Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Stapedius Muscle


We just learned about the Oval Window.

Another part of the ear is the Stapedius Muscle.

Remember we learned about the ear bone called the stirrup or stapes.
Just like you might think from the name, the stapedius muscle is what controls the stapes bone, and keeps it from wiggling too much when sound comes in and vibrates the bone.

This is the smallest bone in the body, and is just about 1 millimeter.


(from: wikipedia - stapedius muscle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Spleen

Monday, November 29, 2021

Haiti


We just learned about the country of Dominican Republic

Let's learn a little about the country of Haiti!

This country is in the Caribbean Sea in the Pacific Ocean, and shares the other half of an island with the Dominican Republic.
It is about 10,000 square miles, and about 11 million people live there.
The people in this country speak French or Haitian Creole.


(from: wikipedia - haiti)

The flag of Haiti is two sideways stripes of blue and red, with a white rectangle in the middle with the coat of arms of Haiti.
The blue and red are for the different people of the country.


(from: wikipedia - flag of haiti)

To eat in this country you might have griot, which is pork cooked with orange or lime juice, and usually eaten with beans and rice.


(from: wikipedia - griot)

Visiting this country you might go see the Citadelle Laferrièrem, which is an old castle built around the year 1820.

(from: wikipedia - citadelle laferrièrem)

There is a castle called Sans-Souci Palace built in 1813 where the King of Haiti lived for a long time until an earthquake came along and destroyed it.

(from: wikipedia - sans-souci palace)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Angels We Have Heard on High


We just learned about the Christmas carol The First Noel.

Another famous Christmas carol is Angels We Have Heard on High.

This song started out as a French Christmas carol called "Les Anges dans nos campagnes" which means "The angels in our countryside" taht was written in 1843.
In 1862 a church leader in England named James Chadwich wrote them in English, and the music that goes with it came from an old French tune called "Gloria".

The chorus of this song is "Gloria in excelsis Deo", and it is Latin for "Glory to God in the Highest" which comes from the Gospel of Luke in the Bible.

Lyrics:
Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be? Which inspire your heavenly songs?
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!


(from: wikipedia - angels we have heard on high)



Pentatonix - Angels We Have Heard on High - Pentatonix


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Christianity in the New World

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel - The Creation of Eve


We just learned about Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel - The Creation of Adam.

Another famous painting by Michelangel on the Sistine Chapel is The Creation of Eve.

This is a picture of God standing with his hand up by Eve, and Adam laying on the ground.
In the Bible, God made Adam go to sleep and then he took a piece from Adam's side and created Eve.


(from: wikipedia - sistine chapel ceiling)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Students Aspire - Elizabeth Catlett

Friday, November 26, 2021

Hindi - Dog, Cat


We just learned that to ask if someone speaks Hindi you say क्या आप हिंदी बोलते हैं? (kya aap hindee bolate hain?)?.

To say dog in Hindi, you say कुत्ता (kutta) and it sounds like kuh-tah 文A


To say cat in Hindi, you say बिल्ली (billee) and it sounds like bill-ee 文A


Also in Hindi, cats say myaau myaaoo and dogs say bho bho

hindi devanagari
(from: wikipedia - devanagari)

Swahili: mbwa, paka

Russian: собака (sobaka), кошка (koshka)

Norwegian: hund, katt

Greek: σκύλος (skýlos), γάτα (gáta)

ASL: dog, cat

Italian: cane, gatto

German: Hunt, Katze

Spanish: perro, gato

French: chien, chat

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Touchpad


We just learned about the Computer Mouse.

Another part of a computer is the Touchpad or trackpad.

Just like the mouse is used to move around the cursor on the screen, the trackpad on a laptop also moves the mouse around.
This is usually a rectangle shaped box you touch with your finger to move around the mouse, and if you tap it will click the mouse.

There are also other things like mice called trackballs, which are like a little ball you roll around to move the cursor, or a pointing stick, sometimes called trackpoint or nub which is like a joystick poking out from the keyboard.

Touchpad:

(from: wikipedia - touchpad)

Trackball:

(from: wikipedia - trackball)

Pointing Stick:

(from: wikipedia - pointing stick)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Headlight

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Philippine Tarsier


We just learned about the Brown Woolly Monkey.

Another type of primate is the Philippine Tarsier.

This monkey is about 6 inches long, and weighs less than 1 pound.
The name Tarsier comes from the monkey's tarsus bone in their foot that is longer than other monkeys.

Tarsiers have really big eyes, but they can't move their eyes around to look left or right, they have to move their head around to look.
Because of this, they can turn their heads around almost all the way and look behind them.
With their big eyes, they like to stay up at night and hunt for small bugs to eat.


(from: wikipedia - philippine tarsier)



The Cutest Little Predator | Wild Indonesia - Nat Geo WILD


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bengal Cat

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Oval Window


We just learned about the Stapes bone of the ear.

Another part of the ear is the Oval Window, also called the venestra vestibuli or fenestra ovalis.

The vibrations come in to the ear and shake the hammer, anvil and stirrup.
The stirrup is connected to the oval window, which is oval shaped and leads to the cochlea and the inner ear.


(from: wikipedia - oval window)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Basophil

Monday, November 22, 2021

Dominican Republic


We just learned about the country of Costa Rica

Let's learn a little about the country of Dominican Republic!

This country is in Central America, and it is on the eastern part of an island in the Caribbean Sea, bordering Haiti.
It is about 18,000 square miles, and about 10 million people live there.
The people in this country speak Spanish


(from: wikipedia - dominican republic)

The flag of Dominican Republic is 4 squares of blue and red, with a white cross in the middle, and the coat of arms in the center.
The blue stands for liberty, the white for salvation, and the red for the blood of heroes.


(from: wikipedia - flag of the dominican republic)

To eat in this country you might have Chimichurri burger, which is ground pork or beef with bread and cabbage and salsa.


(from: wikipedia - chimichurri burger)

Visiting this country you might go see the Pomier Caves, made up of 55 caves created over 2,000 years ago.


(from: wikipedia - pomier caves)

In 1992 in Dominican Republic they built a giant tomb for Christopher Columbus called the Columbus Lighthouse.


(from: wikipedia - columbus lighthouse)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Belarus

Sunday, November 21, 2021

The First Noel


We just learned about the Christmas song God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

Another famous Christmas song is The First Noel.

This song was written long ago and first put into a songbook around 1823.

The word Noel was first spelled as "Nowell", and the word comes from the Latin word for birth.
In French the word Noël was used to mean the birth of Jesus and the Christmas season.

This song tells the story of the angels telling the shepherds about Jesus, and about the wise men who followed the star to see Jesus.



(from: wikipedia - the first noel)

The First Noel, the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

They looked up and saw a star Shining in the East beyond them far
And to the earth it gave great light And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

And by the light of that same star Three Wise men came from country far
To seek for a King was their intent And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

This star drew nigh to the northwest O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
And there it did both Pause and stay Right o'er the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

Then entered in those Wise men three Full reverently upon their knee
And offered there in His presence Their gold and myrrh and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!

Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made Heaven and earth of nought And with his blood mankind has bought.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!



Pentatonix - The First Noel (Official Video) - Pentatonix


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Spanish Inquisition

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel - The Creation of Adam


We just learned about Michelangelo's painting of the Sistine Chapel - Separation of Land and Water.

Another famous paintings Michelangel did on the Sistine Chapel was The Creation of Adam.

In this painting Adam is on the left with his arm reaching to the right, and God is on the right with his arm reaching out toward Adam on the left.

This is supposed to be the moment that God reached out and gave Adam life.




(from: wikipedia - the creation of adam)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Booker T. Washington - Richmond Barthé

Friday, November 19, 2021

Hindi - Do you speak Hindi?


Remember that to say please, you're welcome in Hindi, you say कृपया (krpaya), आपका स्वागत है (aapaka svaagat hai).

To ask if someone speaks Hindi, you say:

क्या आप हिंदी बोलते हैं? (kya aap hindee bolate hain?) which sounds like kee-yah ah-p hin-dee boh-lah-tay hay-n 文A


To say yes you would say हां (haan) which sounds like hah 文A


or to say no you would say नहीं (nahin) which sounds like neh-hee 文A



hindi devanagari
(from: wikipedia - devanagari)

Swahili: Unazungumza kiswahili?

Russian: Ты говоришь по-русски? (Ty govorish' po russki), Вы говорите по русски (Vy govorishtay po russki)

Norwegian: Kan du norsk?

Greek: Μιλατε ελληνικα? (Milate ellinika?)

ASL: Do you speak ASL?

Italian: Parli italiano?

German: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Spanish: ¿Hablas español?

French: parlez-vous français?

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Computer Mouse


We just learned about the Computer Keyboard Special Keys.

Another part of a computer is the Computer Mouse.

Just like the keyboard, this is part of what you use to tell the computer what you want to do.
It was called a mouse, because it looked like a little mouse with a tail, but lots of computer mice these days don't even have wires.

When you move the computer mouse around, there is a picture on the monitor usually shaped like an arrow called a cursor.
Computer mice usually have 2 buttons, and when you press the button it's called clicking.
If your mouse cursor is pointing at something like a button and you click the left button it will press the button on the screen.
The right button is usually to give you choices for things, like if you want to copy or paste some text just like you would from the keyboard.

Some mice have another spinning button called the scroll wheel that helps scroll things up or down on the monitor.


(from: wikipedia - computer mouse)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Chimney

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Brown Woolly Monkey


We just learned about the Red Faced Spider Monkey.

Another type of new world monkey is the Brown Woolly Monkey, also called the common woolly monkey, Humboldt's woolly monkey, or Lagothrix lagothricha.

These monkeys are larger than most other new world monkeys, growing to be about 2 feet tall, and weighing around 24 pounds.
Even though their name is brown woolly monkey, they can be grey, black or brown.

They spend most of their time in the trees, and they eat fruits, nuts, seeds and leaves, and also small bugs.


(from: wikipedia - brown woolly monkey)



Feeding Endangered Woolly Monkey in Ecuador - Matthias Pavlov


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Savannah Cat

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Stapes


We just learned about the Malleus and Incus, also called the hammer and anvil.
.

Another bone in the ear is the Stapes also called the stirrup.
This is the smallest bone in the human body, at about 3 millimeters.
It gets the name stirrup because it looks like a stirrup from a saddle used to ride a horse.

Just like the malleus and incus, when these bones move they also move the stapes and it sends the vibrations on toward the inner ear.


(from: wikipedia - stapes)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Eosinophil

Monday, November 15, 2021

Costa Rica


We just learned about the country of Panama

Let's learn a little about the country of Costa Rica!

This is a small country in Central America that borders Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador, the Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea.
It is about 19,000 square miles, and has about 5 million people living there.
In Costa Rica they speak Spanish.


(from: wikipedia - costa rica)

The flag of Coast Rica is 5 sideways strips of blue, white and red, with the coat of arms in the red stripe.
Blue is for the sky and opportunities, white is for peace and happiness, red is for blood of the people who fought for freedom.


(from: wikipedia - flag of costa rica)

To eat in Costa Rica you might have casado, which is a meal served with rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla and meat.
The word casado means "married man", and some people think the name of the meal came from people who went to restaurants and wanted a meal like they would get if they were a married man eating a home cooked meal.


(from: wikipedia - casado)

Visiting Costa Rica you might go see the Poás Volcano National Park.
This park has old volcanoes that are usually not active, and you can walk into the craters and see geysers and lava.


(from: wikipedia - poas volcano national park)

In Costa Rica there was an old ancient group of people called the Diquis, and they made some stone spheres that are still around today that people visit to study the old history.


(from: wikipedia - stone spheres of costa rica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Azerbaijan

Sunday, November 14, 2021

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen


We just learned about the Christmas song Joy to the World.

Another famous Christmas song is God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, also called Tidings of Comfort and Joy.

This song is very old, and has been found in song books going back before the year 1700 AD.
No one is really sure who wrote the song, but it became very famous after Charles Dickens had it as part of his book A Christmas Carol, where Ebeneezer Scrooge hears carolers singing this and chases them away.

One interesting thing about this song is that the old meaning of "God rest ye merry gentlemen" really meant something like "May God give rest and happiness to the gentlemen", but now these days we think of it more like "May God give rest to the happy gentlemen".

The difference all came when someone moved the comma in the sentence:
Old: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
New: God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen


(from: wikipedia - god rest you merry, gentlemen)



Pentatonix - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Official Video) - Pentatonix


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Italian Renaissance

Saturday, November 13, 2021

Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel - The Separation of Land and Water


We just learned about Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel - The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants.

Another famous part of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel is The Separation of Land and Water.

This shows God flying along with his arms stretched out as he separates the land from the water and makes the oceans and continents.


(from: wikipedia - sistine chapel ceiling)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Alice in Wonderland - Jose de Creeft

Friday, November 12, 2021

Hindi - Please, You're Welcome


Remember that to say thank you in Hindi, you say Asante.

To say please in Hindi is कृपया (krpaya) - Sounds like k-ree-pee-ah. 文A

To say you're welcome, you say आपका स्वागत है (aapaka svaagat hai) - Sounds like ah-p-kah s-wah-gah-t hay. 文A



hindi devanagari
(from: wikipedia - devanagari)

Swahili: tafadhali, karibu

Russian: пожалуйста (pozhaluysta)

Norwegian: Vær så snill, Værsågod

Greek: Παρακαλώ (Parakaló)

ASL: Please, You're Welcome

German: bitte, bitte schön

Spanish: Por favor, de nada

French: s'il vous plait, de rien

Thursday, November 11, 2021

Computer Keyboard - Special Keys


We just learned about the Computer Keyboard - Function Keys.

Another bunch of keys on the computer keyboard are the Special Keys.

We know the keyboard has all of the letters of the alphabet on it, but it also has some special keys that aren't used to type letters or numbers.
These special keys can do things like delete letters, move around the place on the monitor where you are typing, scroll up and down, or even do special things like save or quit.
A lot of the special keys have to do with moving the "cursor".
The cursor is the place on the screen that you are currently working at.
Sometimes it looks like this: | and sometimes it is just something highlighted a different color.
You move around your cursor to type words in different places, or to choose different parts of a program on the screen.

On most keyboards these are the special keys and what they can do:

Esc - This key can either leave or stop a program.
Tab - Can either put a big [   ] space in between a sentence, or it can be used to make different choices in other programs or switch programs.
Backspace - This will get rid of one letter to the left of where you were typing.
Insert - This can turn on "type over" meaning typing new letters will take the place of old ones.
Home - This moves the cursor to the beginning of a text line.
Page Up/Down - This scrolls the window up or down.
Delete - This will get rid of one letter to the right of where you were typing, or it can be used to get rid of files or emails or other things the cursor is selecting.
Shift - If you hold down Shift and type, the letters will be ALL CAPITALS.
Caps Lock - This is like using Shift, but you don't have to hold it down for the letters to BE ALL CAPITALS.
Print Screen - This can take a screenshot of what your monitor looks like that you can save in another program.
Scroll Lock - Some programs use this to change the way they scroll up or down.
Pause/Break - Some programs use this to pause.
Num Lock - If your computer has a number pad, turning this on uses numbers, off uses whatever special options are there.
Ctrl - This is a key used with others to do special tasks.
These special tasks work with most programs: Ctrl+A = Select all, Ctrl+B = bold, Ctrl+C = Copy, Ctrl+F = Find, Ctrl+I = italics Ctrl+N = New, Ctrl+O = Open, Ctrl+P = Print, Ctrl+S = Save, Ctrl+U = underline, Ctrl+V = Paste, Ctrl+X = Cut, Ctrl+Z = Undo.
Alt - Use the menus at the top of the program, like Alt+F usually opens the File menu.
[Windows] - The key that looks like 4 boxes is the windows key that opens the menu for programs.
Arrows - Arrow keys help move the cursor around on the page.


(from: wikipedia - computer keyboard)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Superheater

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Red-Faced Spider Monkey


We just learned about the Black Howler.

Another type of new world monkey is the Red-Faced Spider Monkey, Guiana spider monkey, or ateles paniscus.

Just like their name says, these monkeys have a bright red face, with black fur on the rest of their bodies.
They live in South America, and spend most of their lives in the trees.

They grow to be about 2 feet long, and weigh about 20 pounds.


(from: wikipedia - red-faced spider monkey)



Baby Red Faced Spider Monkey - Jay the Ram


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sphynx Cat

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Incus


We just learned about the Malleus.

Another part of the ear is the Incus.

Incus is a Latin word that means anvil.
This is the bone in the ear next to the malleus or hammer.
The hammer takes vibrations from the eardrum and passes them on to the anvil which also vibrates and shakes.


(from: wikipedia - incus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Neutrophil

Monday, November 8, 2021

Panama


We just learned about the country of Guatemala

Let's learn a little about the country of Panama!

This is a small country in North America that connects North America to South America.
It borders Costa Rica, Columbia, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

It is about 29,000 square miles, and about 4.3 million people live there.


(from: wikipedia - panama)

The flag of Panama is four rectangles.
The top left is white with a blue star, the top right is red, the bottom left is blue, and the bottom right is white with a red star.
Blue and red are for the different groups in Panama that run the government.
The white is for peace and purity.
The blue star is for purity and honesty, and the red star is for the law.


(from: wikipedia - flag of panema)

To eat in Panama you might have bollo, which is corn, potatoes, or yuca which is kind of like a potato.
The ground up corn, pototato or yuca is then all mushed up together and served like a bun.


(from: wikipedia - bollo)

The most famous thing about Panama is the Panama Canal.
Long ago if someone was in a boat on the Pacific Ocean and they wanted to go to the Atlantic Ocean, they either had to go all the way north above North America, around Alaska and Canada close to the north pole, or all the way south below South America, close to the south pole.
Both of these ways were very dangerous and took a long time to travel.
Since the country of Panama is not very wide and it is right in between North and South America, people had the idea to dig a trench in the land, so that boats could cut through like a shortcut.
The US helped dig the canal, and it took about 10 years, and cost about 12 billion dollars.


(from: wikipedia - panama canal)

There is a type of folk dance called the cumbia in Panama where people wear fancy dresses and outfits.

(from: wikipedia - cumbia (panama))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Armenia

Sunday, November 7, 2021

Joy to the World


We just learned about the song It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

Another famous Christmas song is Joy to the World.

This was written by Isaac Watts in 1719 in England.
Watts was famous for writing over 750 hymns, and this was another that he wrote for his church services.
One different thing about this Christmas song, is that it isn't really about Christmas!
The song is about when Jesus will come back from heaven again some day and there will be joy in the world.

The music for the song comes from Lowell Mason in 1848.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let Earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns; Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.


(from: wikipedia - joy to the world)



Pentatonix - Joy To The World (Official Video) - Pentatonix


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sistine Chapel

Saturday, November 6, 2021

Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel - The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants


We just learned about Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel - Separation of Light and Darkness.

Another famous part of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel is The Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants.

There are 9 paintings that tell the story from Genesis how God created the world.
First is the Separation of Light and Darkness.

Second is this painting showing two pictures of God.
On one side of the painting God has his hands up pointing toward the sun and the moon.
The other side of the painting shows God holding his hand toward some plants as he created plant life.


(from: wikipedia - the creation of the sun, moon, and plants)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Puma - William Zorach

Friday, November 5, 2021

Hindi - Very good thanks, and you?

We just learned to say How are you? in Hindi, आप कैसे हैं (aap kaise hain?)

and Very good thanks is बहुत अच्छा धन्यवाद। (bahut achchha dhanyavaad)

To be polite you should also ask how the other person is doing.

And you? - और आप? (aur aap) - sounds like or ah-p 文A



hindi devanagari
(from: wikipedia - devanagari)

Swahili: Sijambo asante / Safi asante. Hujambo / unakuwaje / Na wewe

Russian: Спасибо Хорошо (Spasibo khorosho). А вы? (A vy?) / А ты? (A ty?)

Norwegian: Veldig bra takk. Og du?

Greek: Πολύ καλά, ευχαριστώ. εσύ? (Polý kalá, efcharistó)

ASL: Very Good Thanks, and You?

Italian: Molto bene, grazie.

German: Sehr gut, danke. Und Sie?

Spanish: Muy bien gracias. ¿Y tú?

French: Très bien, merci. Et vous?

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Computer Keyboard - Function Keys


We just learned about the Computer Keyboard.

Another part of a computer is the Computer Keyboard - Function Keys.

If you look on the top row of the computer keyboard, you should see the function keys that look like F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12
Those are called the "Function Keys", and they can do special things on the computer.

Depending on if you are watching videos on the internet or checking your email, these function keys can do different things.
Some of the keys are the same for all computer programs, like the F1 key almost always opens up the Help, and F3 is usually to find things.
On some keyboards you have to hold down a "Fn" key in order to use the function key.
For those keybarods the function keys can have other jobs like changing the computer volume, the screen brightness, or turning off wifi.

The most used function keys are: F1 - Usually brings up a help message to try and show you what to do.
F2 - Edit, like if you want to change the name of a file on the computer.
F3 - Search for some text on a page or in a file.
F4 - If you hold down Ctrl and press F4 it will close a tab. If you hold down Alt and press F4 it will close a window.
F5 - Usually refreshes what you are looking at, so if you have your email open it might check for new mail.
F10 - If you hold down shift and press F10 it will act like a mouse right-click
F11 - Switch to full screen mode

The other function keys are usually different for each program.


(from: wikipedia - function key)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Boiler

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Black Howler


We just learned about the Colombian Red Howler.

Another type of new world monkey is the Black Howler, also called black and gold howler or alouatta caraya.

This type of monkey lives in South America, spending most of their time in the trees.
They are well known for their howling, which sounds more like roaring, and can be heard from miles away.

These monkeys are some of the least active monkeys in the world, as they spend almost the whole day sleeping and are usually only awake and moving around for a few hours a day!

(from: wikipedia - black howler)



Howler Monkeys | National Geographic - National Geographic

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Persian Cat

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Malleus


We just learned about the Ear Ossicles.

One of the three bones that make up the Ossicles is the Malleus, also called the hammer.

The malleus is touching the eardrum, and when the eardrum vibrates from sound coming in, it shakes the malleus bone.
When the malleus bone shakes, it is touching the other ossicles and sends the vibrations toward the inner ear.


(from: wikipedia - malleus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Monocyte

Monday, November 1, 2021

Guatemala


We just learned about the country of Cuba

Let's learn a little about the country of Guatemala!

This is a small country in Central America, that borders Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, the Carribean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
It is about 42,000 square miles, and about 17 million people live there.
People in Guatemala speak Spanish.


(from: wikipedia - guatemala)

The flag of Guatemala is stripes of blue, white and blue, with the country's coat of arms in the middle.
Blue stripes are for the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on either side of the country.
White is for peace and purity.
The coat of arms shows a Quetzal bird for freedom, and then a scroll that has the date Guatemala became free from Spain.


(from: wikipedia - flag of guatemala)

To eat in Guatemala you might have fiambre, which is a salad made from sausages, chicken, sandwich meat, corn, onion, beets, pacaya flower, cheese, olives, and other vegetables.


(from: wikipedia - fiambre)

Visiting Guatemala you might go to Tikal, which is the ruins of a Mayan city that is over 2,000 years old.


(from: wikipedia - tikal)

There are volcanoes in Guatemala, like the Santa María volcano that erupts sometimes and tourists go to see the active volcano.


(from: wikipedia - santa maria (volcano))


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