Bloomery

We just learned about the Iron Ore that is used to get iron for blacksmithing.

One way to get the iron out of that iron ore is using something called a Bloomery.

A bloomery is like a chimney, where a fire is made at the bottom with charcoal, iron ore is poured into the top, and there are are holes on the bottom that help bring in air for the fire to keep burning.


(from: wikipedia - bloomery)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tornado Appearance

Snake Biology

We just learned about 39 different types of snakes, like the Anaconda!.

Let's learn a little bit about how a snake's body works.

Snakes have many of the same body parts like we do, like hearts, lungs, vertebrae, but they are smaller, stretched out, or in different places.

One thing we have that snakes don't have is ears outside their body!
Long ago people used to do something called snake charming, where they would play a flute and a snake would rise up out of a basket like it was in a trance.
The trick really was the way the flute was being moved, because the snake couldn't really hear the flute!


(from: wikipedia - snake)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Lumbar Plexus

We just learned about the Subcostal Nerve.

Another group of nerves is called the Lumbar Plexus.

These are connected to your spinal cord in your lower back, and they help control and get messages from your stomach, back, thighs and upper legs.

(from: wikipedia - lumbar plexus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Superficial Palmar Venous Arch

Kenai Mountains

We just learned about the Pacific Coast Belt group of mountain ranges that are part of the North American Cordillera group of mountain belts.

There are many mountain ranges in the Pacific Coast Belt, like the Kenai Mountains.

The Kenai mountains are in Alaska, and are between 3,000 to 5,000 feet tall.
There have many glaciers on these mountains, as well as rivers that are very popular for fishing.

The mountains were named after the Kenai natives who lived in the area.





(from: wikipedia - kenai mountains)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Superior

Sarah

We just learned about Abraham from the Bible.

Abraham's wife in the Bible was named Sarah.

Just like Abraham started out as Abram, Sarah's name started out as Sarai.
When Sarai traveled with Abram to Egypt, Abram was worried that bad people might hurt him so they could take Sarai from him, so he lied and said she was his sister.
The Pharaoh took Sarai as his wife, but then bad things like plagues came to his kingdom.
He found out that Abram had lied, so he made him leave Egypt.

Sarai was sad because she could not have any children for a long time.
When she was 90 years old God told her she would have a child!
She laughed because she thought she was too old, but she did have a son the following year.
God was happy with Sarai and changed her name to Sarah.

The Bible tells the story of Sarah in Genesis Chapters 11 - 23.


(from: wikipedia - sarah)


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

Stenkvista Runestone

We just learned about the Gero Cross.

Another ancient sculpture from the same time, was the Stenkvista Runestone.

This was made in Sweden, and it was a large stone carved near a grave to honor someone who had passed.
In the northern countries of Europe, they believed in the mythical Norse gods like Thor.

On the rune stone, you can see what looks like an upside down capital letter T.
That is Thor's hammer Mjölnir.

The words carved in the stone are in old letters called runes, and the words mean:
Helgi and Freygeirr and Þorgautr raised the rune-decorated landmark in memory of Þjóðmundr, their father.


(from: wikipedia - stenkvista runestone)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: The City Rises - Boccioni

ASL - Very good thanks, and you?

We just learned how to say How are you? in ASL.

To respond, you might say "Very good thanks, and you?".

Remember we already learned the sign for good, moving the hand away from the chin.
The sign for good and thank you are almost exactly the same.
Usually the only difference might be that for "thank you" instead of moving your hand down, you move your hand out toward the other person and then down.
Or you can have your left base hand out for good, but not for thank you.

Then to say "and you", you would just do the same sign for "How are you?" that we learned.

Here is a helpful video showing these signs:


ASL Signs "How are you?" - teachmesignlanguage



(from: wikipedia - american sign language)


Italian: Molto bene, grazie.

German: Sehr gut, danke. Und Sie?

Spanish: Muy bien gracias. ¿Y tú?

French: Très bien, merci. Et vous?