List of objects dropped on New Year's Eve

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/list-of-objects-dropped-on-new-year-s-eve

1. What is the historical precursor?
2. What is the inaugural times square ball drop year?
3. What is the ball that drops in New York City on New Year's Eve?
4. Why do people drop objects on New Year's Eve instead of just watching fireworks?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the historical precursor?Time balls used by ship navigators for chronometer calibration
2. What is the inaugural times square ball drop year?1908
3. What is the ball that drops in New York City on New Year's Eve?It is a large shiny ball that falls from a tower at midnight to show the new year is starting. It began in 1908 and has become a famous symbol.
4. Why do people drop objects on New Year's Eve instead of just watching fireworks?Dropping an object gives everyone a clear, shared moment to count down to midnight. It helps people feel together and remember the change of year.

Chronometer: An instrument for measuring time with great accuracy, especially a portable one used in navigation.
Maritime Navigation: The practice of guiding ships or aircraft from one place to another, especially at sea.
Sociocultural Ritual: A practice or ceremony that holds significance within a society and its culture, often marking important transitions.