Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Hourglass Tree Frog


We just learned about the Puerto Rican Crested Toad.

Another type of frog is the Hourglass Tree Frog.

This frog is yellow with a pattern on it's back in the shape of an hourglass.
They live in North and South America, in areas where it is very warm and tropical.

These frogs are very special because they can lay their eggs on land or in water.


(from: wikipedia - dendropsophus ebraccatus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Black Headed Python

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Skull Suture Tissue


We just learned about Cartilage.

There are some types of connective tissue that we can feel, like the cartilage in our ears and noses, or ligaments and tendons in our arms and legs.

But connective tissue is all over the body, even in our skulls!
The bones of the skull are in different pieces, and the pieces are connected with things called sutures.

When a baby is born, the skull pieces are not connected tightly together, there is just connective tissue holding them together.
As the baby gets older, the bones get closer and eventually the sutures get hard and don't move anymore.

All the different parts of the skull that are connected have a little bit of connective tissue in between them to cushion where the bones are connected.

(from: wikipedia - frontal suture)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Thoracic Nerves

Monday, September 18, 2017

Veracruz


We just learned about the state of Mexico City.

Another Mexican state is Veracruz which means True Cross.
The state is long and thin, bordered on the west by mountains and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico.


(from: wikipedia - veracruz)

The seal for Veracruz is a golden shield with a green top and a blue bottom, with a red cross on top.
On the cross is the word "vera" which means true.
In the green part of the shield is a castle, and in the blue below it are two columns with the words Plus and Ultra.
There are 13 stars in the gold shield, for the 13 provinces that were part of Veracruz when it started.


(from: wikipedia - veracruz)

The largest city in Veracruz is called Veracruz!
There is a large palace there that was built for the rulers of the state.


(from: wikipedia - veracruz (city))

The highest mountain in Mexico is a stratovolcano called Pico deo Orizaba.


(from: wikipedia - pico de orizaba)

El Tajín is a famous city where they have large pyramids from people who used to live there.

(from: wikipedia - el tajín)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tian Shan Mountains

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Pachomius the Great


We just learned about the Desert Fathers.

Another famous monk was Pachomius the Great.

He started out as a soldier in the Roman army, and one time he met some Christians who came out and gave food and comfort to the soldiers.
He left the army and went to live near the hermit Anthony the Great.

During that time, many monks or hermits just lived alone in huts or caves.
Pachomius had the idea to have people live near each other, so they could get together to worship and pray.

He started one of the first monastaries at Tabenna in Egypt.

(from: wikipedia - pachomius the great)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Elemental Symbols

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Saint Helena - Bolgi


We just learned about the Baroque sculpture of Saint Andrew by François Duquesnoy.

Another baroque sculpture is Saint Helena by Andrea Bolgi in 1639 in Rome.

Bolgi made the sculpture for Saint Peter's Basilica, which is a really big church in Rome.
He was a student of Bernini, and he was invited to help create this statue as one of many others in the big church.


(from: wikipedia - andrea bolgi)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Gemma Augustea

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Oblique-Slip Fault


We just learned about the Dip-Slip Fault.

Another type of earthquake fault is the Oblique-Slip Fault.

This is when two the tectonic plates move, and the earth's crust bumps into each other in both a Strike-Slip and Dip-Slip way.

That means the earth went side to side, and up and down.


(from: wikipedia - fault (geology))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blizzard