Advent Season

Let's keep learning about the Church Calendar.

The first season in the church calendar is called Advent.
It is the 4 weeks that come before Christmas.

Some churches use the color purple for that season, and others use the color blue.

Some Advent traditions are:
An Advent Wreath, which is a green wreath with 4 candles on it. One candle is lit each Sunday until Christmas.
In some countries long ago they used to have wreaths with 24 candles, lighting a big one on Sundays and 6 small ones the other days of the week.


(from: wikipedia - advent wreath)


In Italy they celebrate Advent by having people play bagpipes before shrines of Mary the mother of Jesus, to remember the shepherds that came to the manger to visit Jesus.

Advent Calendars for each day of Advent, and a door is opened each day of the calendar.


(from: wikipedia - advent calendar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Trial - Pontius Pilate

Swimming Reindeer

We just learned about the prehistoric art Lion Man
.
Another work of prehistoric art is the sculpture Swimming Reindeer.

This is a carving of two reindeer swimming, made out of mammoth tusk.
It was found in France in 1866 buried 23 feet underground.

It was very interesting because reindeer don't live in France anymore, and it was carved from the mammoth which is now extinct.


(from: wikipedia - swimming reindeer)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte - Georges Seurat

Italian - Horse, Sheep, Duck

We know that in Italian, dog is cane, cat is gatto, cow is mucca, chicken is pollo and pig is maiale.
Let's learn more animals!

horse - cavallo - sounds like kah-vah-loh /?/

sheep - pecora - sounds like pay-koh-dah /?/

duck - anatra - sounds like ah-nah-t-dah /?/

Also in Italian horses say hii (hee), sheeps say bee (bay), and ducks say qua (koo-ah)!


(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Pferd, Schaf, Ente

In Spanish:
caballo, oveja, pato

In French:
French - cheval, mouton, canard

Fujita Scale

We just learned about what a Wall Cloud is.

Tornadoes are measured in science using something called the Fujita Scale which goes from F0 to F5, and stands for how much damage a tornado does.

(from: wikipedia - fujita scale)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stratus Clouds

Fox Terrier

We just learned about the type of dog the Boston Terrier.

Another type of dog is the Fox Terrier.
There are two types of Fox Terrier, the Wire Fox Terrier and the Smooth Fox Terrier.

The Fox Terriers were used long ago for hunting foxes. They were very good at chasing the fox and making them run out of their fox den so the hunters could chase them.


(from: wikipedia - wire fox terrier)



(from: wikipedia - smooth fox terrier)

There is a famous dog show called the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and the Wire Fox Terrier has won the top prize more than any other type of dog, with 14 wins.
The smooth fox terrier has won 4 times.

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Spider Cobwebs

Aortic Valve

We've learned about the tricuspid valve between the right atrium and ventricle, and the mitral valve between the left atrium and ventricle.

Another valve is called the aortic valve which is between the left ventricle and the aorta.

This valve opens for the heart to pump blood out to all the parts of the body, and then closes so the blood doesn't leak back into the heart.



(from: wikipedia - aortic valve)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Subclavian Artery

Lake Winnipeg

We just learned about Lake Erie
.
Another large lake is Lake Winnipeg.

Its name comes from the Native Cree word for muddy waters.

This lake is very popular for fishing.

(from: wikipedia - lake winnipeg)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Kansas