Tropical Depression

We just learned that large storms in the tropics are called Tropical Cyclones and that they have many different names.

Many of these names are based on how strong the cyclone is.

The first level of tropical cyclone is called a Tropical Depression.
This means the storm clearly looks circular, but the winds are less than 39 miles per hour.


(from: wikipedia - tropical cyclone)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shelf Clouds

Coral Snake

We just learned about the Blunthead Tree Snake.

Another type of snake is the Coral Snake.

This snake has stripes of red, yellow, white and black.

It is a very venomous snake, and it's venom can be deadly to humans if they are not taken to a hospital quickly.
Coral snakes are afraid of humans and will usually try to get away if they are seen, but sometimes if they are threatened they will bite.
Their fangs are not very long, so they can not bite through thick leather like gloves or shoes.

Other snakes like milk snakes have colors just like the coral snake, but not in the same order.
Some people have come up with ways to remember which ones are venomous, like:
Red and black, friend of Jack. Red and yellow, kills a fellow.
Yellow, Red, Stop!

Coral snakes mostly live on the ground underneath leaves, and they eat snakes, lizards, frogs, birds and rodents.

(from: wikipedia - coral snake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Shiba Inu

Peripheral Nervous System

We just learned that the central nervous system is one part of the Nervous System.

The other main part is the Peripheral Nervous System.

This is all the long wires of nerves that go through your whole body.


(from: wikipedia - peripheral nervous system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Palmar Digital Arteries

Lake Athabasca

We just learned about Lake Nicaragua in Central America.

The next biggest lake is in Canada, called Lake Athabasca.
This name comes from the Cree natives, meaning "where there are plants one after another".

There is a very old town in this area called Fort Chipewyan, named after the Chipewyan people who lived there.


(from: wikipedia - lake athabasca)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mississippi

Ash Wednesday

We just learned about how on Fat Tuesday many people would have large feasts right before the season of Lent.

The first day of lent is Ash Wednesday.

For 40 days after this day, not including Sundays, people would not eat meat or even some types of fatty bread.
At church service for Ash Wednesday, some people would take old palm branches that had been saved from last year's celebration of Palm Sunday.
They would burn those palm branches and use the ashes.

Some churches sprinkle ashes above people's heads, and others would make a mark of a cross on their foreheads.

When the priest or pastor would put ashes on your head, they would say:

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
or
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.



(from: wikipedia - ash wednesday)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jesus' Crucifixion - Here is your son

Cylinder Seal

We just learned about the sculpture the Lyres of Ur.

Other famous sculptures are the ancient Cylinder Seals.

Around 3,500 years ago, people would take stone, metal or even jewels and carve them into a cylinder shape.
Then they would carve a hole through the middle so they were like a tube.
On the outside of the tube they would carve pictures that would tell a story, send a message, or maybe be like a signature for someone.

Then they would roll the cylinder along some wet soft clay, and it would leave a print on clay.
The clay dried and they would have a picture.


(from: wikipedia - cylinder seal)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: No. 5, 1948 - Jackson Pollock

Italian - The chair is small

We just learned that in Italian to say this house is big you say Questa casa è grande.

Let's learn about more things we see every day.

To say The chair is small, we say La sedia è piccolo

We can break it up into four words:
The - La - sounds like lah /?/
chair - sedia - sounds like say-dee-ah /?/
is - è - Sounds like ay /?/
small - piccolo - Sounds like pee-koh-loh /?/


So all together La sedia è piccolo sounds like lah say-dee-ah ay pee-koh-loh.


(from: wikipedia - accademia della crusca)

In German:
Der Stuhl ist klein

In Spanish:
La silla es pequeña

In French:
La chaise est petit