Monday, May 11, 2015

New Mexico


We just learned about the US state of New Jersey.

New Mexico is a state in the south west part of the country, bordering the country of Mexico to the south.
It's mottos are the Land of Enchantment, and Crescit eundo which means It grows as it goes.


(from: wikipedia - new mexico)

The flag of New Mexico is yellow, with a red sun symbol used by the Zia Native American people.
The red and yellow are for the flag of Spain that brought people to Mexico to claim the land.

(from: wikipedia - flag of new mexico)

The seal of New Mexico shows an American bald eagle which stands for the US, and a Mexican bald eagle which stands for the Mexican people that helped claim the land long ago.

(from: wikipedia - seal of new mexico)

There are some very large caves in New Mexico, called the Carlsbad Caverns.

(from: wikipedia - carlsbad caverns national park)

White Sands National Monument is a large group of sand dunes, made up of a type of white salt called gypsum.
It is the largest bunch of gypsum dunes in the world.
(from: wikipedia - white sands national monument)

The oldest standing church in the US is in Santa Fe, called the San Miguel Chapel, built in 1610.

(from: wikipedia - santa fe, new mexico)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tanzania

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus


After Jesus had risen from his tomb and appeared to Mary, he later appeared to some of his disciples who were walking down the road to a town called Emmaus.

When they saw him, Jesus didn't let him know who he was.
He walked with them on the road and they talked about how Jesus had just died and was not in his tomb.
He went to their house for dinner, and then they knew it was Jesus, and then he disappeared.
They went on to tell everyone what they had seen.

(from: wikipedia - road to emmaus appearance)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blessed are those who mourn

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I - Gustav Klimt


We just learned about the Statue of Liberty by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

Another famous work of art is the painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt in 1907.

Klimt made many paintings through his life as an artist, and at one point decided to start using something called gold leaf in his paintings.
Gold leaf is gold that is hammered down very flat so that it is as thin as paper.
Klimt would use normal oil paint for the parts of his painting that had many colors, and then he would use shaped pieces of gold leaf to fill in the shiny gold parts.

He became very famous for doing this type of artwork, and people call his paintings using gold leaf his gold period.

(from: wikipedia - portrait of adele bloch-bauer i)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The Sun

Friday, May 8, 2015

German - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday


Let's learn the days of the week in German!

Monday - Montag - sounds like mon-tah-g /?/
Tuesday - Dienstag - sounds like deen-stag /?/
Wednesday - Mittwoch - Sounds like mitt-foh-hk /?/

Goethe Institute
(from: wikipedia - Goethe Institute)

Do you remember how to say it in Spanish?
Lunes, Martes, Miercoles

Do you remember how to say it in French?
Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Snowflake


We just learned about Sleet.

Snow is another type of frozen precipitation that falls from clouds just like hail and sleet.

Snow forms in clouds that are full of tiny ice crystals.

The tiny ice crystals all bump into each other and stick to each other in funny ways.
Small differences in temperature and humidity make the snowflakes come in all shapes and sizes.


(from: wikipedia - snowflake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Feldspar

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Alaskan Malamute


We just learned about the type of dog the Akita Inu.

Another type of dog is called the Alaskan Malamute.

This dog is very similar to the Siberian Husky, but is bigger and stronger.
Because of it's big muscles it can pull heavier loads for longer distances, but can't run as fast as the husky.

The Malamutes are great dogs for the cold, and were great at helping people pull sleds.

They helped the first American reach the South pole, they helped people who came to Alaska for the gold rush, and they were used in World War II to help rescue people in the cold lands of Greenland.

The Alaskan Malamute is also the official state dog of the state of Alaska.

(from: wikipedia - alaskan malamute)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Robin

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Tibial arteries


We just learned about the popliteal artery that brings oxygenated blood down to through your knee.

After it goes past your knee it splits into two arteries called the tibial arteries.
The anterior tibial artery is in front, and the posterior artery is in back.


(from: wikipedia - anterior tibial artery)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Digestive System