Pacific Coast Belt

We just learned that the North American Cordillera is a group of five different mountainous areas in North America.

The first area is called the Pacific Coast Belt.

This belt contains four mountain ranges: The Southern Alaska ranges, the Western System of Canada, the Pacific Border Province in contiguous U.S. and the Western mountain ranges of Mexico.



(from: wikipedia - Pacific Coast Ranges)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Caspian Sea

Abraham

We just learned about Noah.

Noah had children and his children had children and so on through many generations.

Someone's children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are called their descendants.

One of the descendants of Noah was called Abraham.

When Abraham was younger, he was known as Abram.
God told Abram to leave his home and go travel to a place he would lead him.

Abram promised to follow God, and his name was changed to Abraham.
God promised Abram that he would have many descendants, and he had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.

The Bible tells the story of Abraham in Genesis Chapters 11 - 25.


(from: wikipedia - abraham)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Paul's Letter to Titus

Gero Cross

We just learned about the Golden Madonna of Essen.

Another ancient sculpture is the Gero Cross, carved around 965 AD.

This crucifix is over six feet tall, and is made out of oak wood, painted, and gilded with some gems.
The oval and sun rays behind the crucifix were added about 700 years later.

It is different from other sculptures of the time, because other crucifixes showed Christ alive with his eyes open looking out.
This crucifix shows him after he died on the cross, looking sad.
Many other crucifixes made after this one copied the same style.


(from: wikipedia - gero cross)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash - Balla

ASL - How are you?

We just learned how to say Hello, Goodbye and Good Morning in ASL.

If you want to say How are you? in ASL, you start with how.

The hand shape you start with is like the "Bent B".



(from: wiktionary - appendix:sign language handshapes)

It's like the Bent B, but not exactly the same.
Keep your thumb up, bend your hand, point your fingers down, and your palm is facing down.
You do this with both hands, have them meet in front of you with the backs of your fingers facing each other.

Then rotate your hand at the wrist, bringing your fingers up toward the inside of your body until they are pointed up.

After that make the hand shape for "1" with your index finger, and point at the person you're talking to.

A lot of ASL also uses your face and your body, so it helps if you lean forward to show that you are interested in how someone is.

Here is a helpful video showing this sign, and also a way to say "What's up?" that you might say to your close friends:


ASL Signs "How are you?" - teachmesignlanguage



(from: wikipedia - american sign language)


Italian: Come va? Molto bene, grazie.

German: Wie geht es Ihnen? Sehr gut, danke.

Spanish: ¿Cómo estás? Muy bien, gracias.

French: Comment allez-vous? Très bien, merci.

Heat Treatment

We just learned about Forge Welding.

Another way to work with metal is called Heat Treatment.

Some mixtures of metals will get harder or softer if you keep them really hot for a very long time.


(from: wikipedia - heat treating)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Snownado

Timor Python

We just learned about the Mandarin Ratsnake.

Another type of snake is the Timor Python.

These snakes are constrictors, and they are not venomous.
They can grow to be 7 feet long, but they are thinner than most pythons.
They live in trees, and mostly hunt at night in the trees.

Even though they are called the Timor Python, none of these snakes live on the island of Timor in Indonesia.
When they lay their eggs, they will stay curled up around them until the eggs hatch.
Sometimes to warm up their bodies they can twitch and contract and that helps keep the eggs warm.


(from: wikipedia - python timoriensis)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Curly Coated Retriever

Intercostal Nerves

We just learned about the Cervical Plexus.

We know that there are 12 thoracic nerves in the spinal cord, T1 - T12.
The first 11 of those, T1 - T11 are called the Intercostal Nerves.

These nerves control your arms, your muscles around your chest and stomach, and the feeling in your skin.


(from: wikipedia - intercostal nerves)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Radial and Ulnar Veins