Stork

We just learned about the type of bird called the Robin.

Storks are large birds with long legs and big wings and a long beak.

Unlike most other birds, they can not make a bird call because they don't have a syrinx, which are like our vochal chords.
The only noise they can make is when they clap their beak together.

Storks have very large nests, some over 6 feet wide!

(from: wikipedia - stork)

The Marabou Stork is tied with the Andean Condor for the longest wingspan, at over 10 feet

That's taller than any person!

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Flying Squirrel

Uvula

The uvula is part of the digestive system that helps close up the back area of your throat when you are swallowing.

It works along with the epiglottis to make sure food goes where it is supposed to, and not up into your nose or down into your lungs.

(from: wikipedia - palatine uvula)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nasal Bone

Tanzania

We just learned about the African country of South Africa.

Tanzania is a country in Africa on the eastern border of the continent, right on the Indian Ocean.

(from: wikipedia - tanzania)

To eat in Tanzania you might have ugali which is corn flower mixed with water and cooked to be like a dough.

(from: wikipedia - ugali)

Freddie Mercury, who was the lead singer from the band Queen was born in Tanzania, his name when he was born was Farrokh Bulsara.

(from: wikipedia - freddie mercury)

The Ngorongo Crater is the largest crater in the world. It was formed when a large volcano collapsed.

(from: wikipedia - ngorongoro crater)

Tingatinga is a painting style from Tanzania of small bright paintings on hard wood, usually made to sell to tourists.

(from: wikipedia - tingatinga (painting))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: South American Islands

Blessed are those who mourn

Let's keep learning about the Sermon on the Mount.

We've learned about the first of the Beautitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The second one is:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Mourning means you are sad about losing something, usually because someone died.

Jesus is saying that if you are sad, he will always be there to comfort you.

(from: wikipedia - matthew 5:4)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Samuel, Kings & Chronicles

The Sun

We just learned about the Harvest Moon.

We've already learned a lot of things about the Sun.

We know it's in the center of our solar system and the earth orbits around it.

We know it is a GV type of star called a Yellow Dwarf, and we know when the moon gets in front of the sun and we can't see the light that is called a solar eclipse.

The sun is an amazing thing floating out in space, and without it there would be no life on earth.

Even though our summers get really hot and the sun seems very bright, it is 93 million miles away.

That's like driving all the way around the earth almost 4,000 times!

(from: wikipedia - sun)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Asteroid Belt

Spanish - Our table is short

We've learned that in Spanish:
I am happy is Estoy feliz,
You are sad is Estás triste,
He is angry is Él está enojado,
They are excited is Ellos estan emocionados,
We are surprised is Estamos sorprendido,
This house is big is Esta casa es grande,
The chair is small is La silla es pequeña,
My drink is cold is Mi bebida es fría,
Your food is hot is Tu comida está caliente and
Their car is tall is Su coche es alto.

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

To say Our table is short you would say Nuestra mesa es bajo

We can break it up into four words:
Our - Nuestra - sounds like noo-ay-ss-trah /?/
table - coche - sounds like may-sah /?/
is - es - sounds like ay-ss /?/
short - bajo - sounds like bah-h-oh /?/

All together Our table is short sounds like noo-ay-ss-trah may-sah ay-ss bah-h-oh.



(from: wikipedia - Association of Spanish Language Academies)

Do you remember how to say it in French?
Notre table est courte.

Feldspar

We just learned about Pyrite.

The most common type of mineral on the earth is called feldspar.

The word feldspar comes from the German language and means "field rock that does not have ore".
Ore is something in rocks that can be used to make metal.

Over half of the earth's crust is made up of feldspar.
The crust is the outer part of the planet earth.

Feldspar is made from elements like potassium, sodium, or calcium combined with other elements like aluminum, silicon, and oxygen.

(from: wikipedia - feldspar)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Earth's Gravity