The Fox Hunt - Winslow Homer

We just learned about the famous work of art His Station and Four Aces by C. M. Coolidge.

Another famous work of art is The Fox Hunt by American painter Winslow Homer in 1893.

In this painting you can see that it is winter, a time when it is hard for animals to find food.
There is a fox looking for food, and a berry branch that he might be able to eat.
Above the fox are crows that are flying and looking down at the fox like they might eat him.

The painting shows the cycle of life and how different animals survive.

When Homer was painting this, someone gave him a real fox and crows that were no longer alive, and he used them to try and get all the colors and actions right. He went out and made a lot of sketches of crows while they were jumping and flying around, and used that to try and make a painting that looked real.

(from: wikipedia - the fox hunt)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Solar Core - Energy

German - March, April

Let's keep learning about the months of the year in German!

We already learned that January, February is Jaunar, Februar

Let's keep going!

March - März - sounds like may-ah-tz /?/
April - April - sounds like ap-uh-eh-l /?/


(from: wikipedia - Goethe Institute)

Do you remember how to say it in Spanish?
Marzo, Abril

Do you remember how to say it in French?
Mars, Avril

Cloud to Ground Lightning

We learned about cloud to cloud and intra-cloud lightning.

The other type of lightning that we all know about is called Cloud to Ground lightning, sometimes just called CG lightning.

Electric charges build up in clouds, usually between tiny ice crystals and tiny water droplets that smash into each other.
When this happens to a whole bunch of them at once there is a lot of electricity that needs to go somewhere, so it zaps all the way down to the ground.

(from: wikipedia - lightning)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Iron

Pug

We just learned about the type of dog the Dachsund.

Another type of dog is the Pug.

Pugs have been around for a long time, and even were kept by kings and queens.
In The Netherlands, a pug once saved the life of the prince, so it became the favorite dog.
The wife of a famous leader named Napolean once was put in prison, and she used her little pug dog to carry secret messages to her husband.

(from: wikipedia - pug)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Peacock Spider

Tarsal Arteries

We just learned about the Dorsalis Pedis Artery.

Remember that the large bones in your foot and ankle are called your tarsus.

The two main arteries that supply blood to that part of your foot are the medial tarsal artery and the lateral tarsal artery.

They are on either side of your foot by the ankle.
The medial one is on same side as your big toe is on, and the lateral one is the same side as your pinky toe.

(from: wikipedia - medial tarsal arteries)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stomach - Fundus

North Dakota

We just learned about the US state of North Carolina.

North Dakota is a state on the north part of the US, bordering Canada to the north.
It's nicknames are the Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State.
It's mottos are Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, and One and Inseparable.

(from: wikipedia - north dakota)

The flag of North Dakota looks a lot like the Great Seal of the US, with the eagle and a banner on it.

(from: wikipedia - flag of north dakota)

The seal of North Dakota has a tree in a field surrounded by wheat, a plow, an anvil a sledge, a bow with arrows, and a Native American on horseback chasing a buffalo.

(from: wikipedia - seal of north dakota)

North Dakota was made a state in 1889, at the same time as South Dakota. When they signed the papers to make them both states, they didn't want to pick one to be first, so they shuffled up the papers so nobody knew which one was signed first.
North Dakota is usually listed as the 39th state and South Dakota as the 40th, but really they both tied for 39.

(from: wikipedia - north dakota)

There are many people from Norway living in North Dakota, so they made a museum that has a big church made to look like an old church in Norway, and a viking ship inside that is a copy of one of the oldest viking ships ever found.

(from: wikipedia - hjemkomst center)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Kenya

Jesus appears to Thomas

After Jesus had appeared to his other disciples in their house, one of them named Thomas was not there.
The other disciples told him that they saw Jesus, but he said that he would not believe that Jesus had been resurrected until he saw the nail marks in Jesus' hands, and the cut in his side from the soldier's spear.

A week later Jesus came and again appeared inside the disciples house, even though all the doors were locked.
He said "Peace be with you!"

Then he said to Thomas "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.".

Thomas said "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to Thomas "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Because Thomas doubted whether Jesus was really alive, he is sometimes called Doubting Thomas.


(from: wikipedia - doubting thomas)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blessed are the merciful