Friday, January 19, 2018

Greek - Cow, Chicken, Pig


We already know that in Greek, dog is σκύλος (skýlos) and cat is γάτα (gáta).

Now let's learn about some farm animals!

cow - αγελάδα (ageláda) - sounds like ah-gay-LAH-dah

chicken - κοτόπουλο (kotópoulo) - sounds like koh-TOH-poh-oo-loh

pig - χοίρο (choíro) - sounds like xh-EE-doh

Also in Greek cows say mou mou, chickens say ko ko ko, and pigs say greelizee!


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

ASL: cow, chicken, pig

Italian: mucca, pollo, maiale

German: Kuh, Huhn, Schwein

Spanish: vaca, pollo, cerdo

French: vache, poulet, porc

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Volcano tectonic earthquakes


We just learned about the Earthquake Swarm, a lot of earthquakes happening in the same area.

Scientists spend a lot of time trying to figure out what causes earthquakes.

We already learned about the big tectonic plates on our planet that crash into each other at faults

Another cause of earthquakes is from Volcanoes and tectonic plates.

We learned a while back about the melted rock called magma that flows around like hot water under a volcano before it erupts.

Sometimes that hot magma flowing around underground can put a lot of pressure on the rocks above it, and cause it to crack, causing an earthquake.
You can think of it like water in a water balloon, when you squeeze the water balloon it will pop!


(from: wikipedia - volcanism)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Charcoal

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Cephalopods


We've learned a whole lot about frogs, now let's learn about Cephalopods!

There are over 800 different kinds of cephalopods living in the world, and around 11,000 kinds of cephalopods that have gone extinct and are no longer around.

Some cephalopods are really famous, like the octopus or squid, but some you may not have heard of like ammonoids or nautilus.

The super science name for an animal is split up into these parts: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, and sometimes Subclass.
Sometimes there are even more parts like Suborder, Infraorder, Family, Genus or Species.
Humans are:
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Primates, Suborder: Haplorhini, Infraorder: Simiiformes, Family: Hominidae, Genus: Homo, Species: H. sapiens

Scientists use these words to come up with special names for every single animal on the planet from mice to elephants.

Cephalopods are:
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Mollusca, Class: Cephalopoda

The "phylum: Mollusca" actually means that an animal like an octopus is sort of related to a snail!

There are lots of different types of cephalopods, we'll learn about some fun ones next time!


(from: wikipedia - cephalopod)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Frogs and Toads

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Carpal Ligaments


We just learned about the Radioulnar ligaments that connect the forearm bones.

Another set of ligaments is the Carpal Ligaments, that connect the radius and ulna to the carpal bones in the wrist.

There are six different ligaments, all named for where they are and what they connect.
The bones are the radius, ulna and carpals.
The places are "dorsal" back or top of the hand, "palmar" palm side of the hand, and "collateral" sides of the wrist.

Dorsal radiocarpal - Top of the hand, connects radius to carpal
Dorsal ulnocarpal - Top of the hand, connects ulna to carpal

Palmar radiocarpal - Palm side of the hand, connects radius to carpal
Palmar ulnocarpal - Palm side of the hand, connects ulna to carpal

Ulnar collateral - Side of the wrist, connects ulna to carpal
Radial collateral - Side of the wrist, connects radius to carpal


(from: wikipedia - radial collateral ligament of wrist joint)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Neuron

Monday, January 15, 2018

Tabasco


We just learned about the San Luis Potosí where they have many gold and silver mines.

Another Mexico state is Tabasco.

This state is on the south part of Mexico, right on the Gulf of Mexico which opens up to the Atlantic Ocean.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

The coat of arms of Tabasco has a picture of the Virgin Mary in the middle, for Catholic church.
The top left has four castles, for the Spanish kingdom of Castile.
The top right has a sword and shield for the power of the Spanish.
The bottom left has a native holding flowers for the farms.
The bottom right has a lion for the Spanish kingdom of León


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

There are many ancient pyramids in Tabasco, like the one in the city of Comalcalco.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

There is a special dance in Tabasco called "Zapateo" which means "toe tapping" and is a type of tap dancing.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)

Tabasco was the place where the Spanish people first landed over 500 years ago, and met the Native people who lived there.


(from: wikipedia - tabasco)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Calapooya Mountains

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Clare of Assisi


We just learned about the nun Hildegard of Bingen who studied and wrote many letters and books.

Another well known nun is Clare of Assisi, who lived in the 1200s AD.
Her brother Francis was very well known in the church, so when she wanted to give her life to worship God, he helped her out.

She started up a group called the "Order of Poor Ladies" and wrote up some rules for how women could live as Nuns and worship God.

There are still women who follow these rules, and call themselves the "Poor Clares".


(from: wikipedia - clare of assisi)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Aaron

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Benjamin Franklin - Hiram Powers


We just learned about the statue of George Washington by Horatio Greenough.

Another neoclassical sculpture is Benjamin Franklin by Hiram Powers in 1862 in the US.

Hiram was born in the US, and after making some famous sculptures he moved to Florence Italy, so he could get marble for sculpting easier.


(from: wikipedia - hiram powers)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bernward Doors

Friday, January 12, 2018

Greek - Black, white, brown, gray


We just learned that in Greek, red, orange and yellow are κόκκινο (kókkino), πορτοκαλί (portokalí), and κίτρινο (kítrino),
and green, blue, purple, pink are πράσινο (prásino), μπλε (ble), μοβ (mov), ροζ (roz).

Let's learn some more colors!

black - μαύρο (mávro) - sounds like MAH-v-doh

white - λευκό (lefkó) - sounds like leh-f-KOH

brown - καφέ (kafé) - sounds like kah-f-AY

gray - γκρι (nkri) - sounds like g-dee

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

ASL: black, white, brown, gray

Italian: nero, bianco, marrone, grigio

German: schwarz, weiß, braun, grau

Spanish: negro, blanco, marrón, gris

French: noir, blanc, brun, gris

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Earthquake Swarm


We just learned about the Tsunami Earthquake that isn't very big but can trigger a tsunami.

Another type of earthquake is an Earthquake Swarm.

This is when a lot of earthquakes happen in the same area, and are clearly not just aftershocks or foreshocks from one single earthquake.

These can be hundreds or even over a thousand earthquakes in one state, spreading out over a time of days, weeks or months.
One of the ones that happened not long ago was in Nevada, with 1,000 earthquakes between February and November 2008.


(from: wikipedia - earthquake swarm)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Flux

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Frog Teeth


We just learned about frogs eating their skin, and breathing through it.

When frogs eat, they don't chew up their food like other predators with big teeth.
They only have some teeth on their upper jaw, and they use it to hold on to their food and swallow it whole.


(from: wikipedia - frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Snake Venom

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Radioulnar Ligaments


We just learned about the Ulnar Collateral Ligament in the elbow.

The two bones in the forearm are connected together by a few ligaments that hold on to them, like strings strapping the two bones together.

The Proximal Radioulnar Articulation is by the elbow, and the Distal Radioulndar Articulation is by the wrist.



(from: wikipedia - annular ligament of radius)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Enteric Nervous System

Monday, January 8, 2018

San Luis Potosí


We just learned about the Mexico state Sonora, where they do the Deer Dance.

Another Mexico State is San Luis Potosí.
It was named after Louis IX of France, and because they found gold and silver in this state they compared it to the mines in Potosi, Bolivia.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

The coat of arms of San Luis Potosí shows Louis IX of France on a mining hill, with gold and silver bars on either side for the mining in the area. The blue and yellow backgrounds are for night and day.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

There are many old gold and silver mines in the area that are not used anymore.


(from: wikipedia - san luis potosí)

There are some beautiful waterfalls and natural swimming places in the town of Tamasopo.


(from: wikipedia - tamasopo)

In the Wirikuta mountains, the Huichol people celebrate their ancient traditions with art, song and food.


(from: wikipedia - huichol)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Oregon Coast Range

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Hildegard of Bingen


We just learned about Scholastica the Nun and sister of Benedict.

Another famous Nun was Hildegard of Bingen.

At a very young age, Hildegard was sent to live with Nuns, learn about God and worship.
She was very smart, and studied medicine, plants and animals in nature, music and writings about God.
There is even a special language she created by herself with it's own alphabet and words, that only she knew how to read and write.

She wrote hundreds of letters to people like popes, monks or other nuns, and she was one of the first people to study and write about medicine and biology.
People say that she also had visions from God that gave her instructions to write down the things she learned to help other people.


(from: wikipedia - hildegard of bingen)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Moses

Saturday, January 6, 2018

George Washington - Greenough


We just learned about the statue Spinning Girl by Rudolph Schadow in 1810 in Rome.

Another famous neoclassical sculpture is George Washington by Horatio Greenough in 1832 in America.

We learned a while back of one of the most famous sculptures of Zeus at Olympia that was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

When Greenough was asked to make a statue of George Washington to be outside the US Capitol building, he felt that Washington was such an important person in history that he should be looked up to like the Greeks looked up to Zeus.

So he made a statue of George Washington that looked just like the old statue of Zeus at Olympia, with one arm raised to heaven and another holding out a sword to show Washington handing over the power to the people.

A lot of people did not like the statue because Washington did not have a shirt on, and it made it look like he was a god and not just a person to be respected, so eventually they moved the statue away from the capitol and into a museum.


(from: wikipedia - george washington (greenough))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Baptismal Font at St. Bartholomew's Church, Liège

Friday, January 5, 2018

Greek - Green, Blue, Purple, Pink

We just learned that in Greek, red, orange and yellow are κόκκινο (kókkino), πορτοκαλί (portokalí), and κίτρινο (kítrino).

Let's learn more colors!

green - πράσινο (prásino) - sounds like p-dah-see-no

blue - μπλε (ble) - sounds like blay

purple - μοβ (mov) - sounds like moh-v

pink - ροζ (roz) - sounds like - dr-oh-z

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

ASL: green, blue, purple, pink

Italian: verde, blu, viola, rosa

German: grün, blau, lila, rosa

Spanish: verde, azul, morado, rosa

French: vert, bleu, violet, rose

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Tsunami Earthquake


We just learned about the Supershear Earthquake.

Another type of earthquake is a Tsunami Earthquake.

This is an earthquake that happens underwater that may not be very big, but it causes a very big tsunami.
It can be dangerous because scientists might not be able to tell a big earthquake happened, and a tsunami might come by surprise.

(from: wikipedia - tsunami earthquake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Gangue

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Frog Skin


We just learned about tadpoles.

Frog skin is very interesting, because many frogs breathe through their skin underwater.

Frogs also shed their skin, pull it off and then eat it!

Some frogs even have poison come off of their skin for protection.


(from: wikipedia - frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Snake Fangs

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Ulnar Collateral Ligament


We just learned about the Humeroradial Ligaments or RCL that connects the upper arm called the humerus to one of the forearm bones called the radius.

Another bunch of connective tissue connects the humerus to the other forearm bone called the ulna.
This is the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, sometimes just called the UCL.

Just like the RCL, the UCL helps hold the elbow joint together when you move your arm around.


(from: wikipedia - ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Parasympathetic Nervous System

Monday, January 1, 2018

Sonora


We just learned about the Mexico state of Hidalgo.

Another Mexico State is Sonora.

This state is on the north part of Mexico, bordering the US States of Arizona and New Mexico.
To the south is the Gulf of California.


(from: wikipedia - sonora)

The coat of arms of has a blue border, and the words "Estado de Sonora" which means "State of Sonora".
The top left has a mountain with a pick and shovel, for the mining in the state.
The top middle is a dancer doing a special Yaqui dance called the deer dance.
The top right shows some harvested crops, for the farms.
The bottom left is a bull for the ranches in the state.
The bottom right shows the coast with an island and a shark, over Tiburon Island, which means Shark Island.


(from: wikipedia - seal of sonora)

The Yaqui native people came from this state, and they have a well known dance called the Deer Dance, where they thank the deer for giving itself to nature so people can hunt it and have food.


(from: wikipedia - sonora)

The city of San Carlos is on the ocean, and has many nice rocks and marinas for people to visit.



(from: wikipedia - san carlos nuevo guaymas)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cascade Range

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Scholastica


We just learned about the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent in France.

One of the oldest known Nuns was Scholastica, who was the twin sister of the monk Benedict of Nursia that we learned about before.

She lived the eremitic or "hermit" life, living by herself but in an area where there were other women also living alone so sometimes they could meet up and talk about God.

Sometimes she would meet up with her brother Benedict and they would share the wisdom that each of them had learned.

She is said to be the first woman to set up a Benedictine convent, where other Nuns could meet up for worship.


(from: wikipedia - scholastica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Joseph

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Spinning Girl - Schadow


We just learned about the Jane Browne Memorial by John Flaxman in England.

Another Neoclassical sculptor is Rudolph Schadow, the son of Johann Gottfried Schadow that we learned about before, that made the statue of the two princesses.

Rudolph learned from his father, and one of his most famous sculptures was of a Spinning Girl made in Rome around 1810.


(from: wikipedia - rudolph schadow)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Reliquary of St. Maurus

Friday, December 29, 2017

Greek - Red, Orange, Yellow

We just learned about the alphabet in Greek.

Now let's learn some colors!

red - κόκκινο (kókkino) - sounds like KOH-kee-noh

orange - πορτοκαλί - (portokalí) - sounds like poh-r-toh-kah-LEE

yellow - κίτρινο - (kítrino) - sounds like KEE-tree-noh

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

ASL: red, orange, yellow

Italian: rosso, arancione, giallo

German: rot, orange, gelb

Spanish: rojo, naranja, amarillo

French: rouge, orange, jaune

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Supershear Earthquake


We just learned about the Submarine Earthquake that happens underwater.

Another type of quake is a Supershear Earthquake.

A lot of earthquakes happen with the earth moving side to side, like a slinky squishing and then stretching.
Some earthquakes happen like a slinky but you lift it up and the pull it down, causing a wave to go through it.
When this wave is very fast and strong, it can rip through the ground with a lot of force, and cause a lot of damage.
This is a supershear earthquake.


(from: wikipedia - supershear earthquake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Slag

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Tadpoles


We just learned a little about frog eggs, called Frogspawn.

When the eggs hatch, they turn into Tadpoles or pollywogs.

They are born with little flat tails, gills for breathing, and cartilage for bones.
As they get older, they will start to grow tiny lungs that they can use along with their gills to breathe.

Tadpoles mostly eat algae, but some bigger ones will eat insects or tiny fish.
They are in danger of being eaten by fish, large insects and birds, so some tadpoles are poisonous to protect themselves.

Eventually they will start to grow legs as they are on their way to becoming a frog.
This could be as fast as a week, or as long as a year!


(from: wikipedia - frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Snake Skull

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Humeroradial Ligaments


We just learned about the Glenhumoral Ligaments in the shoulder.

Another piece of connective tissue is the Humeroradial Ligaments.

The upper arm bone is the humerus, and one of the bones in the forearm is the radius.
So the humeroradial connects the humerus to the radius.
Sometimes it is just called the RCL for radial collateral ligament.


(from: wikipedia - radial collateral ligament of elbow joint)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Parasympathetic Nervous System