Lewis Chessmen

We just learned about the Cloisters Cross.

Another ancient sculpture is the Lewis Chessmen.

This is a set of 78 chess pieces carved from walrus ivory tusks or whale teeth.
No one is sure exactly how old they are, but they think they were from around 900 years ago in the country of Norway.

There are some red stains on some of the pieces, so they were probably a chess set of red versus white, instead of black versus white.
All of the pieces are little people, even the knights, bishops and rooks.

The knight pieces are on little horses and are holding spears and shields.
The rooks are standing soldiers holding shields and swords.
Some of them have crazy wild eyes and are so angry they are biting their shields!




(from: wikipedia - lewis chessmen)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Swimming Reindeer

ASL - Horse, Sheep, Duck

We just learned in ASL how to say dog, cat, cow, chicken and pig.
Let's learn more animals!

horse - Put your thumb up by the side of your head with your palm facing foward, and your first two fingers up almost like ears, and then wiggle them forward like a horse's ear.
sheep - Hold your left arm out in front of you across your body, and use your first two fingers of your other hand like scissors like you are cutting the wool off of the sheep.
duck - Using your thumb and your first two fingers make them like a beak opening and closing, in front of your mouth. The two fingers can be spread out a little to show that it is a big duck's beak.

Here is a helpful video showing these signs:

Chris Wood - ASL Lessons: Animals




(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: cavallo, pecora, anatra

German: Pferd, Schaf, Ente

Spanish: caballo, oveja, pato

French: French - cheval, mouton, canard

Coal

We just learned about charcoal.

Another type of fuel used in blacksmithing is coal.

Coal is something that is mined or dug up from the ground.
It is made from old plants that turned to dirt and were buried and pressed underground for a long long time.
Blacksmiths use coal as a type of fuel to make other types of ashes that can be used to make different kinds of metal.


(from: wikipedia - coal)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Fujita Scale

European Fire-Bellied Toad

We just learned about the difference between Frogs and Toads.

One type of frog is the European Fire-Bellied Toad.

Even though these are called toads, they are not part of the family of "True Toads" called Bufonidae.

These toads have a green back with black spots, and an orange or red belly with black stripes.
Their eyes have heart shaped pupils and webbed feet.

A full grown toad can be about 2 inches long.
To protect themselves, their skin makes a poison that might give you a rash if you pick one up, and would make you feel sick if you ate it.

Some frogs like this one shed their skin.
They puff themselves up big, cough to loosen the skin, then tear the old skin off and eat it!


(from: wikipedia - european fire-bellied toad)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Fox Terrier

Nucleus

We just learned about the Soma.

Another part of the neuron is the Nucleus.

The nucleus is in the middle of the Soma, and is the part of the neuron that is in control.
It is like the brain that tells the rest of the neuron what to do.


(from: wikipedia - soma (biology))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Aortic Valve

Klamath-Siskyou Mountains

We just learned about the Calapooya Mountains.

Another group of mountain ranges in the Pacific Coast Belt of the North American Cordillera are the Klamath-Siskyou Mountains in Oregon and California.

In this group there are the Klamath, Siskiyou, Trinity Alps, Salmon and Yolla Bolly mountains.
The Yolla Bolly mountains get their name from the Wintu Native American words for "snowy peak" since it's one of the only mountain areas that gets snow.

There are a lot of protected forests in this area, over 7 million acres, including a 400 mile trail called the "Bigfoot Trail".

(from: wikipedia - klamath mountains (ecoregion))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Winnipeg

Joshua

We just learned about the Bible person Aaron.

Another person from the Bible is Joshua.

After Moses led the people of Israel across the desert, he put Joshua in charge.
Joshua went on to many other lands, and with God's army he took over many of the lands.

One of the places was called Jericho, where there were large walls around the city.
God told Joshua that he would help them take over the city, and make the walls fall down.
He told them to march around the city for six days, and then on the seventh day to blow their horns and shout at the wall and it will come crashing down, and they could go take over the city.

The book of Joshua in the Bible has a very famous saying, from when he told his people that they had to make a choice to follow God or not.

Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."


(from: wikipedia - joshua)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Church Calendar