Thursday, March 31, 2016

Tropical Storm


We just learned about the type of Tropical Cyclone called a Tropical Depression.

The next strongest type of Tropical Cyclone is called a Tropical Storm.

This is when there is a strong circular thunderstorm with winds over 39 miles per hour and under 73 miles per hour.
A tropical storm can blow off shingles, and the heavy rain can cause flooding.


(from: wikipedia - tropical storm allison)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Roll Clouds

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Blue Krait


We just learned about Coral Snake.

Another type of snake is the Blue Krait also known as the Bungarus candidus, or Malayan krait.

This is a venomous snake that lives in southeast Asia.
It has blueish-black stripes on its head and all along its body, and a white belly.

It is the 3rd most venomous snake in the world, and a bite from this snake can kill a human so they are very dangerous.
This snake is shy and usually won't go out to bite a human unless someone tries to pick it up or steps on it.


(from: wikipedia - bungarus candidus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Saluki

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Brain


We just learned that the Nervous System is made up of the Central Nervous System which is your brain and spinal cord, and the Peripheral Nervous System which is all the nerves going through your body.

Let's learn more about the brain.

The brain is the part of the body that is in control of everything.
It tells the body when to breathe, when to walk or jump, and when to smile.

It also gets sent all the messages from body.
When you stub your toe it sends a message to your brain telling you that it hurts.
When you see, smell, hear, taste or touch things, all of those messages go to your brain.

The brain also is what helps you think and learn.
From learning how to talk, spell, do math or even how to sing.
It's also where your memories are, where your brain keeps track of the things you've seen and heard.


(from: wikipedia - human brain)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Descending Aorta

Monday, March 28, 2016

Lake Taymyr


We just learned about Lake Athabasca in Canada.

The next biggest lake is Lake Taymyr in Russia.
It is very far north, and is frozen over for all but three summer months.
In those summer months the temperature is about 44 degrees fahrenheit.


(from: wikipedia - lake taymyr)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Missouri

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Holy Week


We've learned that the Lent season begins with Fat Tuesday and then Ash Wednesday, and then goes on for several weeks.

The last week of Lent is called Holy Week, as it gets close to the Easter holiday.


(from: wikipedia - holy week)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus Crucificion - Why have you forsaken me?

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Statue of Gudea


We just learned about the Cylinder Seal sculptures.

Another set of sculptures are the many statues of Gudea.

Gudea was a king in the land of Mesopotamia thousands of years ago.
The people he ruled over made many statues of him, and many of them survived for thousands of years.

The statues were made of different types of stone called alabaster or diorite.


(from: wikipedia - statues of gudea)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Charles IV of Spain and His Family - Francisco Goya

Friday, March 25, 2016

Italian - My drink is cold


We just learned that in Italian to say this chair is small you say La sedia è piccolo.

Let's learn about more things we see every day.

To say My drink is cold, we say La mia bevanda è freddo.

Here's how to say it:
My - La mia - sounds like lah me-ah /?/
drink - bevanda - sounds like bay-van-dah /?/
is - è - Sounds like ay-ee /?/
cold - freddo - Sounds like fd-ay-doh /?/


So all together La mia bevanda è freddo sounds like lah me-ah bay-van-da ay-ee fd-ay-doh.

academy of the bran
(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Mein Getränk ist kalt

In Spanish:
Mi bebida es fría

In French:
Ma boisson est froid

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Tropical Depression


We just learned that large storms in the tropics are called Tropical Cyclones and that they have many different names.

Many of these names are based on how strong the cyclone is.

The first level of tropical cyclone is called a Tropical Depression.
This means the storm clearly looks circular, but the winds are less than 39 miles per hour.


(from: wikipedia - tropical cyclone)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shelf Clouds

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Coral Snake


We just learned about the Blunthead Tree Snake.

Another type of snake is the Coral Snake.

This snake has stripes of red, yellow, white and black.

It is a very venomous snake, and it's venom can be deadly to humans if they are not taken to a hospital quickly.
Coral snakes are afraid of humans and will usually try to get away if they are seen, but sometimes if they are threatened they will bite.
Their fangs are not very long, so they can not bite through thick leather like gloves or shoes.

Other snakes like milk snakes have colors just like the coral snake, but not in the same order.
Some people have come up with ways to remember which ones are venomous, like:
Red and black, friend of Jack. Red and yellow, kills a fellow.
Yellow, Red, Stop!

Coral snakes mostly live on the ground underneath leaves, and they eat snakes, lizards, frogs, birds and rodents.

(from: wikipedia - coral snake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shiba Inu

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Peripheral Nervous System


We just learned that the central nervous system is one part of the Nervous System.

The other main part is the Peripheral Nervous System.

This is all the long wires of nerves that go through your whole body.


(from: wikipedia - peripheral nervous system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palmar Digital Arteries

Monday, March 21, 2016

Lake Athabasca


We just learned about Lake Nicaragua in Central America.

The next biggest lake is in Canada, called Lake Athabasca.
This name comes from the Cree natives, meaning "where there are plants one after another".

There is a very old town in this area called Fort Chipewyan, named after the Chipewyan people who lived there.


(from: wikipedia - lake athabasca)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mississippi

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Ash Wednesday


We just learned about how on Fat Tuesday many people would have large feasts right before the season of Lent.

The first day of lent is Ash Wednesday.

For 40 days after this day, not including Sundays, people would not eat meat or even some types of fatty bread.
At church service for Ash Wednesday, some people would take old palm branches that had been saved from last year's celebration of Palm Sunday.
They would burn those palm branches and use the ashes.

Some churches sprinkle ashes above people's heads, and others would make a mark of a cross on their foreheads.

When the priest or pastor would put ashes on your head, they would say:

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
or
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.



(from: wikipedia - ash wednesday)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Crucifixion - Here is your son

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Cylinder Seal


We just learned about the sculpture the Lyres of Ur.

Other famous sculptures are the ancient Cylinder Seals.

Around 3,500 years ago, people would take stone, metal or even jewels and carve them into a cylinder shape.
Then they would carve a hole through the middle so they were like a tube.
On the outside of the tube they would carve pictures that would tell a story, send a message, or maybe be like a signature for someone.

Then they would roll the cylinder along some wet soft clay, and it would leave a print on clay.
The clay dried and they would have a picture.


(from: wikipedia - cylinder seal)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: No. 5, 1948 - Jackson Pollock

Friday, March 18, 2016

Italian - The chair is small


We just learned that in Italian to say this house is big you say Questa casa è grande.

Let's learn about more things we see every day.

To say The chair is small, we say La sedia è piccolo

We can break it up into four words:
The - La - sounds like lah /?/
chair - sedia - sounds like say-dee-ah /?/
is - è - Sounds like ay /?/
small - piccolo - Sounds like pee-koh-loh /?/


So all together La sedia è piccolo sounds like lah say-dee-ah ay pee-koh-loh.

academy of the bran
(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Der Stuhl ist klein

In Spanish:
La silla es pequeña

In French:
La chaise est petit

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Tropical Cyclone


We've learned a lot about tornadoes, like what an F5 Tornado is!

Now let's learn a little about tropical cyclones.

There are a few types of things known as tropical cyclones, like hurricanes, typhoons, tropical storms, cyclonic storms, tropical depressions.

They are called tropical because they are usually over the area around the equator, known as the tropics.

They are called cyclones because they spin around just like a tornado does.


(from: wikipedia - tropical cyclone)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cloud Étages

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Blunthead Tree Snake


We just learned about the southern hognose snake.

Another type of snake is the blunthead tree snake.

This type of snake is very long and skinny with a big head.
It's usually about three feet long, and brown with white stripes.

These snakes have really big eyes, and their pupils are vertical, up and down.
Most snakes use their smell and feelings to find food, but these snakes can see very well with their big eyes.


(from: wikipedia - imantodes cenchoa)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shar Pei

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Central Nervous System


Let's keep learning about the Nervous System.

One of the main parts of the nervous system is the central nervous system.

This is made up of your brain and spinal cord.


(from: wikipedia - central nervous system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palmar Arch

Monday, March 14, 2016

Lake Nicaragua


We just learned about Lake Titicaca.

The next biggest lake is Lake Nicaragua.

It is the biggest lake in Central America.


(from: wikipedia - lake nicaragua)

This is a freshwater lake that has a river going out to the Pacific Ocean.
Even though it is freshwater, some sharks have found a way to live in this lake!
They swim up the river from the ocean and into the lake, and then back out to the ocean.

Sharks can't live in northern lakes because it gets too cold, and because they need to eat a lot of food to survive and there aren't enough big fish for them to eat in the northern lakes.

(from: wikipedia - lake nicaragua)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Minnesota

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Fat Tuesday


We just learned about the season of Lent.

The Lenten season begins on a Wednesday, and the day right before that is sometimes called Fat Tuesday.

It's called that because during lent many people give up eating some types of meat or food with lots of fat in it as a way to remember Jesus living in the desert for 40 days.

So on Fat Tuesday people eat big meals and foods with lots of fat since it's the last chance they will have to eat that food, and some of the food might go bad before lent is over.

One celebration is called Paczki Day which comes from Poland, where people would make big donuts filled with jelly to use up the last of the dough before lent.


(from: wikipedia - pączki)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Crucifixion - Father forgive them

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Lyres of Ur


We just learned about the Copper Bull sculpture.

Another ancient sculpture is the Bull's Lyre, a bull's head sculpture that was part of three ancient lyres (also known as harps) discovered that were over 4,000 years old.

These lyres are believed to be the oldest stringed instruments still intact.

The sculpture of the bull's head is made of gold, with eyes made of mother-of-pearl and lapis lazuli.
Other parts of the bull's body were made of wood but they did not survive after the thousands of years it was buried.


(from: wikipedia - lyres of ur)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Little Dancer of Fourteen Years

Friday, March 11, 2016

Italian - This house is big


We just learned that in Italian, We are surprised is somo sorpresi.

Let's learn about some of the things we see every day.

To say this house is big in Italian you say Questa casa è grande.


We can break it up into four words:
This - Questa - sounds like koo-ay-stah /?/
house - casa - sounds like kah-sah /?/
is - è - Sounds like ay-ee /?/
big - grande - Sounds like g-dah-n-day /?/


So all together Questa casa è grande sounds like Koo-ay-stah kah-sah ay-ee g-dah-n-day.

academy of the bran
(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Das Haus ist groß

In Spanish:
Esta casa es grande

In French:
Cette maison est grande

Thursday, March 10, 2016

F5 Tornado


We just learned that the F4 Tornado on the Fujita Scale is houses totally blown down, small buildings blown away and cars thrown through the air.

The highest level of damage is the F5 tornado - Incredible damage.

This is when houses are lifted up and carried away, large cars are flying through the air, and large steel and concrete buildings are badly damaged.


(from: wikipedia - fujita scale)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stratocumulus Clouds

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Southern hognose snake


We just learned about the type of snake the Green Vine Snake.

Another type of snake is the Southern Hog-Nosed Snake.

This type of snake lives in the southeastern US.
They eat mostly toads and are not dangerous to humans.

These snakes won't bite people, but when they are scared they will try to pretend like they are dangerous, puffing up their body, hissing, and even pretending to strike.
If that doesn't work they will play dead like a possum!
They roll over onto their back and hang their tongue out of their mouth.
Sometimes even if they are picked up, and rolled over, they'll roll their head back, trying to prove that they really are dead.



(from: wikipedia - southern hognose snake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Siberian Husky

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Nervous System


We learned last time about the Heart Wall - Pericardium.

We've learned about the skeletal system (bones), the digestive system (eating & drinking), the respiratory system (breathing) and the circulatory system (blood & heart).

Let's learn about the Nervous System!

The nervous system is what controls your body and sends messages all over telling it what to do.

Your brain is part of your nervous system, and there are things called nerves that go all through your body that are almost like electric wires.

The brain sends out a message over these nerves to something like your hand, and your hand moves.
If you get hurt, the nerves send messages to the brain saying OUCH!

Everything from getting hungry to feeling tired to telling your legs when to jump is controlled by your nervous sytem.


(from: wikipedia - nervous system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Radial & Ulnar Arteries

Monday, March 7, 2016

Lake Titicaca


We just learned about Lake Onega in Russia.

The next biggest lake is Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia.

It is the largest lake in South America.


(from: wikipedia - lake titicaca)

The name means Rock of the Puma.
There is an island on the lake called Isla del Sol which means island of the sun.
On this island was a special place called Titi Qala a rock sculpture that was very important to the ancient Incan people.


(from: wikipedia - isla del sol)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Michigan

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Lent


We just learned about the different weeks of Epiphany.

The church calendar season after that is called Lent.

The Lent season is the season leading up to Easter, and there are many different special days on the calendar.

The Lenten season is 40 days long, to help remember the time Jesus went into the desert to fast and was tempted.

Usually the decorations in the church are colored purple for this season.


(from: wikipedia - temptation of christ)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Crucifixion - With Criminals

Saturday, March 5, 2016

Copper Bull


We just learned about the ancient sculpture Ram in a Thicket.

Another ancient sculpture is the Copper Bull.

This sculpture was discovered in 1923 in the country of Iraq, and it was made over 4,000 years ago.

The sculpture was made of wood covered in sticky black bitumen (also known as asphalt), and then copper plates were nailed to the outside of it.


(from: wikipedia - copper bull)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Snail - Henri Matisse

Friday, March 4, 2016

Italian - We are surprised


We just learned that I am happy in Italian is Sono felice, you are sad is Sei triste, he is angry is Lui è arrabbiato and they are excited is Sono eccitati.

Let's learn how to say We are surprised.

Siamo sorpresi.

We can break it up into two words:
We are - Siamo - sounds like see-ah-moh /?/
surprised - sorpresi - Sounds like soh-d-p-day-see /?/


So all together Siamo sorpresi sounds like See-ah-moh soh-d-p-day-see.

academy of the bran
(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Wir sind begeistert

In Spanish:
Estamos sorprendido

In French:
Nous sommes surpris

Thursday, March 3, 2016

F4 Tornado


We just learned that the F3 Tornado on the Fujita Scale is roofs and walls torn off, trains overturned, forests uprooted and cars thrown.

The next level of damage is the F4 tornado - Devastating damage.
This is when houses are totally blown down. Small buildings like garages are blown away. Cars are thrown through the air.


(from: wikipedia - fujita scale)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Altocumulus Cloud

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Green Vine Snake


We just learned about the striped house snake.

Another type of snake is called the green vine snake, or the Ahaetulla nasuta.

It is a skinny green tree snake that lives in Asia.

This snake has venom but it's bite will only make your skin swell up for a few days, like a bee sting.
It mostly just eats frogs and lizards.


(from: wikipedia - ahaetulla nasuta)

When it gets scared it puffs up it's body and you can see a black and white skin underneath it's scales.

(from: wikipedia - ahaetulla nasuta)

There was a legend long ago that if one of these snakes looked at you, it's eyes would make you blind.


(from: wikipedia - ahaetulla nasuta)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Basset Hound

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Heart Wall - Pericardium


We've learned that the heart wall's soft inner most layer is the endocardium, the second layer of muscle is the myocardium and the third protective layer is the epicardium

There is a protective bag outside the heart that is called the pericardium.
The pericardium has liquids in it, and it keeps the heart from getting shaken with every movement the body makes.


(from: wikipedia - pericardium)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Brachial Artery