Lyres of Ur

We just learned about the Copper Bull sculpture.

Another ancient sculpture is the Bull's Lyre, a bull's head sculpture that was part of three ancient lyres (also known as harps) discovered that were over 4,000 years old.

These lyres are believed to be the oldest stringed instruments still intact.

The sculpture of the bull's head is made of gold, with eyes made of mother-of-pearl and lapis lazuli.
Other parts of the bull's body were made of wood but they did not survive after the thousands of years it was buried.


(from: wikipedia - lyres of ur)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Little Dancer of Fourteen Years

Italian - This house is big

We just learned that in Italian, We are surprised is somo sorpresi.

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

To say this house is big in Italian you say Questa casa è grande.


We can break it up into four words:
This - Questa - sounds like koo-ay-stah /?/
house - casa - sounds like kah-sah /?/
is - è - Sounds like ay-ee /?/
big - grande - Sounds like g-dah-n-day /?/


So all together Questa casa è grande sounds like Koo-ay-stah kah-sah ay-ee g-dah-n-day.


(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Das Haus ist groß

In Spanish:
Esta casa es grande

In French:
Cette maison est grande

F5 Tornado

We just learned that the F4 Tornado on the Fujita Scale is houses totally blown down, small buildings blown away and cars thrown through the air.

The highest level of damage is the F5 tornado - Incredible damage.

This is when houses are lifted up and carried away, large cars are flying through the air, and large steel and concrete buildings are badly damaged.


(from: wikipedia - fujita scale)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Stratocumulus Clouds

Southern hognose snake

We just learned about the type of snake the Green Vine Snake.

Another type of snake is the Southern Hog-Nosed Snake.

This type of snake lives in the southeastern US.
They eat mostly toads and are not dangerous to humans.

These snakes won't bite people, but when they are scared they will try to pretend like they are dangerous, puffing up their body, hissing, and even pretending to strike.
If that doesn't work they will play dead like a possum!
They roll over onto their back and hang their tongue out of their mouth.
Sometimes even if they are picked up, and rolled over, they'll roll their head back, trying to prove that they really are dead.



(from: wikipedia - southern hognose snake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Siberian Husky

Nervous System

We learned last time about the Heart Wall - Pericardium.

We've learned about the skeletal system (bones), the digestive system (eating & drinking), the respiratory system (breathing) and the circulatory system (blood & heart).

Let's learn about the Nervous System!

The nervous system is what controls your body and sends messages all over telling it what to do.

Your brain is part of your nervous system, and there are things called nerves that go all through your body that are almost like electric wires.

The brain sends out a message over these nerves to something like your hand, and your hand moves.
If you get hurt, the nerves send messages to the brain saying OUCH!

Everything from getting hungry to feeling tired to telling your legs when to jump is controlled by your nervous sytem.


(from: wikipedia - nervous system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Radial & Ulnar Arteries

Lake Titicaca

We just learned about Lake Onega in Russia.

The next biggest lake is Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia.

It is the largest lake in South America.


(from: wikipedia - lake titicaca)

The name means Rock of the Puma.
There is an island on the lake called Isla del Sol which means island of the sun.
On this island was a special place called Titi Qala a rock sculpture that was very important to the ancient Incan people.


(from: wikipedia - isla del sol)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Michigan

Lent

We just learned about the different weeks of Epiphany.

The church calendar season after that is called Lent.

The Lent season is the season leading up to Easter, and there are many different special days on the calendar.

The Lenten season is 40 days long, to help remember the time Jesus went into the desert to fast and was tempted.

Usually the decorations in the church are colored purple for this season.


(from: wikipedia - temptation of christ)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Crucifixion - With Criminals