ASL - Dog, Cat

We just learned how to ask if someone speaks ASL.

To say dog in ASL, first pat your thigh a few times with your hand, like you are calling your dog over.
Then hold your hand out with your fingers closed and your palm facing up.
Snap your fingers twice, but it doesn't matter if it makes sound.
These motions are like if you were calling your dog over.

To say cat in ASL, you make the hand shape for the letter F, which also looks like the sign for OK.
Hold it up by the side of your mouth, but with your pointer and thumb not closed yet.
Pinch your fingers together, and pull them to the side.
This motion is like if you were a cat and had whiskers, and you were pulling on your whiskers.

Here is a helpful video showing these signs:

ASL Lesson 9: Animal Signs - Look! We're Learning!




(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: cane, gatto

German: Hunt, Katze

Spanish: perro, gato

French: chien, chat

Wrought Iron

We just learned about Sponge Iron made in a bloomery.

Sponge iron is then turned into wrought iron.
After the sponge iron is made, it has a bunch of holes in it and is very messy.
A blacksmith can take the sponge iron, hammer it a lot, reheat it and keep hammering away at it to get it in better shape, and that is called wrought iron.

When it is all finished, the iron looks nicer and is easier to work with and shape.


(from: wikipedia - wrought iron)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Mesocyclone

Snake - Internal Organs

We just learned about the Snakes - forked tongue.

The parts inside a snake body called the internal orgas all work a lot like a human's, but in a snake they are spread out along it's body.
Because snakes eat big meals and their body stretches out, their organs have to be able to move around or get squished when they are trying to eat something really big.



(from: wikipedia - snake)

1 – esophagus, 2 – trachea, 3, 4 & 5 – lungs, 6 – heart, 7 – liver, 8 – stomach, 13 – intestine


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Greyhound

Coccygeal plexus

We just learned about the Sacral Plexus.

The next nerve at the bottom of your spinal column is the Coccygeal Plexus.

This nerve helps tell your body when it is time to go to the bathroom.


(from: wikipedia - coccygeal plexus)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Jugulary Vein

Talkeetna Mountains

We just learned about the Chugach Mountains.

Another mountain range in the Pacific Coastal Belt is the Talkeetna Mountains.

There is a glacier on this mountain called the Mint Glacier, and there is a Mint Valley, and even mountain peaks called the Troublemint and Doublemint peaks.


(from: wikipedia - talkeetna mountains)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Huron

Rebekah

We just learned about the Biblical person Isaac.

When Isaac grew up, he married a woman named Rebekah.

She was very pretty, and also a very nice and helpful.

One day when one of Isaac's servants was going to get water, he saw Rebekah and she came and helped him.

He came back to Isaac and told him how great she was, and they got married.


(from: wikipedia - rebecca)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: First Peter

Muiredach's High Cross

We just learned about the Aberlemno Sculptured Stones.

Another ancient sculpture is the Muiredach's High Cross in County Louth, Ireland.

This is 19 foot tall sandstone cross, with many carvings on it of biblical scenes like David and Goliath or Moses.

It was made to honor either an old king or monk named Muiredach.


(from: wikipedia - muiredach's high cross)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Black Square - Malevich