Oil Derrick

We just learned about the Pumpjack.

Another part of how we get oil is the Oil Derrick.

A derrick is a really tall tower that helps out with all of the drilling.
It can be used to hold the pulleys, levers, drills or any other things that are used to drill into the ground and get the oil out.


(from: wikipedia - derrick)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Automatic Transmission

Smooth-Coated Otter

We just learned about the Spotted Necked Otter.

Another type of animal in the same family is the Smooth-Coated Otter, or lutrogale perspicillata.

These otters live in Asia, in countries like India.
They grow to be about 60 centimeters long and weigh about 10 kilograms.
Their fur is brown or grey, and it is short and smooth.

Just like other otters these animals love the water, but they can live anywhere from a river to a lake or a swamp.
They make their houses under tree roots or big rocks, and they sometimes will rest on the beach by the river to take a nap.

Smooth-Coated Otters are very good hunters, and they know how to chase and catch fish.
Some people have now trained otters to help them catch fish, by sending the otters in the water to chase fish right into a net to be caught.



(from: wikipedia - smooth-coated otter)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Northern Plains Gray Langur

Renal Cortex

We just learned about the Renal Capsule.

Another part of the kidneys is the Renal Cortex.

This is just inside of the renal capsule, and is where the kidneys start working on filtering out bad things from the blood.


(from: wikipedia - renal cortex)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Outer Ear

Sint Eustatius

We just learned about the country of Bermuda

Let's learn a little about the country of Sint Eustatius!

This country is in the Caribbean, north of South America, next to other Caribbean islands.
It is about 21 square kilometers, and about 3,000 people live there.
The people in this country speak either English or Dutch.


(from: wikipedia - sint eustatius)

The flag of Sint Eustatius is blue, with red lines and a white diamond in the middle, and on the white diamond is a yellow star and a green picture of the island.
Blue is for the ocean, red is for the delonix regia tree, the diamond is for a diamond waterfall on the island, and the yellow star is for unity.


(from: wikipedia - flag of sint eustatius)

Visiting this country you might go see the big volcano called The Quill.
It is 601 meters high, and the name comes from the Dutch word kuil which means hole, because it has a volcanic crater in the middle, with a rainforest full of tropical trees and plants.


(from: wikipedia - the quill (volcano))

There is a type of tree that grows in the area called the Delonix Regia that blooms in bright red colors.
When the slaves were freed on the island, they used this tree as a symbol of freedom.

(from: wikipedia - delonix regia)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cambodia

Simeon

We just learned about one of the children of the twelve tribes of Israel, Reuben.

Another of the twelve was Simeon.

When Jacob was married to both Leah and Rachel, the Bible says that he loved Rachel more.
Leah prayed to God that she would have a baby, and then her son Simeon was born.
She was happy and said "Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too."

People believe that Simeon was one of the more fearless and envious of the sons, and he was one of the 12 brothers that threw the younger boy Joseph into the pit before Joseph was sent to Egypt.


(from: wikipedia - simeon (son of jacob))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

St. Peter's Basilica - Michelangelo

We just learned about Michelangelo's painting of The Crucifixion of St. Peter.

Another one of Michelangelo's masterpieces was St. Peter's Basilica - Michelangelo.

In Rome, they wanted to rebuild an old church and make it one of the greatest churches in all the world.
They asked Michelangelo to help build it, so he drew up all the plans for the church.

Many other artists had worked on the church, but Michelangelo took over and came up with the plans for how to make the dome of the church.
When it was made it was the widest dome in the world, and it is still the tallest dome in the world.


(from: wikipedia - st. peter's basilica)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Double Negative - Michael Heizer

Hindi - May, June

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

We already learned that January, February is जनवरी (janavaree), फरवरी (pharavaree)
and March, April is मार्च (maarch), अप्रैल (aprail).

Let's keep going!

May - मई (maee) - sounds like may - 文A

June - जून (joon) - sounds like joon - 文A



(from: wikipedia - devanagari)

Swahili: Mei, Juni

Russian: Май (May), Июнь (Iyun')

Norwegian: Mai, Juni

Greek: Μάιος (Máios), Ιούνιος (Ioúnios)

ASL: May, June

Italian: Maggio, Giugno

German: Mai Juni

Spanish: Mayo, Junio

French: Mai, Juin