Monday, October 23, 2017

Nuevo León


We just learned about the Mexico State of Chiapas.

Another Mexico state is Nuevo León, which means New Lion, and is named after the state in Spain called León.

This state is north part of Mexico, and has one small 9 mile stretch where it connects to the US at the state of Texas.


(from: wikipedia - nuevo león)

The coat of arms for Nuevo León shows the Cerro de la Silla mountains, next a lion for the state's name.
Below that is the temple of San Francisco which was part of Nuevo León but is now in Texas.
Next to the temple are chimneys showing the workers of Mexico.
In the borders are old weapons from the warriors from long ago, and chains for the group of all the people working together.
On the bottom is a ribbon that says "Semper Ascendens" which means "Always Ascending".

(from: wikipedia - nuevo león)

La Huasteca is a place where a lot of people like to go rock climbing.


(from: wikipedia - la huasteca (climbing area))

Cerro de la Silla which means hill of the chair is a mountain area where a lot of people like to go hiking.


(from: wikipedia - cerro de la silla)

The state has a large farm of wind turbines that can bring electricity to over 630,000 homes.


(from: wikipedia - nuevo león)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Saint Elias Mountains

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Ladder of Divine Ascent


We just learned about the Lavra caves for monks.

Another part of the life of monks was a writing called the Ladder of Divine Ascent.

This was a book that gave people some rules and ideas about things they should do to be better servants of God.

There were 30 steps to the ladder, and they covered things like obeying God, asking for forgiveness, not doing bad things, not thinking you are better than other people, and inner peace.

Many monks read these words and tried to follow them to be better servants.


(from: wikipedia - ladder of divine ascent)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Abel

Saturday, October 21, 2017

Arc de Triomphe - Cortot


We just learned about the Rococo or Rocaille sculpture Sèvres pot-pourri vase in the shape of a ship by Duplessis in Paris 1757.

In art history, after Rococo came a type of art called NeoClassicism, which tried to make simple and pleasing all around.

One of the most famous Neoclassical sculptures is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France in 1806 by sculptor Jean-Pierre Cortot.

This arch was built to honor the people who fought and died for France.
The names of hundreds of soldiers are engraved all around the arch.

There are many sculptures all around the arch, like the four very detailed groups of sculptures on the pillars.
The sides have six relief sculptures, the arches have detailed sculptures, and even the ceiling of the arch has 21 sculpted roses.

The arch is in the middle of a part of the city with many roads leading to it.





(from: wikipedia - arc de triomphe)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Archangel Ivory

Friday, October 20, 2017

Greek - Hello and Goodbye


We've now learned a whole year of ASL!
Wow!

Let's try another language now, how about Greek?

Greek is very different from the other written languages we know, because it's letters are very different.
Some of them are like English, like A and B, but others are very different, like Θ or Ξ!

Let's try to learn some words, and along the way we'll try to learn how to pronounce the letters too.

First let's learn how to say hello and goodbye.
There are a few ways to say Hello.

Hi - Γειά σου (Geiá sou) - Sounds like Yah-soo
This is like saying Hi to your friends.
It means "To your health", so you can say this for goodbye also.

Hello - Χαίρετε (Chairete) - Sounds like Hee-ay-day-tay
This is like saying hello to a grownup.
It means "Be happy", so you can say this for goodbye also.

Bye - Αντίο (Antío) - Sounds like Ah-dee-oh

The letters for these words are:

Γ (Gamma) ε (Epsilon) ι (Iota) ά (Alpha) σ (Sigma) ο (Omicron) υ (Upsilon)

Χ (Chi) α (Alpha) ί (Iota) ρ (Rho) ε (Epsilon) τ (Tau) ε (Epsilon)

Α (Alpha) ν (Nu) τ (Tau) ί (Iota) ο (Omicron)

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

ASL: Hello and Goodbye

Italian: Ciao, arrivederci

German: Hallo, Auf Wiedersehen

Spanish: Hola! Adiós!

French: Bonjour! Au Revoir!

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Aftershock


We just learned about the Foreshock and Mainshock of an earthquake.

After the Mainshock comes the Aftershock.

When the earthquake passes it's strongest part of the mainshock, any of the other quakes or ground shaking is part of the aftershock.

Separating the earthquake into the three parts (Foreshock, Mainshock and Aftershock) helps earthquake scientists study each part of the quake, and learn about why the earth acts the way it does.


(from: wikipedia - earthquake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Punching

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Mission Golden-Eyed Tree Frog


We just learned about the Bornean Eared Frog.

Another type of frog is the Mission Golden-Eyed Tree Frog, also called the Amazon milk frog or blue milk frog.

This frog lives in the Amazon rainforest in South America.
They are about 4 inches long, with light grey and black bands on them.

The "milk" in their name comes from the milky liquid that comes off of their bodies when they get scared.
This gooey milk can help them slip away from an animal that is trying to eat them!


(from: wikipedia - mission golden-eyed tree frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Vietnamese Long Nosed Snake

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Supraspinous ligament


We just learned about the Xiphoid Process in the chest.

Another two important pieces of connective tissue are the Supraspinous ligament and Nuchal ligament.

These ligaments are on the outside of the back of your spine, covering the bony part of the back of your spine.
The nuchal ligament goes from your head to the middle of your back, and the supraspinous ligament goes from your back all the way to the bottom of your spine.


(from: wikipedia - nuchal ligament)



(from: wikipedia - supraspinous ligament)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Somatic Nervous System

Monday, October 16, 2017

Chiapas


We just learned about the Mexico state of Guanajuato.

Another Mexico state is Chiapas.
This state borders the Pacific Ocean, and the country of Guatemala.


(from: wikipedia - chiapas)

The coat of arms of Chiapas is a shield with a red background, for the dangers of the past.
There are two cliffs, with the Grijalva river in the middle, for the justice of the state.
On the left cliff there is a lion with a castle, for heroism and strength.
On the right cliff is a lion and a palm tree, for victory and protection.


(from: wikipedia - chiapas)

There are ancient ruins from over 1,000 years ago in a place called Palenque.


(from: wikipedia - palenque)

Chiapas has some of the oldest fossils found in North America, with one building uncovered from 700 BC, over 2,700 years ago!

(from: wikipedia - chiapa de corzo (mesoamerican site))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Alaska Range

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Lavra


We just learned about the Cenobitic Monks that lived in monastaries.

Another part of the monk's lives was a Lavra.

Some of the monks that were not exactly hermit or cenobitic monks would live in bunch of caves near each other, with a church in the middle of all the caves.

This bunch of caves was called a lavra.


(from: wikipedia - lavra)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cain

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Sèvres pot-pourri vase in the shape of a ship - Duplessis


We just learned about the Rococo sculpture of Three Derby Figures made by the Royal Crown Derby porcelain shop.

Another Rococo art sculputre is the Sèvres pot-pourri vase in the shape of a ship made by Jean-Claude Chambellan Duplessis in Paris, in 1757.

Pot pourri is a bunch of nice smelling leaves and plants that are put into a small vase to make a nice smell.
The sculptor Jean-Claude Duplessis worked for the Sèvres porcelain maker in Paris, and he made these pot-pourri holders in the shape of sailing ships for people to buy.
Many rich and famous people collected these pot-pourri holders made here.

In France the Rococo style was a little different, and was known as Rocaille.


(from: wikipedia - jean-claude chambellan duplessis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

Friday, October 13, 2017

ASL - Vegetables


We just learned how to say some fruits in ASL!

Let's learn how to say some vegetables.

carrot - Hold your left hand out flat in the B hand shape, and your right hand in a fist, with your thumb sticking out. Wave your thumb down a few times on the front of your flat B hand, almost like you are peeling a carrot.

corn - Close all your fingers except your index finger. With that finger pointed out, hold the side of your finger up on your upper lip and twist your finger a few times.
You can also use two hands in front of you, like you are holding a corn on the cob and twist them a few times.

pea - Put your left hand in front of you with just your index finger pointing to the right. Using the index finger of your right hand, tap along your left finger, almost like you are counting peas in a pod.

Here is a helpful video to show how these signs are done.


Vegetables - Mrs. Rodriguez's ASL Classes


ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: carote, mais, piselli

German: Karotte, Mais, Erbse

Spanish: zanahoria, maíz, guisante

French: carotte, maïs, pois

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Mainshock


We just learned about the Foreshock that happens before the biggest part of the earthquake.

The biggest part of the earthquake is called the Mainshock.
This is when the earthquake is at it's strongest force.


(from: wikipedia - earthquake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Swaging

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Bornean Eared Frog


We just learned about the Lemur Tree Frog.

Another type of frog is the Bornean Eared Frog.

This type of frog has bones in it's skull behind the eyes, so it looks like it has big pointy ears, and that's where it gets its name.
They mostly live in southeast asia, in ponds or near forests.

They can come in a few different colors like brown, grey or yellow, and they have thin black stripes on their legs and thighs.




(from: wikipedia - polypedates otilophus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Gray Banded Kingsnake

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Xiphoid Process


We just learned about the Costal Cartilage.

Another piece of connective tissue in the body is the Xiphoid Process.

This is a small piece of cartilage on the bottom of the sternum, in the middle of the chest.

The xiphoid process connects the chest to many other parts of the body, like the muscles used for breathing or moving your stomach area around.


(from: wikipedia - xiphoid process)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Coccygeal Nerves

Monday, October 9, 2017

Guanajuato


We just learned about the Mexico State of Puebla.

Another Mexican state is Guanajuato.

This state is in the middle of Mexico, and does not border either ocean.


(from: wikipedia - guanajuato)

The flag of Guanajuato has the coat of arms on it, which shows a person in the middle holding a cross, to show the battles that the Catholic church had helped with for Mexico.


(from: wikipedia - guanajuato)

Mammillaria duwei is a species of flowering cactus, sometimes called the biznaguita.
The only place it grows in the whole world is in the state of Guanajuato.
These cacti are endangered and there are maybe only around 500 left in the wild.


(from: wikipedia - mammillaria duwei)

There is a museum called the "Museo de las Momias" in Mexico, that has Mummies on display!


(from: wikipedia - guanajuato)

There are ancient ruins from people who lived in Mexico long ago, in the town of Plazauelas.


(from: wikipedia - guanajuato)

There is an old convent called San Agustín de Yuriria, built in 1550.


(from: wikipedia - guanajuato)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Andes Mountains

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Cenobitic Monks


We just learned about the Eremetic Monks.

The eremetic monks were hermits that mostly lived alone.
Another type of monks were the cenobitic monks who lived with other people.
The word cenobitic comes from the Greek words κοινός βίος (koinos bios), which means common life.
Cenobitic monks live in places like monasteries, and sometimes would even live in cities where they would help build churches and help out the community.
They just lived in the monastery where they prayed and worshiped with other monks.


(from: wikipedia - cenobitic monasticism)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Eve

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Three Derby Figures - Derby


We just learned about the Pair of Lovers by Franz Anton Bustelli.

Another set of Rococo sculptures is the Three Derby Figures made by the Royal Crown Derby porcelain shop in England, 1758.

The Derby Porcelain company is one of the oldest makers of porcelain in England.
They used to just be called Derby Porcelain, then one day the Queen of England liked their sculptures so much she gave them the name "The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company".


(from: wikipedia - royal crown derby)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs

Friday, October 6, 2017

ASL - Fruit


We just learned how to say some drinks in ASL!

Let's learn how to say some fruits.

apple - Make the hand sign for X, with your hand closed and your index finger bent. Put the knuckle of your index finger up against your cheek and twist it a few times.

orange - We already learned that the sign for orange is to have your fist up by your face, like you are squishing an orange into your mouth.

banana - Put your left hand in front of you, and your index finger pointing up, like a banana. Using your other hand in a pinching shape, pretend like you are peeling the banana peels downward.

Here is a helpful video to show how these signs are done.


Fruit and Vegetables | ASL - American Sign Language - ASL THAT


ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: mela, orange, banana

German: Apfel, Orange, Banane

Spanish: manzana, naranja, banana

French: pomme, orange, banane

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Foreshock


We just learned about the Ring Fault.

Another part of earthquake science is the Foreshock.

Most earthquakes have multiple shocks, where the earth is shaking.
The first one that is smaller before the biggest one is called the foreshock.


(from: wikipedia - earthquake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Upsetting

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

White's Tree Frog


We just learned about the Lemur Tree Frog.

Another type of frog is the White's Tree Frog, also called the Australian Green Tree Frog or Dumpy Tree Frog.

This kind of frog lives in Australia and New Guinea.

It is a very calm frog and does not mind living by humans, so sometimes people find these frogs sitting on their window sills or in their houses eating insects that are drawn in by the light.

When this frog gets scared, it will make a screaming sound that sounds like a little kid screaming, to try and scare away it's predator.

These frogs are big eaters, and will eat most insects, some spiders and even sometimes bats!


(from: wikipedia - australian green tree frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: King Brown Snake

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Costal Cartilage


We just learned about the Temporomandibular Ligament.

Another piece of connective tissue is the Costal Cartilage.

This cartilage is in the chest, on the front part of the ribs where the ribs connect together in the middle of the chest.

With this cartilage in the ribs, it lets the rib cage move a little, which allows your chest to get bigger and smaller as you breathe.


(from: wikipedia - costal cartilage)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Sacral Nerves

Monday, October 2, 2017

Puebla


We just learned about the Mexican State of Jalisco.

Another state in Mexico is Puebla.

Puebla is in the southern middle part of Mexico, but does not touch water on either side.


(from: wikipedia - puebla)

The Coat of Arms of Puebla is a shield with four of the state's mountains on the top.
Around the outsides of the shield are two snakes, with corn for their tails, masks of Tlaloc as their heads, with footprint marks and suns on their bodies.
The snakes are for Quetzalcoatl, who long ago people believed created the world.
Below the shield are the words Estado Libre Sobrano de Puebla, which means "Free and Sovereign State of Puebla".
There are four boxes in the shield. The top left is for the textile industry, the top right is for the Necaxa dam.
The bottom left is for the rebellion of the Mexican people, and the bottom right are for the growing of corn.


(from: wikipedia - puebla)

One of the holidays popular in Puebla is Day of the Dead, where people pray for the people that have died.

(from: wikipedia - day of the dead)

Another one of the many pyramids in Mexico is called the Cholula Pyramid.

(from: wikipedia - great pyramid of cholula)

There are many beautiful cathedrals in Mexico, like the Templo de San Francisco de Asis Acatepec.

(from: wikipedia - puebla)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nyenchen Taglha Mountains

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Eremitic Monks


We just learned about the Basil of Cecarea.

Some of the monks we've learned about were people that mostly lived alone in the desert.
Paul of Thebes and Anthony the Great were some of the first well known monks who lived like this.

The Greek word ἐρημίτης (erēmitēs) means "of the desert", and that is where the word "hermit" came from.
Hermits, or eremetic monks, were some of the first people to live alone worshipping God every day, and became some of the first monks.


(from: wikipedia - hermit)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Adam

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Pair of Lovers - Bustelli


We just learned about the Fuga d'Attila Relief by Alessandro Algardi.

We've seen a lot of different Baroque sculptures!

Another sculpture style is called Rococo.
This style of sculpture was very decorated, with lots of curves, white and pastel colors, and gilding with metals like gold.

One of the most famous sculptors in the Rococo style was Franz Anton Bustelli, and one of his most famous sculptures was the Pair of Lovers, showing two people in love, surrounded by curved shapes, painted with bright colors, and gilded with gold trim.


(from: wikipedia - franz anton bustelli)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Great Cameo of France

Friday, September 29, 2017

ASL - Drinks


We counted to 900 in ASL! Wow!

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

water - To do the sign for water, make the hand sign for the letter W, with your pointer, middle and ring fingers up, and your pinky and thumb held down, then touch your pointer finger to your chin.

milk - To say milk, hold your hand up in the air and then close your hand a few times into a fist, almost like you are milking a cow.

juice - For juice, you make the hand sign for the letter J, and then you just say what kind of juice you want before you make the J. So for orange juice, you put your fist up by your face and squeeze it a few times, almost like you are squeezing an orange and the juice is going into your mouth. And then make the letter J.

Here is a helpful video to show how these signs are done.


ASL #15 - Drinks - Heather Berry


ASL
(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: acqua, latte, succo

German: Wasser, Milch, Saft

Spanish: agua, leche, jugo

French: eau, lait, jus

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Ring Fault


We just learned about the Listric Fault.

Another type of fault is a Ring Fault.

This fault is in a crater or a volcano, where the volcano has collapsed, or the ground caved in after getting hit by a meteorite.


(from: wikipedia - chesapeake bay impact crater)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bending

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Lemur Tree Frog


We just learned about the Hourglass Tree Frog.

Another type of frog is the Lemur Tree Frog.

This type of frog lives in South America, in rain forests.

One fun thing about this frog is that it is green during the daytime, but it's skin color changes to brown at night.
This makes it easier for this frog to hide during the night time.


(from: wikipedia - hylomantis lemur)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Madagascar Tree Boa

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Temporomandibular Ligament


We just learned about the Skull Suture Tissue.

Another ligament is the Temporomandibular Ligament.

This is a ligament that connects the your bottom jaw to your head, right up by your ear.


(from: wikipedia - temporomandibular ligament)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lumbar Nerves