Aluminum

Another type of metal like iron is aluminum.

Even though aluminum looks like a strong metal, it is very light and easy to bend.

Aluminum is one of the main chemical elements, the building blocks that make up our world.
It is on the Periodic Table under the name "Al".


(from: wikipedia - aluminum)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Atomic Number

Rosy Maple Moth

We just learned about the Peacock Spider.

The rosy maple moth is a very colorful and pretty insect.

It is called a maple moth because it feeds on maple trees.


(from: wikipedia - dryocampa rubicunda)

These moths lay eggs on the bottom of maple leaves, where the baby caterpillars hatch and eat the leaves.
Once they are big enough, they climb to the ground, dig themselves a little cave in the dirt, then wrap themselves in their silk cocoon.
In their cocoon they transform, and climb out as a beautiful pink and yellow moth.

(from: wikipedia - dryocampa rubicunda)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cat Tongue

Stomach - Body

Let's keep learning about the parts of the stomach in the digestive system.

We've learned about the cardia and the fundus.

The largest part of the stomach is called the body.
That's where the food stays until it is all broken down to smaller soft mushy pieces.
That is called digestion.

(from: wikipedia - stomach)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lacrimal Bones

Algeria

We just learned about the country of Kenya
Algeria is a country in Africa on the North of the continent just east of Morocco, and on the Mediterranean sea.

(from: wikipedia - algeria)

The flag of Algeria is green and white, with a red crescent and star in the middle.
The green stands for the beauty of nature, the white for peace, the red for the blood of those who died fighting for the country, and the star and crescent represent the muslim people of Algeria.

(from: wikipedia - flag of algeria)

To eat in Algeria you might have chakhchoukha, which is small pieces of flatbread mixed with a meat and vegetable stew.

(from: wikipedia - chakhchoukha)


Claude Cohen Tannoudji is a famous scientist who was born in Algeria.
He won a nobel prize for his scientific work with lasers and atoms.


(from: wikipedia - claude cohen tannoudji)

There is an ancient Roman theater in Algeria, in a town called Djémila.


(from: wikipedia - djemila)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: England

Blessed are the pure in heart

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

We've learned about these Beautitudes:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they will be filled and
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

The sixth one is:

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.


(from: wikipedia - matthew 5:8)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Elijah

Solar Core - Energy

Let's keep learning about the sun's solar core. We've learned about it's size, heat and density.

The heat that is made at the solar core is because of the energy the core makes using something called fusion.

Remember we learned that atoms are very very tiny things, smaller than the tiniest grain of sand. So small that we can't see them without special super microscopes.
And hydrogen is a type of gas, kind of like the oxygen we breathe.

When hydrogen atoms are smashed together really really hard and fast, fusion can happen, and the hydrogen turns into helium.
When that happens it releases a HUGE amount of energy.

Compared to an explosion from a stick of dynamite, it is over a quintillion times bigger!
A quintillion is a 1 with 18 zeroes after it: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000

That much energy from fusion is created every single second of every day,
and it's what creates the heat and light that keep the sun going.

Just think of it as a whole bunch of tiny little things making huge explosions every second
so that we can stay warm and have sunshine every day.

(from: wikipedia - fusion power)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proxima Centauri

Spanish - Thursday, Friday

Let's keep learning the days of the week in Spanish!

We already learned that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday is Lunes, Martes, Miercoles

Thursday - Jueves - sounds like hoo-ay-bay-ss /?/

Friday - Viernes - sounds like bee-ay-d-nay-ss /?/



(from: wikipedia - Association of Spanish Language Academies)

Do you remember how to say it in French?
French - Thursday, Friday - Jeudi Vendredi