Milling

We just learned how a Metal Lathe is a piece of metal being spun around while a sharp tool cuts it.

Another type of tool for cutting metal is a Mill.

A mill is a machine that has a tool that spins around very fast, while the piece of metal you want to cut is being held still.
So in a way it's the opposite of a lathe, where the metal is spinning and the tool is held still.


(from: wikipedia - milling (machining))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tropical Cyclone

Mountain Chicken Frog

We just learned about the Purple Frog.

Another type of frog is the Mountain Chicken Frog.

This frog is called the mountain chicken because it lives in the mountains and is so large it was hunted a lot for food.
Some people think it tastes like chicken, or it is big enough to eat like a chicken.

It is one of the largest frog in the world and can grow to be 8 inches long.
This frog eats a lot, and will eat anything from crickets and millipedes to snakes, bats and even other smaller frogs!
Because it was hunted for food a lot, there are not a lot of these frogs left, so it is now illegal to hunt them.


(from: wikipedia - leptodactylus fallax)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Blunthead Tree Snake

Integumentary System

We've learned a lot about the Nervous System.

Another part of the body is the Integumentary System.

This is the part of the body that is your skin, hair and nails.


(from: wikipedia - integumentary system)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Central Nervous System

Interior System of Canada

We just learned about the Nevadan Belt.

One part of the Nevadan Belt is the Interior System of Canada.

These mountains are in the provinces of British Columbia and Yukon in Canada.
There are thousands of mountain peaks in this area, and the area is mostly empty.
Many of the peaks are covered in snow and glaciers, and some have volcanoes.

One special area is the Tuya Range, where a bunch of old volcanoes called Tuyas are found.
Tuyas are flat topped volcanoes, that mostly were formed when volcanoes erupted inside of glaciers.


(from: wikipedia - tuya)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lake Nicaragua

Nathan

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

Another person from the Bible is Nathan.

During the time of King David, there was a woman that King David took away named Bathsheeba.
Bathsheeba was married to someone else, and so it was very bad that David took her away, but he was the king so no one could tell him no.
God sent the prophet Nathan in to tell David a story about a rich man who had lots of sheep, but he stole his poor neighbor's only sheep.
He used this to explain to David that when he stole Bathsheeba, he did the same thing to her husband.
David felt very bad and asked God for forgiveness.

Later when David's son Solomon was ready to be King, Nathan was the prophet that announced he would be king.


(from: wikipedia - nathan (prophet))


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Fat Tuesday

Portals at Reims Cathedral

We just learned about the Portals at Chartres Cathedral.

Another set of Gothic sculptures are Portals at Reims Cathedral built in France, year 1211 AD.

These portals are large sculpted doorways with arches and columns full of figures that tell stories.
The only cathedral that has more sculptures is the Chartres that we just learned about.

One of the portals tells the story of Mary the mother of Jesus.
Another tells the story of Jesus and the last judgement.
The third portal tells the story of the prophets and apostles.
There is also a famous sculpture of a smiling angel that was damaged in war, and then fixed later.


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


(from: wikipedia - reims cathedral)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Lyres of Ur

ASL - This house is big

We just learned in ASL how to say We are Surprised

Let's learn about some of the things we see every day.

To say this house is big in ASL you first start with the sign for house.
Put your flat hands out in front of you, palms facing down, fingers pointing away from you, with your hands next to each other.
Move your hands away from each other and outward, and then turn them and move them downward.
This is almost like you are drawing a shape of a square house in the air.

To say big, you put your flat hands in front of you, next to each other but not touching, palms facing left and right, facing each other, fingers pointed away from you.
Move your hands out away from each other, like you are spreading them out.

You can just make the sign for house and big, you don't need to do a sign for "this" unless you really need to say that it is different from "that" house.
If you need to do the sign for "this", you just point your finger down.

Here are some helpful videos to show how these signs are done.


Learn to sign: Homes, Rooms, Furniture, and more - Meredith ASL


big - ASL sign for big - My Smart Hands




(from: wikipedia - american sign language)

Italian: Questa casa è grande

German: Das Haus ist groß

Spanish: Esta casa es grande

French: Cette maison est grande