Girl with a Pearl Earring - Johannes Vermeer

We've just learned about the Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and The Persistence of Memory by Salvadore Dali.

Another very famous painting is called Girl with a Pearl Earring by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer in 1665.

The artist Vermeer painted what is called a tronie, which is the head and shoulders of a person, usually with a smile or something standing out in the painting, and not necessarily a painting of anyone famous.

The very dark background of the painting makes the woman more noticeable, and the light and dark colors are to make it look like there is a light up to the left shining on her face, and making her face look bright, her lips and eyes and pearl shine.


(from: wikipedia - girl with a pearl earring)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lunar Wrinkle Ridges

German - One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Let's count to five in German!
1 ein - sounds like ah-een /?/
2 zwei - sounds like s-vah-ee /?/
3 drei - sounds like drai (with the German R, you use the back of your throat) /?/
4 vier - sounds like fee-uh /?/
5 fünf - sounds like fuh-nf /?/


(from: wikipedia - Goethe Institute)

Do you remember how to say it in Spanish?
Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco

Warm Front

We've learned about weather fronts, and one type called cold fronts.

A warm front is a big bunch of warm air moving along.
When it comes to a cold front it is lighter than the cold front so it goes over it.

When the warm air goes over the cold air, it cools down and the sometimes turns into clouds.

When the weather people on the news want to show a warm front they use red half circles on a line.

(from: wikipedia - wikimedia commons - weather front)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shield Volcanoes

Spider Spinnerets

We just learned about a Spider's Hearts and Blood.

In a spider's abdomen they have things called silk glands that make the silk that they use for their webs.

The silk starts out like a liquid, and gets squished out through small tubes called spinnerets.
The spinnerets spit the silk out like tiny strings, and they spin all the strings together to make a strong thread.

(from: wikipedia - spinneret (spider))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Moray Eel

Left Ventricle

We've learned that oxygenated blood goes from the pulmonary veins to the left atrium which is part of the heart.

The left atrium sends the blood into a large area of the heart called the left ventricle.

The left ventricle takes in all of the fresh blood full of oxygen, and pushes it all the way out to every part of your body.
From the tips of your toes to your fingers and ears, the blood carrying the oxygen that your body needs is pumped out by the muscles of the left ventricle.

(from: wikipedia - ventricle (heart))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Procerus Nose Muscle

Florida

We just learned about the US State of Deleware.

Florida is a state on the south east part of the US, right on the Atlantic Ocean.
The name Florida comes from the spanish word for flower.
It's nickname is The Sunshine State, and the motto is In God We Trust.

Since Florida sticks out into the ocean, it is called a peninsula.


(from: wikipedia - florida)

Florida's flag has a big red X on a white background. That is known as St. Andrew's Cross.
This was the flag of Spain a long time ago, and Florida used to be owned by Spain, so their flag is a part of their history.
In front of the red X is Florida's state seal.

(from: wikipedia - flag of florida)

The state seal of Florida has a Native American woman spreading out hibiscus flowers.
There are palm trees and a steamboat in the background.
The words on the seal say Great Seal of the State of Florida and In God we Trust.

(from: wikipedia - seal of florida)

Since Florida is on the ocean, it has lots of interesting wildlife, like the American Alligator, the leatherback turtle and the manatee.

(from: wikipedia - american alligator)


(from: wikipedia - west indian manatee)


(from: wikipedia - leatherback sea turtle)

Kennedy Space Center is in Florida, where they launched the space shuttle Columbia.

(from: wikipedia - kennedy space center)

Walt Disney World is the largest and most visited amusement park in the world.

(from: wikipedia - walt disney world)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Indonesia

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

We just learned about the Plans to kill Jesus

After Jesus told his apostles that he was the Messiah,
that he would be killed and then raised back to life three days later
and was transfigured on the mountaintop he went to Jerusalem.

Jesus told his apostles to go to the nearby village and they would find a donkey.
He told them to take the donkey and bring it back to Jesus.

The apostles went to the village and just like Jesus said they found a donkey tied up there waiting,
so they untied it and brought it to Jesus.

Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, and when he got there a big crowd of people was cheering in the streets for him.
They took their coats off and put them on the ground for Jesus to sit on or walk on.
They cut branches down from the palm trees and placed them on the road for him.
They shouted out loud to him:
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!

The people of Jerusalem saw Jesus as their king coming to save them.


(from: wikipedia - triumphal entry into jerusalem)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Apostles - Thomas