Schwann Cell

We just learned about the Myelin Sheath on a neuron.

Another part of the neuron is the Schwann Cell.

These are cells that help surround neurons to protect them and keep them in place.


(from: wikipedia - schwann cell)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Heart Wall - Epicardium

Peninsular Ranges

We just learned about the Transverse Ranges.

Another bunch of mountain ranges in the Pacific Coast Belt of the North American Cordillera are the Peninsular Ranges in Southern California and Mexico.

There are 12 mountain ranges that are part of this group of ranges: Santa Ana Mountains, Chino Hills, San Jacinto Mountains, Palomar Mountain Range, Laguna Mountains, Sierra Juarez, Sierra San Pedro Martir, Sierra de San Borja, Sierra de San Francisco, Sierra de Guadalupe, Sierra de la Giganta and Sierra de la Laguna

The Palomar Mountains have the Palomar Observatory, which has some of the most powerful telescopes in the world.

(from: wikipedia - palomar mountain)

The Sierra San Pedro Martir mountains have the Nationl Astronomical Observatory in Mexico, another place with very large telescopes.

(from: wikipedia - national astronomical observatory)

Some of the mountain ranges in Northern Mexico have prehistoric cave paintings from over 2000 years ago.

(from: wikipedia - sierra de guadalupe cave paintings)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Vostok

Samuel

We just learned about the person from the Bible named Ruth.

Another person from the Bible was Samuel.

When Samuel was young, he was sleeping and heard a voice calling him.
The voice was God talking to him, and so people learned that Samuel was a prophet that God would talk to.

The people of Israel wanted a king on earth to rule over them, and so God told Samuel to make Saul the king.
Later on when Saul was doing bad things, God sent Samuel to make David the king instead.

As a prophet, Samuel talked to God's people a lot, giving them the instructions that God gave him.


(from: wikipedia - samuel)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Epiphany - Baptism of Our Lord

Tympanum at Vézelay Abbey - Gislebertus

We just learned about the sculpture of the Prophet Jeremiah at Mosaic Abbey.

Another Romanesque sculpture is the Tympanum at Vézelay Abbey built in France, 1130 AD.

Just like the Last Judgement Tympanum at the Autun Cathedral in France, this sculpture was made by the sculptor Gislebertus.
It is a tympanum which is a large sculpture over a doorway.

Most of the sculptures like this in churches at that time showed pictures warning of the end of the world, or talked about when Jesus would come back again.

This sculpture is different because it talks about the apostles mission to go off and tell the world about Christianity.


(from: wikipedia - vézelay abbey)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Trundholm Sun Chariot

ASL - He is angry

Last time we learned how to say You are sad in ASL.

Let's learn how to say He is angry in ASL.

To say He you just point your finger off to the right or the left, just not at the person you're talking to.

For Angry, start with your two hands open like claws, with your palms toward your chest and your thumbs pointed up.
Move your hands upward and outward, keeping your palms in until your hands are up.

Remember it's important to make sure your face is showing that you are angry, to match your hands.
Here is a helpful video showing these signs:

I, you, He, she, it, they, we:

ASL Lessons: Pronouns and Family - Chris Wood

Angry:

American Sign Language Emotion Words : American Sign Language: Angry - expertvillage




(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: Lui è arrabbiato

German: Er ist wütend

Spanish: Él está enojado

French: Il est en colère

Lathe - Headstock

We just learned about the metal lathe.

One part of the metal lathe is called the Headstock.

The metal lathe holds a piece of metal at two ends, and then spins it around very fast.
The two ends are called the headstock and tailstock, and each of them has something called a "spindle" that is what holds on to the metal.

At the headstock end, there is a motor which spins the spindle very fast, which spins the metal around very fast.
There are controls to make the motor spin faster or slower, and there are different types of connectors you can connect to the spindle to hold different metals.


(from: wikipedia - metal lathe)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: F2 Tornado

Strawberry Poison-Dart Frog

We just learned about the Edible Frog.

Another type of frog is the Strawberry Poison-Dart Frog.

This type of frog is poisonous, and it gets the poison on its skin from eating certain types of ants and mites.

One way that animals show that they are poisonous is to have bright colors.
This type of frog has many different types of colors, called "morphs".
There is the "La Gruta" morph which means "The grotto" or "The cave" which is green and yellow with black spots.
Another funny one is called the "Blue Jeans" morph, because it looks like the red frog is wearing blue jeans.


(from: wikipedia - strawberry poison-dart frog)

La Gruta Morph:

(from: wikipedia - strawberry poison-dart frog)

Blue Jeans Morph:

(from: wikipedia - strawberry poison-dart frog)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Massasauga