Water jet cutting

We just learned about Electrical Discharge Machining.

Another way to work with metal is water jet cutting.

A water jet cutting tool takes water and squirts it at super high speeds at a piece of metal, and the water is going so fast that it actually cuts the metal.

The tool that makes the water go fast actually uses a jewel like a sapphire, ruby or diamond to make a really small hole for the water to go through.
Water jets can be used to cut anything from glass, to rubber to wood or metal.

Sometimes if the water needs to cut something really hard the water gets mixed up with small pieces of hard crystals like garnet or aluminum oxide, and it gets rougher.
You can think of that like if someone mixed sand up in a squirtgun and shot it at you, it might sting more than just water in a squirtgun.


(from: wikipedia - water jet cutter)


(from: wikipedia - water jet cutter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Anvil - Table

Central Coast stubfoot toad

We just learned about the Eastern Narrow Mouthed Toad.

Another frog is the Central Coast stubfoot toad.

This is a true toad in the family Bufonidae.
Their vocal sac that fills up with air is not like other frogs, it is very quiet so they can only make calls to other frogs in small distances.
Because of this they have to live very close to other frogs.


(from: wikipedia - atelopus franciscus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Colorado Desert Sidwinder

Nail Plate

We just learned about the nail matrix.

Another part of the nail is the nail plate.

This is the big flat part of your nail.
When new cells are being made in the matrix, they are pushed forward to the plate, where they eventually end up at the tip of your fingernail.

(from: wikipedia - nail (anatomy))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Diancephalon

Saskatchewan

We just learned about the Canadian province of Manitoba.

The next most populated Canadian province is Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan is in the southern middle part of Canada, just west of Manitoba.
The name comes from an old cree name for the river, meaning "swift flowing river".
This province gets more sunshine than any other province, and has the record for the hottest temperature in all of Canada, at 113 degrees F.


(from: wikipedia - saskatchewan)

The flag of Saskatchewan has the coat of arms in the upper left, and the province flower of the western red lily in the bottom right.
The upper green half is for the forests, and the bottom gold half is for the prairie wheat fields.

(from: wikipedia - flag of saskatchewan)

The coat of arms for Saskatchewan has a lion for England, some wheat for the farms, Canada's national animal the beaver, a western red lily for the province, a white tailed deer, and a maple leaf.

The province motto is "Multis e gentibus vires" which means "from many peoples, strength"

(from: wikipedia - coat of arms of saskatchewan)

A famous Native American named Sitting Bull moved to Saskatchewan after the famous Battle of Little Bighorn, and had a family there for a while.

(from: wikipedia - sitting bull)

Hockey is the most popular sport in Saskatchewan, and many famous hockey players came from there, including Gordie Howe.

(from: wikipedia - gordie howe)

Moose Jaw is one of the largest cities in Saskatchewan, where they have a giant statue of Mac the Moose.

(from: wikipedia - mac the moose)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nanga Parbat

Proverbs 4 - The Path of the Righteous

We just learned about Proverbs 31 - A wife of noble character.

Another good lesson from the book of Proverbs is Proverbs 4.

This chapter is advice from a father, telling his children to seek out wisdom, and to listen to the wisdom given to them by their father.

the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.


(from: wikipedia - book of proverbs)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Alpha and Omega

Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni - Verrocchio

We just learned about the statue of Christ and St. Thomas, by Andrea del Verrocchio.

Another famous sculpture by Andrea del Verrocchio is the Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni made in Venice, Italy in 1488 AD.

When the noble person Bartolomeo Colleoni died, he had left some money for a statue to be made of him.
There was a competition between three sculptors who had to make samples of what they wanted to put up, and Andrea del Verrocchio won the competition.

He made the statue to be like the famous Donatello statue The Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata.

The statue is made to look like a very strong and powerful military commander.


(from: wikipedia - equestrian statue of bartolomeo colleoni)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Statue of Zeus at Olympia

ASL - November, December

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

We just learned how to say January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October.


Remember, to say a month, you just have to spell out the first three letters of the month.

November - N-O-V



December - D-E-C



wiktionary - appendix:sign language handshapes


Here is a helpful video to show how these signs are done.


ASL HANGOUT: HOW TO SIGN MONTHS OF THE YEAR! - Sign Duo



(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: Novembre, Dicembre

German: November, Dezember

Spanish: Noviembre, Diciembre

French: Novembre, Décembre