Trou de Loup

We just learned about the Abatis tree fortification.

Another type of fortification is the Trou de Loup, which is French for Wolf Hole.

This is a hole used as a trap that people would dig in front of the castle, and then cover up with something like straw or sticks so people didn't see it until they walked right on top of it.


(from: wikipedia - trou de loup)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Château de Chantilly

Saint Augustine of Hippo

We just learned about the Saint Ninian in Scotland.

Another person from early Christianity is Saint Augustine of Hippo.

Saint Augustine wrote over 50 books, that helped Christians understand the Bible.

His most famous ones were:

- The City of God: In the year 410 the city of Rome was attacked and defeated by some other people who didn't believe in God. Many people were nervous that this would mean the end of Christianity, so he wrote this book to help give people hope.

- On Christian Teaching: This book helps people understand the books of the Bible, and tells Christian teachers and preachers how to teach the truth.

- Confessions: This was Saint Augustine's book about his own life, and how he became a Christian and asked for forgiveness.

He wrote many other books about things like the Trinity and about people needing free will to believe in God.


(from: wikipedia - augustine of hippo)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sosipater - Bishop of Iconium

The Wrestler

We just learned about the Were-Jaguar Sculpture.

Another ancient Mesoamerican sculpture is The Wrestler.

This is a sculpture of a sitting man, made out of an igneous rock called basalt.

The man has his arms out and bent, and one leg forward and one leg back.
Because he looks like he is moving, some people thought it looked like he was getting ready to wrestle.
Historians don't think he was actually supposed to be a wrestler, but maybe someone doing a special ceremony.

This statue doesn't have special markings to say when it was made, so people are not really sure if it was made around 400 BC or around 1500 BC!

It was found in the Mexico state of Veracruz in 1933.


(from: wikipedia - the wrestler (sculpture))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shaka Triad of Hōryūji - Tori Busshi

Norwegian - Fruits

We just learned how to say some things to drink in Norwegian.

Let's learn how to say some fruits.

apple eple - sounds like eh-pleh
orange appelsin - sounds like ah-peh-l-seen
banana banan - sounds like bah-nah-n


(from: wikipedia - norwegian language)

Greek: μήλο (mílo), πορτοκάλι (portokáli), μπανάνα (banána)

ASL: apple, orange, banana

Italian: mela, orange, banana

German: Apfel, Orange, Banane

Spanish: manzana, naranja, banana

French: pomme, orange, banane

Air Gap

We just learned about the Electromagnet.

Another part of the electric motor is the Air Gap.

We learned that the rotor is the part that spins around in the middle, and the stator is the part that is wrapped around it.

The very small space between the rotor and the stator is the air gap.

The smaller the air gap, the better the electric motor will work, but it also needs to be enough space that the rotor won't hit the stator as it is spinning around.


(from: wikipedia - electric motor)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Multistage Rocket

Gastrodermis

We just learned about the jellyfish Mesoglea underneath the bell.

Another part of a jellyfish's body is the Gastrodermis.

This is the part below the mesoglea.
The gastrodermis helps the jellyfish digest the food that gets brought up to their mouth.


(from: wikipedia - gastrodermis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mantle

Macula

We just learned about the Sclera whites of the eyes.

Another part of the eye is the Macula.

This is an oval shaped darker spot on the retina in the back of the eye.
The macula helps you see very detailed colors in bright daylight.

If there is a big picture with lots of colors and shapes, your macula helps you see it all clearly.
Sometimes when people get old their macula doesn't work as well anymore, which can cause blurry vision.


(from: wikipedia - macula of retina)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Crown

Abatis

We just learned about the Fujian Tulou.

Another type of fortification is an Abatis.

During a battle, sometimes people will chop trees down and lay them on the ground with the branches facing toward the enemy.
They tie them together with ropes or wires so they can't be moved out of the way.

This makes it very hard for the enemy to climb through, and helps keep away the attackers.


(from: wikipedia - abatis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Peleș Castle

Saint Ninian in Scotland

We just learned about the Latin Vulgate Bible.

Another part of early Christian history is Saint Ninian in Scotland.

The center of emperor Constantine's missions to spread Christianity to the Roman empire was in Constantinople, in what is now called Turkey.
It spread west, to Greece, Italy, France and Spain, and even all the way to England.

North of England is the country of Scotland, and at the time there were people living there known as "Picts".
They worshiped animals, trees and all sorts of other mythological things.

A man named Ninian went to visit Scotland around 400 AD to talk to the Picts and tell them about Jesus and Christianity.
He built a church in the town of Whithorn and called it "Candida Casa" which means white house, and many of the Picts became Christians.


(from: wikipedia - ninian)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jason - Bishop of Tarsus

Were-Jaguar Sculpture

We just learned about the Aztec Sun Stone.

Another ancient Mesoamerican sculpture is the Were-Jaguar Sculpture.

Some time before 600 BC in the area of Mexico there were a bunch of sculptures created that showed people that seemed to be part jaguar and part human.
Kind of like a werewolf, but with a jaguar so they called it a were-jaguar.

People these days are not really sure what this meant back then, if it was something worshipped by people long ago or if it was some old story, but there are a bunch of these were-jaguar sculptures.

One of them is very famous, and is called the Las Limas figure.
It is about 22 inches tall and shows a person holding a little were-jaguar baby.
The statue is made of greenstone, which means it was made from one of the many greenish rocks found in the area, like omphacite or olivine.

Were-jaguar sculptures had a dip in the top middle of their head, almond shaped eyes with round irises, a frowning mouth with the upper lip lifted up, and gums with no teeth.



(from: wikipedia - werejaguar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Haniwa

Norwegian - Drinks

We counted to 900 in Norwegian! Wow!

Let's learn how to say some things to drink.

water vann - sounds like vah-n
milk melk - sounds like melk
juice juice - sounds like yoo-s


(from: wikipedia - norwegian language)

Greek: water νερό (neró), milk γάλα (gála), juice χυμό (chymó)

ASL: water, milk, juice

Italian: acqua, latte, succo

German: Wasser, Milch, Saft

Spanish: agua, leche, jugo

French: eau, lait, jus