is a NASA helicopter that became the first aircraft to achieve controlled flight to another planet. On its way to Mars, Ginny was initially strapped to the Mars Perseverance Rover. Experts thought it would last for around five flights over a month.
Ginny did better than expected and lasted 72 flights in three years. However, Ginny landed badly on January 18th this year and couldn’t launch again. NASA announced the end of this record-breaking mission one week later.
Japan Becomes Fifth Country to Land on the Moon – January 20th, 2024
Japan became the fifth country to land a spacecraft on the moon with its SLIM craft in January 2024.
The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) is an unmanned vehicle. It uses precise technology to guarantee a targeted landing. SLIM initially landed upside down near the moon’s Sholi crater.
Experts worried that the solar panels wouldn’t generate power. Luckily, SLIM lasted the lunar night, equivalent to two Earth weeks, and rebooted ten days later.
Largest Cruise Ship Sets Sail – January 27th, 2024
The largest cruise ship in the world, ‘Icon of the Seas, ’ set sail for the first time on January 27th, 2024. The ship has 20 decks and is 1,198 feet long, making it longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall. Over seven thousand passengers can stay onboard.
The ship is home to lots of sea-based firsts, including the largest waterpark, ice arena, and swimming pool at sea.
Super Bowl LVIII Becomes Most Watched Program in US History – February 11th 2024
February’s Super Bowl LVIII became the most-watched TV program in US history. Over 123.4 million viewers across TV and streaming platforms tuned in. The Kansas City Chiefs took home the trophy for the third time in five years.
Mexico Announces its First Female President – June 2nd, 2024
Mexico announced Claudia Sheinbaum as the first-ever female president on June 2nd, with almost 60.7% of the vote. That’s the highest vote percentage in Mexican democracy!
Sheinbaum is the former mayor of Mexico. She is a politician and climate scientist who joined the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) in 1989. Sheinbaum is the first female president elected in North America.
India Announces Results In The World’s Largest Election – June 4th, 2024
India’s general election this year was six weeks long and split into 44 phases. 642 million people voted and chose between 543 members for the lower house of Parliament.
India’s 2024 vote became the world’s largest-ever election.
First Ever Outdoor Olympics Opening Ceremony – July 26th 2024
This year’s Olympics in Paris, France, included the first-ever outdoor Olympic opening ceremony.
The ceremony took place along the River Seine. The fun lasted four hours and included 85 boats carrying 6,800 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees.
Twelve acts also appeared around the city at key locations to reflect France’s culture and history.
Norway Becomes First Country Where Electric Cars Outnumber Petrol – September 17th, 2024
In September this year, Norway became the first to have electric cars outnumber petrol cars.
Norway has pledged that all newly sold cars will be electric by 2025. Electric vehicle sales increased in the US this year, with around 14% more sold. However, the total percentage of electric vehicles in the US for 2024 is still less than 20%.
The World’s Longest Ever Treasure Hunt Ends – October 3rd 2024
The world’s longest-ever treasure hunt started in 1993 when French author Max Valentin published his book, ‘Chouette d’Or’ or ‘Golden Owl’. The book contained 11 complicated puzzles that led to a buried valuable golden owl sculpture.
The treasure hunt has lasted over 31 years, making it the longest-ever hunt. While Valentin died in 2009, Michel Becker, who illustrated the original, continued to provide clues.
People who joined the treasure hunt spent the past 31 years sharing tips and following each clue. On October 3rd, Becker announced the discovery of the golden owl, bringing the treasure hunt to a close.
A Year In Review: 2024 Fun Facts
The year 2024 can inform your end-of-year learning in different ways. You can summarize the year’s events like we did. You can also focus on one current event related to your class. We have many fantastic resources to help you do it.
At Learn Bright, we provide a wide range of comprehensive lesson plans for teachers and homeschoolers. Our lesson plans are free to access and built on industry standards by top teachers with classroom experience.
Check out the following resources to learn more fun facts about 2024
- Our Summer Olympics reading comprehension plan
- Our comprehensive Moon lesson plan
- Our History of Mexico foundation lesson
- Our All About India plan
- And many more
You can download a Learn Bright lesson plan for free here. You can also choose unlimited downloads and ad-free videos for a small monthly fee.
