Thursday, April 13, 2017

Threading


We just learned about the Skiving Machine.

Another type of metal working is called Threading.

If you've ever seen a nut that spins onto a bolt, you've seen something made by a tap and die.
The nut has to be cut exactly right to fit onto the screw, or else it won't screw on.

The tap is the tool that cuts the hole into the nut or other hole where the screw will go.
The die is the tool that cuts the lines onto the screw so it fits into the nut.

There are hand taps and dies that you can use with just your hands if you are strong enough, or there are machines that use strong motors to cut into the metal.


(from: wikipedia - nut (hardware))



(from: wikipedia - tap and die)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Category 1 Hurricane

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Common Suriname Toad


We just learned about the Red Eyed Tree Frog.

Another type of frog is the Common Suriname Toad, also called the star fingered toad.
Just like some of the other toads we've learned about, this is not a "True Toad", it is a frog with a toad name.

This is a flat grey toad that lives mostly in the water.
One really interesting thing about this toad is that they don't lay eggs in the water like a lot of frogs.
The mother carries the eggs around inside the skin on her back, in little pockets like a honeycomb.
The eggs hatch and the tadpoles stay inside the mother's back until they grow into tiny little toads, and climb out of their mother's back.




(from: wikipedia - common suriname toad)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Green Tree Python

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Hypodermis


We just learned about the Dermis.

Another part of the skin is the Hypodermis, also called the Subcutaneous tissue.
This is the skin below the Dermis, which is below the Epidermis.

The body mostly has fat cells in the hypodermis, but it also has white blood cells and blood vessels.
There is also something called deep fascia or connective tissue that connects your muscles to your skin.

(from: wikipedia - subcutaneous tissue)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Frontal Lobe

Monday, April 10, 2017

Sierra Madre Oriental


We just learned about the Rocky Mountains.

Another group of mountains in the Laramide Belt of the North American Cordillera is the Sierra Madre Oriental.

These mountains go from the south part of Texas, and down the east coast of Mexico.
They are on the other side of Mexico, where the Sierra Madre Occidental is on the west side.
These mountains are drier than the rainforest areas south of the mountain ranges.


(from: wikipedia - sierra madre oriental)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Reindeer Lake

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Josiah


We just learned about the person from the Bible named Elisha.

Another person from the Bible was Josiah.

Josiah was one of the many Kings of God's people of Judah.
When he was king, the people of Judah had not been very good about following God's laws for a long time.
Many people had even forgotten what the laws were, because the books where the laws were written had been lost.
When Josiah told people to start cleaning up God's temple, the high priest named Hilkiah found the Book of Law, and brought it to Josiah.

Josiah heard what the book said and was very upset when he found out that they were breaking many of God's laws and not living the way they were supposed to be.
He ordered that all the people had to stop doing all the bad things they were doing, like worshipping false idols, and go back to worshipping God the way they were supposed to.



(from: wikipedia - josiah)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Maundy Thursday

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Scaliger Tombs


We just learned about the Pulpit of Sant' Andrea.

Another famous Gothic Art sculpture is the Scaliger Tombs.

The Scaliger family ruled in Verona Italy for over 100 years, and these tombs were made to honor the rulers when they were buried in them.
The tombs are covered in sculptures of the family, then surrounded by sculpted columns, walls and spires with statues, and on top is a large statue of the ruler riding a horse.



(from: wikipedia - scaliger tombs)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nefertiti Bust

Friday, April 7, 2017

ASL - Their car is tall


We just learned in ASL how to say My Food is Hot

Let's learn how to say Their car is tall.
Remember to say they, you point your finger off to the side and draw a small circle in the air.
Their is just like that, but instead of pointing your finger you wave your open hand in that area.

To say car, hold your hands in front of you in fists side by side like you are holding a steering wheel, and move them like you are turning the steering wheel left and right.

To say tall, put your right hand up by your forehead almost like a salute, and then move your hand forward and up, like you are showing how tall someone else is.

Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


car - ASL sign for car - My Smart Hands


TALL - Height | ASL - American Sign Language - ASLtree



ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: La loro auto è alto

German: Ihr Auto ist groß

Spanish: Su coche es alto

French: Leur voiture est haut

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Skiving Machine


We just learned about Hobbing in a Milling Machine.

Another type of metal cutting machine is a Skiving Machine.

Sometimes metal workers want to cut just a thin slice of metal off.
A skiving machine uses a sharp blade to slice down on a larger piece of metal and just cut off the perfect size every time.


(from: wikipedia - skiving machine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Red-eyed tree frog


We just learned about the Goliath Frog.

Another frog is the Red-eyed tree frog.

This type of frog is a very colorful frog, with a mostly green body, red eyes, yellow and blue stripes on it's body and orange or red toes.

Just like other tree frogs, this frog has sticky feet they use to climb trees and jump from tree to tree.

They use their red eyes to scare away animals that might eat them.
When the other animal comes close they open their red eyes up wide, and sometimes it scares away the other animal.


(from: wikipedia - agalychnis callidryas)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Corn Snake

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Dermis


We just learned about the Epidermis.

Another part of the skin or integumentary system is the Dermis, also known as the Corium.

The Dermis is right below the Epidermis, and it helps give padding to the body underneath the skin.
It also is where the hair starts in things called follicles, and has many things called glands that do things like create sweat or other things your body makes.
The blood vessels we learned about in the circulatory system are also in the dermis.


(from: wikipedia - dermis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cerebrum

Monday, April 3, 2017

Rocky Mountains


We just learned about the Brooks Range.

Another group of mountains in the Laramide Belt in the North American Cordillera is the Rocky Mountains.

The "Rockies" are a group of mountains that go all the way from the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, through the US states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico.

The name of the rockies comes from the Native American name, meaning "when seen from across the prairies they looked like a rocky mass".

There are many famous mountain areas in the Rockies, like the Valley of the Ten Peaks in Banff National Park in Alberta Canada.

(from: wikipedia - bannf national park)

The Grand Tetons in Wyoming

(from: wikipedia - rocky mountains)

The Flatirons in Colorado, where the flatiron type mountains make a triangular steep shape.

(from: wikipedia - flatirons)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Turkana

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Elisha


We just learned about the Elijah.

Another person from the Bible is Elisha.
When the prophet Elijah was getting older, he chose Elisha to take over when he was gone.

Elisha did many miracles for God, like bringing a young child back to life, curing leprosy, causing enemy soldiers to go blind and helping hungry people turn a little food into a lot of food.

He was also a prophet who talked to God's followers and told them what God wanted them to do.


(from: wikipedia - elisha)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palm Sunday

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Pulpit of Sant' Andrea - Pisano


We just learned about the Fontana Maggiore.

Another Gothic art sculpture is the Pulpit of Sant' Andrea in Pistoia Italy, sculpted by artist Giovanni Pisano in 1301 AD.

Giovanni Pisano is the son of the famous sculptor Nicola Pisano, who sculpted the Siena Cathedral Pulpit that is a lot like this pulpit.

There are many sculptures carved into the pulpit, and on each side they tell a different stories, like Jesus as a baby, the wise men visiting Jesus, or Jesus on the cross.




(from: wikipedia - pulpit of sant' andrea, pistoia (giovanni pisano))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tutankhamun's Mask

Friday, March 31, 2017

ASL - Your food is hot


We just learned in ASL how to say My Drink is Cold

Let's learn how to say Your food is hot.
To say "your", put your open hand out in front of you, almost like you are telling someone to stop.

To say "food" you point all your fingers out and put them together, almost like making a puppet hand. Then put your fingers to your mouth, almost like you're putting food into your mouth.

To say "hot" you put your hand up by your mouth, with your fingers all spread out like a claw. Then blow on your hand, and have your hand move away like you blew it away with your breath.

Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


American Sign Language (ASL) Lesson: Food & ABCDE - Eric Buffington


hot - ASL sign for hot - My Smart Hands



ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)


Italian: Il vostro cibo è caldo
German: Ihr Essen ist heiß

Spanish: Tu comida está caliente

French: Votre nourriture est chaud

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Hobbing


We just learned about the Milling Cutter.

One type of milling cutter is called a Hob.
Cutting with a hob is called hobbing.

When you need to make a gear or sprocket to be used in a machine or something like a bike chain, the hob can be used to cut the teeth of the gear into the right size and shape.



(from: wikipedia - hobbing)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tropical Storm

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Goliath Frog


We just learned about the smallest frog in the world, the Paedophryne Amauensis.

The largest frog in the world is the Goliath Frog.

This frog can grow to be over a foot long and weigh over seven pounds!


(from: wikipedia - goliath frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blue Krait

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Epidermis


We just learned about the Skin.

Skin is made up of a lot of layers. The top part on the outside is called the Epidermis.
This is the dry part of the skin that helps protect things from getting inside of your body.


(from: wikipedia - epidermis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Brain

Monday, March 27, 2017

Brooks Range


We just learned about the Laramide Belt.

One mountain range in the Laramide Belt is the Brooks Range in Alaska and Canada.

This mountain range has a mine called the "Red Dog Mine", which is the largest Zinc mine in the world.

(from: wikipedia - brooks range)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Taymyr

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Elijah


We just learned about the Solomon.

Another person from the Bible was Elijah.

Elijah was a prophet of God during a time when the Kings of Israel were not doing what they were supposed to.
God told Elijah to tell everyone there would not be any rain for a long time.
During this time God sent Elijah to meet a woman and ask her for food.
She said she had only enough food for her to eat for one more day, and then she would starve.
Elijah told her to go make him some bread and that she would not run out, and the flour and oil she had lasted for 40 days.

One of the bad kings was named Ahab, and he had his people worship a false God named Baal.
God told Elijah to go challenge the prophets that worked for Baal, to see if they could start a fire to burn up a sacrifice.
No matter what the Baal prophets did, they could not get the fire to light.
When it was Elijah's turn, he told them to soak everything with water to prove how strong God was.
Elijah asked God to light the fire, and it burned up the offering and the wood and the stones.
Everyone who saw this was amazed and believed in God again.
Because they came back to God, there was rain again and people could grow crops again.


(from: wikipedia - elijah)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Holy Week

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Fontana Maggiore - Pisano


We just learned about the Siena Cathedral Pulpit.

Another gothic sculpture is the Fontana Maggiore made in Italy in 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola and Giovanni Pisano.

There are twenty five sides of the fountain basin, and they have sculptures of many things from the Bible like prophets, saints, stories from Genesis, and also signs of the zodiac.


(from: wikipedia - fontana maggiore)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Statue of Gudea

Friday, March 24, 2017

ASL - My drink is cold


We just learned in ASL how to say This chair is small.

To say the my drink is small in ASL you first start by putting your flat open hand on your chest "my".

After that to do the sign for drink you hold your hand out in front of you like you are holding an invisible glass, then you bring it toward your mouth and tip it, and tip your head back like you are taking a drink.

To say "cold" you put your hands into fists, and with your fists held by your body at your chest you shake them a little, almost like you are shivering.


Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


drink - ASL sign for drink - My Smart Hands


Sign Language Lessons hot,cold,summer,rain - Franz Lucading



ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)


Italian: La mia bevanda è freddo

German: Mein Getränk ist kalt

Spanish: Mi bebida es fría

French: Ma boisson est froid

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Milling Cutter


We just learned about Milling.

In the Mill that cuts the piece of metal, there is a tool called the Milling Cutter.

This is the piece that spins around and cuts the metal into shapes.
There are many different types of cutters, and each one has a special purpose for cutting different types of metals in different ways.



(from: wikipedia - milling cutter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tropical Depresssion

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Paedophryne Amauensis


We just learned about the Mountain Chicken Frog.

Another frog is the Paedophryne Amauensis.

It is the smallest frog in the world, and is less than half an inch long!
Unlike a lot of other frogs, this tiny frog does not start out as a tadpole, the eggs hatch into tiny little baby frogs.

The first part of the name paedophryne means child-frog, and there are a few other types of tiny little frogs in the same family as the Amauensis, but this is the tiniest one.
Their croak is a high pitched chirp, almost like an insect, which is why no one found them for a long time!


(from: wikipedia - paedophryne amauensis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Coral Snake

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Skin


Let's keep learning about the Integumentary System.

The largest part of this system is the skin.

It is the largest organ in the human body, and it makes up about 15 percent of a person's body weight.
That means if a person weighs 100 pounds, their skin weighs 15 pounds!

Human skin has a few layers that help protect the inside of the body from things getting in, and it can heal when it is cut.

(from: wikipedia - epidermis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Peripheral Nervous System

Monday, March 20, 2017

Laramide Belt


We just learned about the Interior System of Canada, part of the Nevadan Belt.

Another mountain belt is the Laramide Belt.
We've learned about the Pacific Coast Belt which is on the west coast of North America, and the Nevadan Belt which is east of that.
If we look further east of the Nevadan Belt, the mountains there are called the Laramide Belt, going from Alaska, through Canada, the lower US states and Mexico.

The belt is named after the Laramie Mountains in Wyoming, which were named after an explorer named Jacques La Ramee who disappeared in those mountains in 1820.

(from: wikipedia - laramie mountains)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Athabasca

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Solomon


We just learned about the person from the Bible named Nathan.

Another person from the Bible is Solomon.

Solomon was the son of David, and Solomon became king.
When Solomon was young, God talked to him and asked him what he wanted.
He asked God to give him wisdom to rule over God's people.
This made God very happy, and he gave him riches and honor to go with his wisdom.

Solomon wrote many wise sayings that are in the Bible called Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and a poem that he wrote for his wife in the book Song of Solomon.


(from: wikipedia - solomon)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Ash Wednesday

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Siena Cathedral Pulpit


We just learned about the Portals at Reims Cathedral.

Another gothic art sculpture is the Siena Cathedral Pulpit.

This pulpit was carved by a famous artist named Nicola Pisano.

It tells seven different stories, one on each face of the pulpit.
All the stories are about the life of Christ, from his birth to death and the last judgement.

(from: wikipedia - siena cathedral pulpit)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cylinder Seal

Friday, March 17, 2017

ASL - The chair is small


We just learned in ASL how to say This house is big

Let's learn about more of the things we see every day.

To say the chair is small in ASL you first start with the sign for chair.

The sign for chair is with two hands, using your index and middle finger together, with your hands in front of you and your palms facing down, you put your right fingers over your left fingers.

To sign small, first start with two hands in fists in front of you.
Move your fists toward each other one time.

Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


Chair in Sign Language, ASL Dictionary for kids - ASL Kids


Signing "Big" & "Small" - William Conklin



ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: La sedia è piccolo

German: Der Stuhl ist klein

Spanish: La silla es pequeña

French: La chaise est petit

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Milling


We just learned how a Metal Lathe is a piece of metal being spun around while a sharp tool cuts it.

Another type of tool for cutting metal is a Mill.

A mill is a machine that has a tool that spins around very fast, while the piece of metal you want to cut is being held still.
So in a way it's the opposite of a lathe, where the metal is spinning and the tool is held still.


(from: wikipedia - milling (machining))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tropical Cyclone

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Mountain Chicken Frog


We just learned about the Purple Frog.

Another type of frog is the Mountain Chicken Frog.

This frog is called the mountain chicken because it lives in the mountains and is so large it was hunted a lot for food.
Some people think it tastes like chicken, or it is big enough to eat like a chicken.

It is one of the largest frog in the world and can grow to be 8 inches long.
This frog eats a lot, and will eat anything from crickets and millipedes to snakes, bats and even other smaller frogs!
Because it was hunted for food a lot, there are not a lot of these frogs left, so it is now illegal to hunt them.


(from: wikipedia - leptodactylus fallax)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blunthead Tree Snake

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Integumentary System


We've learned a lot about the Nervous System.

Another part of the body is the Integumentary System.

This is the part of the body that is your skin, hair and nails.


(from: wikipedia - integumentary system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Central Nervous System

Monday, March 13, 2017

Interior System of Canada


We just learned about the Nevadan Belt.

One part of the Nevadan Belt is the Interior System of Canada.

These mountains are in the provinces of British Columbia and Yukon in Canada.
There are thousands of mountain peaks in this area, and the area is mostly empty.
Many of the peaks are covered in snow and glaciers, and some have volcanoes.

One special area is the Tuya Range, where a bunch of old volcanoes called Tuyas are found.
Tuyas are flat topped volcanoes, that mostly were formed when volcanoes erupted inside of glaciers.


(from: wikipedia - tuya)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Nicaragua

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Nathan


We just learned about the person from the Bible named David.

Another person from the Bible is Nathan.

During the time of King David, there was a woman that King David took away named Bathsheeba.
Bathsheeba was married to someone else, and so it was very bad that David took her away, but he was the king so no one could tell him no.
God sent the prophet Nathan in to tell David a story about a rich man who had lots of sheep, but he stole his poor neighbor's only sheep.
He used this to explain to David that when he stole Bathsheeba, he did the same thing to her husband.
David felt very bad and asked God for forgiveness.

Later when David's son Solomon was ready to be King, Nathan was the prophet that announced he would be king.


(from: wikipedia - nathan (prophet))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Fat Tuesday

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Portals at Reims Cathedral


We just learned about the Portals at Chartres Cathedral.

Another set of Gothic sculptures are Portals at Reims Cathedral built in France, year 1211 AD.

These portals are large sculpted doorways with arches and columns full of figures that tell stories.
The only cathedral that has more sculptures is the Chartres that we just learned about.

One of the portals tells the story of Mary the mother of Jesus.
Another tells the story of Jesus and the last judgement.
The third portal tells the story of the prophets and apostles.
There is also a famous sculpture of a smiling angel that was damaged in war, and then fixed later.


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lyres of Ur

Friday, March 10, 2017

ASL - This house is big


We just learned in ASL how to say We are Surprised

Let's learn about some of the things we see every day.

To say this house is big in ASL you first start with the sign for house.
Put your flat hands out in front of you, palms facing down, fingers pointing away from you, with your hands next to each other.
Move your hands away from each other and outward, and then turn them and move them downward.
This is almost like you are drawing a shape of a square house in the air.

To say big, you put your flat hands in front of you, next to each other but not touching, palms facing left and right, facing each other, fingers pointed away from you.
Move your hands out away from each other, like you are spreading them out.

You can just make the sign for house and big, you don't need to do a sign for "this" unless you really need to say that it is different from "that" house.
If you need to do the sign for "this", you just point your finger down.

Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


Learn to sign: Homes, Rooms, Furniture, and more - Meredith ASL


big - ASL sign for big - My Smart Hands



ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: Questa casa è grande

German: Das Haus ist groß

Spanish: Esta casa es grande

French: Cette maison est grande

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Lathe - Carriage


We just learned about the Lathe Bed.

Another part of the lathe is the Carriage.
The carriage is what holds the tool that is used to work on the metal that is being spun around on the lathe between the headstock and tailstock.

The carriage moves the tool in closer, and the tool works like a scraper or a drill and cuts parts of the metal off as the metal spins around.


(from: wikipedia - metal lathe)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: F5 Tornado

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Purple Frog


We just learned about the Darwin's Frog.

Another frog is the Purple Frog.

This frog stayed hidden for a long time and nobody ever knew about it, because it kept itself buried in the mud, and only came out during big monsoon rainstorms.
It has a funny sounding croak that almost sounds like a chicken clucking.


(from: wikipedia - purple frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Southern Hognose Snake

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Axon Terminal


We just learned about the Node of Ranvier.

Another part of the neuron is the Axon Terminal.

The Axon Terminal is the branch that goes out after the end of the long Axon, and it uses electricity and chemicals in the body to talk to other neurons.


(from: wikipedia - axon terminal)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nervous System

Monday, March 6, 2017

Nevadan Belt


We just learned about the Sierra Madre Occidental.

We've learned about a lot of mountains in the Pacific Coast Belt of the North American Cordillera.
Another belt in the North American Cordillera is the Nevadan Belt.
This is a belt that are East of the Pacific Coast Belt.

Nevada is a word that means "Snow Covered".
These Mountains go through parts of Canada, The United States, and Mexico.


(from: wikipedia - sierra nevada (u.s.))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Titicaca