Whistler's Mother - Whistler

We just learned about the famous painting The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai.

Another famous piece of art is the painting Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 by painter James McNeill Whistler in 1871.

The painting is better known by it's nickname Whistler's Mother, because it is a painting of Anna McNeill Whistler, who was the painter's mother.

Many people have asked what the painting means or what is the story behind it, but the artist Whistler very strongly believed in something called Art for Art's sake.
This means that he believed his paintings should be good enough for someone to enjoy, just by looking at them.
In French this was called l'art pour l'art which means "the art for the art".

Since it is a famous painting of an artist's mother, this painting has been used many times as a way to get people to remember their mothers and feel good about them.

(from: wikipedia - whistler's mother)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lunar Soil

German - Red, Orange, Yellow

We just learned about the different letters in the German alphabet, ä, ö, ü, ß

Now let's learn some colors!

red - rot - sounds like row-t /?/

orange - orange - sounds like oh-ahn-zhe /?/

yellow - gelb - sounds like geh-lp /?/


(from: wikipedia - Goethe Institute)

Do you remember how to say it in Spanish?
rojo, naranja, amarillo

Do you remember how to say it in French?
rouge, orange, jaune

Dew Point

We've just learned about all types of weather fronts, like a stationary front and what happens when warm air and cold air run into each other.

When the water vapor in warm air is lifted high up into the sky, it gets colder.
The colder temperatures will eventually turn the water vapor back into tiny water droplets if it gets too cold.

The temperature that the water vapor changes into water drops is called the dew point.
If it is colder than the dew point, it turns to water.
If it is hotter than the dew point, it turns to vapor.


(from: wikipedia - dew point)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lava Tube

Spider silk - webs

We just learned about Spider's Silk Balooning When spiders make webs, they use different types of silk.

Some parts of the web like the spoke lines going straight out are not sticky. Those are called ampullate or dragline silk.

Other parts that are sticky and bugs can get caught on are called flagelliform, or capture lines.

(from: wikipedia - spider silk)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mink

Aortic Arch

We've learned that the big tube leaving the heart is called the aorta, and the first part of the aorta that goes up is called the ascending aorta.

After the ascending aorta goes up, it turns toward the middle of your body by your trachea.
That curved part where it turns is called the aortic arch.

There are some smaller tubes that come out of the aorta at the arch and go up toward the neck and head, and then the large aorta tube turns to go downward.

(from: wikipedia - aortic arch)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cheek Muscles

Idaho

We just learned about the US state of Hawaii.

Idaho is a state in the north west part of the US, bordering Canada.

It's state nickname is the Gem State because almost every kind of gem like diamonds or rubies have been found in Idaho.
It's motto is Esto perpetua, which is Latin for Let it be forever.


(from: wikipedia - idaho)

The flag of Idaho has the state seal on it, which shows a woman for equality, liberty and justice.
There is a man who is dressed as a miner to show that there is a lot of mining in Idaho.
It also has pictures of farming, animals and rivers.

(from: wikipedia - flag and seal of idaho)

There is a large waterfall in Idaho called Shoshone Falls.

(from: wikipedia - shoshone falls)

One of the main crops that comes from Idaho is the potato. There is even a museum for the potato, called the Idaho Potato Museum.

(from: wikipedia - idaho potato museum)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bangladesh

Last Supper - Communion

We've learned that Jesus was having his Last Supper with his apostles, he said that Judas would betray him.

While Jesus was at the dinner, he took some bread and gave it to his disciples, told them to eat it, and that it was his body.
Then he poured some wine in a cup and gave it to his disciples, told them to drink it, and that it was his blood.

He told them to eat and drink the bread and wine like that to remember him because he was going to die on the cross for them.

This is sometimes called Holy Communion, or the Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper.
The word Eucharist means thanksgiving.

(from: wikipedia - eucharist)


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