Thursday, May 31, 2018

Specific Impulse


We just learned about Rocket Engine Thrust.

Another part of rocket science is called the Specific Impulse.

This is a way for scientists to measure how fast a rocket moves along, combined with how fast it uses up it's fuel as the rocket engine is blasting off.

The rocket can only burn up so much fuel before it runs out, so the more thrust the rocket for every little drop of its fuel really matters!


(from: wikipedia - specific impulse)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Grinding

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Giant Cuttlefish


We just learned about the Mimic Octopus.

Another type of cephalopod is the Giant Cuttlefish.

This is the largest cuttlefish in the world, and they live around the southern part of Australia.

They are very colorful and can change their whole body to white, red or yellow, and very bright or very dark to try and either get the attention of other cuttlefish, or to confuse the animals they are hunting.

They also can raise up little bumps on their skin to make themselves look either bumpy or smooth, so they can look like rocks, sand or seaweed.

The giant cuttlefish is so popular in Australia, that for a festival someone made a 42 foot long parade float shaped like a cuttlefish, named "Stobie the Disco Cuttlefish" that could move its arms, blink its eyes, and had flashing lights and dance music.




(from: wikipedia - sepia apama)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Waxy Monkey Tree Frog

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Central Incisors


We just learned about the Baby Teeth.

Usually the first baby teeth that people get are the Central Incisors.

Most babies start with two front bottom teeth, and then later the two front top teeth come in.
These incisors are made to be sharp and bite through things like carrots.


(from: wikipedia - maxillary central incisor)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hair Root Sheath

Monday, May 28, 2018

Castel del Monte


We just learned about the Schwerin Castle.

Another famous castle is Castel del Monte in Andria Apulia Italy, built in 1240 by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, .

This castle is very different because it is octagon shaped, with eight sides and eight towers.
Some people believe there used to be a large curtain wall going around the outside of the castle.
The castle wall is 82 feet high, and the sides of the octagon are 54 feet wide.

It is a little different that there is no moat and no drawbridge.
There are only 2 entrances, one fancy one in the front, and a simple one in the back for servants.
It is very famous in Italy, and is on the one cent Italian Euro coin.





(from: wikipedia - castel del monte, apulia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Ontario

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Luke the Evangelist


We just learned about Mark the Evangelist, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Luke the Evangelist.

Luke was a doctor, an artist and a historian, and was the person who wrote the gospel book of Luke in the bible.


(from: wikipedia - luke the evangelist)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Psalm 137

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Six Ritual Jades - Hu


We just learned about three of the ancient Chinese Six Ritual Jades:
Cong - earth, Bi - sky/heaven, and Huang - North.

Another of the Six Ritual Jades was the Hu.

This was something like a vase, and it was used to mean "West".


(from: wikipedia - category:chinese jade)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: David - Michelangelo

Friday, May 25, 2018

Greek - January, February


Let's learn about the months of the year in Greek!

January - Ιανουάριος (Ianouários) - sounds like ee-ah-no-AH-dee-oh-ss
February - Φεβρουάριος (Fevrouários) - sounds like feh-v-doo-AH-dee-oh-ss

center for the greek language
(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: January, February

Italian: Gennaio, Febbraio

German: Januar, Februar

Spanish: Enero, Febrero

French: Janvier, Février

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Rocket Engine Thrust


We just learned about the Rocket Engine.

Another part of rocket science is the Thrust.

We learned that a rocket has propellant in a tank, and an engine that burns up that propellant and pushes the burning fuel out the back of the rocket at the nozzle.

As the fuel is being burned and pushed out of the nozzle, the rocket is pushed along through the air.
That push is called THRUST.

Some rocket engines have a lot of thrust and make rockets go very fast, blasting off into outer space.
Others only have a little bit of thrust, but they are very careful about exactly how much thrust they make in the right direction, like for steering a rocket.

Scientists have to know exactly how much thrust a rocket will have, so they know how much propellant they need, and how big of a tank to use and the shape of the nozzle.


(from: wikipedia - rocket engine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hole Saw

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Mimic Octopus


We just learned about the Vampire Squid.

Another type of cephalopod is the Mimic Octopus.

This octopus lives on the sea floor, and tries to look like other animals.
It can change it's body color, puff it's head up, wave its arms around or hold its body in a certain way to look like other animals.

Sometimes it will try and look like it's prey like a crab, so that it can sneak up on the crab and eat it before the crab even figures out there is a dangerous octopus nearby.

Other times it will try and look like a poisonous animal like a lionfish, so that predators that might attack the octopus will stay away and not try to eat it.

Theses octopuses have been seen trying to look like a lion fish, sea snake, flat fish, jelly fish, crab or even a sponge!

They are very smart animals, and will decide which animal to try and look like depending on which other animal they meet.
These smart cephalopods have been seen looking like up to 15 different animals!







(from: wikipedia - mimic octopus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Pouched Frog

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Baby Teeth


We just started learned about human teeth!

Humans are usually born with no teeth, and around six months after they are born the teeth start to pop out!
We call these first teeth Baby Teeth, and they are also known as milk teeth, temporary teeth, primary teeth or deciduous teeth.

There are twenty baby teeth that come in, with ten on top and ten on bottom.
They usually start with the bottom middle ones, then the top middle and then next on the bottom and top until all twenty are in.

The baby teeth are very important, because they help keep the jaw strong and in the right place, and they are holding a place for the bigger adult teeth that come in later.


(from: wikipedia - deciduous teeth)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hair Plexus

Monday, May 21, 2018

Schwerin Castle


We just learned about Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland.

Another famous castle is Schwerin Castle in Schwerin Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Germany, built in 973 AD. Germany.

As different rulers came and went in Germany, this castle was taken over by different people and used for things like military forts, schools, museums or palaces for royal people.

It is now where the state's parliament meets and works.

The castle has over 650 rooms, and is on an island in the middle of Lake Schwerin.

There is a legend of a good ghost named Petermännchen living in the castle, that sneaks around and unlocks doors at night, and will also scare away thieves or intruders.
Stories say that if soldiers guarding the castle fall asleep at night, the ghost will make noises to wake them up!






(from: wikipedia - schwerin palace)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Canadian Provinces

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Mark the Evangelist


We just learned about Barnabas, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Mark the Evangelist.

This was the person responsible for writing the book of Mark in the Bible.


(from: wikipedia - mark the evangelist)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Psalm 103

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Six Ritual Jades - Huang


We just learned about two of the ancient Chinese Six Ritual Jades: Cong - earth and Bi - sky/heaven.

Another of the Six Ritual Jades was the huang.

This jade sculpture was in the shape of an arc, and was worn as a pendant sometimes.

The arc shape was made for the direction of "North".

Sometimes the ends of these sculptures were carved into tigers or dragons.



(from: wikipedia - huang (jade))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tomb of Pope Julius II

Friday, May 18, 2018

Greek - Saturday, Sunday


We just learned that in Greek:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday is Δευτέρα (Deftéra), Τρίτη (Tríti), Τετάρτη (Tetárti),
and Thursday, Friday is Πέμπτη (Pémpti), Παρασκευή (Paraskeví).

Let's keep learning the days of the week!

Saturday - Σάββατο (Sávvato) - sounds like SAH-bah-toh
Sunday - Κυριακή (Kyriakí) - sounds like kee-dee-ah-KEE

center for the greek language
(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: Saturday, Sunday

Italian: Sabato, Domenica

German: Samstag, Sonntag

Spanish: Sabado, Domingo

French: Samedi, Dimanche

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Rocket Engine


We just learned about the rocket's Combustion Chamber.

So we know about the rocket propellant, the propellant tank, the combustion chamber and the nozzle.

When these pieces are all put together it makes the Rocket Engine.

The engine is all of those pieces working together to push the rocket along up into the sky.


(from: wikipedia - rocket engine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Twist Drill Bits

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Vampire Squid


We just learned about the Red Cuttlefish.

Another type of cephalopod is the Vampire Squid.

This type of squid lives in the cold deep part of the ocean, over 2,000 feet below the sea.
It is very cold and dark at this part of the ocean, and there is not a lot of oxygen or food to eat.

Even though they are called the vampire squid, they do not drink blood of other animals.
They eat waste that is floating in the water.

These vampire squids are also kind of like an octopus, so they are their own type of squid and octopus cephalopod called "Vampyromorphida".

Just like the cirroteuthis octopus that looks like it is wearing a skirt, these cephalopods have their arms all webbed together.
Inside their webbed area their arms all have little poky looking spikes called cirri on them.
They are not sharp, and the vampire squid uses them to help collect the garbage food that is floating around in the water.

If they get scared, they can light up their body with photophores that make them glow.
Mostly just at the tips of their arms and the top of their head, but their whole body can make light.
They can also spit out some glowing goo, and sometimes they flip their webbed skirt area inside out and wrap it around their head to try and scare off someone who is trying to eat them.

These cephalopods can have black skin with a red eye, or red skin with a blue eye, so you can see why someone thought they looked like a scary vampire squid!
But mostly they are just a harmless animal floating deep in the ocean eating garbage and trying not to get eaten by a bigger animal.



(from: wikipedia - vampire squid)


(from: youtube - What the vampire squid really eats | Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI))

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Gray Tree Frog

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Teeth


Let's keep learning about the Human Mouth.

Probably the most important part of your mouth is your Teeth.

An adult human can have up to 32 teeth, that's a lot of chompers!

People grow two sets of teeth, 20 baby teeth, and then those fall out and we get the grown up teeth.


(from: wikipedia - human tooth)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hair Growth

Monday, May 14, 2018

Caerlaverock Castle


We just learned about the Bodiam Castle.

Another famous castle is Caerlaverock Castle built in Scotland, in the late 1200s AD.

This castle is right on the border of England and Scotland, so it was part of many wars between the two countries for hundreds of years.

Because of it's high walls and towers, and moat protecting it, this castle was able to hold off entire armies with less than a hundred people inside defending it.




(from: wikipedia - caerlaverock castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Southern Appalachian Mountains

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Barnabas


We just learned about Nicolas, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Barnabas.

In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul started out as someone who hated Christians, and wanted them put in jail.
Later he changed his ways and became a Christian, but some people didn't believe that he was really changed.

Barnabas was a very well known Christian and trusted by other people.
He came to help Paul and told people that Paul was good, and they went together to different towns telling people about God's word.


(from: wikipedia - barnabas)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Psalm 51

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Six Ritual Jades - Cong


Let's keep learning about the ancient Chinese Six Ritual Jade sculptures

We already learned about the Bi disc - for the heaven or sky.

The second one is Cong, which is for the earth.

The cong is usually a tube with a circle shaped inside and a square shaped outside.



(from: wikipedia - cong (vessel))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Pietà - Michelangelo Buonarroti

Friday, May 11, 2018

Greek - Thursday, Friday


We just learned that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday in Greek is Δευτέρα (Deftéra), Τρίτη (Tríti), Τετάρτη (Tetárti).

Let's keep learning the days of the week!

Thursday - Πέμπτη (Pémpti) - sounds like PEH-m-tee
Friday - Παρασκευή (Paraskeví) - sounds like pah-dah-skay-VEE

center for the greek language
(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: Thursday, Friday

Italian: Giovedì, Venerdì

German: Donnerstag, Freitag

Spanish: Viernes, Jueves

French: Jeudi, Vendredi

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Combustion Chamber


We just learned about the Rocket Propellant Tank.

Another part of a rocket is the Combustion Chamber.

We've learned about the propellant tank that holds the propellant, which is the fuel to make the rocket blast off.
Usually with solid propellants, the propellant tank is the same place where the fuel burns up and pushes the rocket along.
With liquid or gas propellants, the tank is usually separate, and there are tubes and pipes that bring the propellant into another area where the fuel burns up and pushes the rocket along.

This tank where things are burning up is called the Combustion Chamber.
Combustion basically just means burning up or even exploding.


(from: wikipedia - combustion chamber)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Drill Bits

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Red Cuttlefish


We just learned about the Lituites Nautilus.

Another type of cephalopod is the Red Cuttlefish, also called the Reaper Cuttlefish or sepia mestus.

This type of cuttlefish lives in the southern pacific area, and is seen a lot by divers in Australia, hiding out and waiting for prey to come by.

Just like other cuttlefish it has the ability to change to different colors, but for some reason this type of cuttlefish's favorite color is red!


(from: wikipedia - sepia mestus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: American Bullfrog

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Human Mouth


We just learned about the Interphalangeal Ligaments.

We've learned a lot about the Connective Tissue that holds all of our bones and muscles together!

Another part of the human body is the Mouth.

We might not think about it much, but there is a lot going on in the mouth.
We use it to eat, drink and breathe, and we also use it to make words when we talk, or make sounds like whistles clicking or snapping with our lips and tongue.

From our teeth, to our lips and tongue, there are a lot of things to take care of in our mouths, and the professional person we go to see that takes care of our mouth is usually a dentist.

There are also orthodontists who work on moving teeth around, periodontists who work on the bones supporting the teeth, endodontists who specialize on the inside of the tooth, prosthodontists who work on building replacement teeth, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons who work on the areas around the jaw.


(from: wikipedia - dentist)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hair Follicle

Monday, May 7, 2018

Bodiam Castle


We just learned about the Balmoral Castle.

Another famous castle is Bodiam Castle in Sussex England, built in 1385 AD.

In the old days of England, if you were the oldest son in the family, you were the one who got all the money and lands from your parents.
Second or third sons, or any daughters didn't really get anything, and had to work harder to make their own way.

Sir Edward Dalyngrigge was a son of a royal person, but not the first born son so he had to go get a job.
He spent some time as a knight, and he also worked as part of a "Free Company" which was a group of soldiers who would work for money. Sometimes these people are also called mercenaries.

After working as a soldier for a long time and saving up his money, he married a woman who owned a bunch of land, and together they built this big castle on the land surrounded by a big moat of water.

The castle towers are three stories tall, and they have a big courtyard in the middle.
There is only the one entrance on a bridge, and inside the castle there are places for guards to sit and shoot arrows out of little holes at anyone trying to attack the castle.




(from: wikipedia - bodiam castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Central Appalachain Mountains