Yixian glazed pottery luohans

We just learned about the Six Ritual Jades.

Another ancient Chinese sculpture is the Yixian glazed pottery luohans.

This is a set of life sized statues of Buddha that were made sometime around 1000 AD in China.

There have been at least eight found, but people think there may be many more.
All of the sculptures found are a little different, and were not just copies made from one sculpture.

They are made of terracotta which is a kind of clay, covered in glaze in a style called Sancai which means "three colors", brown green and white.




(from: wikipedia - yixian glazed pottery luohans)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Cantoria - Luca Della Robbia

Greek - July, August

We already learned that January, February is Ιανουάριος (Ianouários), - Φεβρουάριος (Fevrouários),
March, April is Μάρτιος (Mártios), Απρίλιος (Aprílios),
and May, June is Μάιος (Máios), Ιούνιος (Ioúnios).

Let's keep going!

July - Ιούλιος (Ioúlios) - sounds like YOO-lee-oh-ss
August - Αύγουστος (Ávgoustos) - sounds like AH-oo-go-stoh-ss


(from: wikipedia - center for the greek language)

ASL: July, August

Italian: Luglio, Agosto

German: Juli, August

Spanish: Julio, Agosto

French: Julliet, Août

Rocket Thrust Vectoring

We just learned about the Fire Arrow.

Another part of rocket science is Thrust Vectoring.

When a rocket is flying up in the sky, there needs to be some way to steer it.

Sometimes rockets are built with a nozzle at the end that can be moved around to thrust in different directions, and sometimes they are built with extra rocket propellant tanks on the sides to give extra thrust to steer it.

Thrust vectoring really just means steering the rocket by changing where the thrust is going.


(from: wikipedia - thrust vectoring)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Bending

Glass Squid

We just learned about the Parapuzosia.

Another type of cephalopod is the Glass Squid, also known as the cockatoo squid, cranch squid, cranchiid or bathyscaphoid squid.

This type of squid lives in the ocean near the surface or in the middle of the water all over the world.
They are from about 4 inches long to almost 10 feet long.

They get their name because they are almost totally see through, almost like a floating piece of glass!
Because they are so clear, these squids can hide out so that their prey can not see them coming, and their predators can not come eat them.




(from: wikipedia - cranchiidae)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: African Clawed Frog

Maxillary Canine

We just learned about the Maxillary Lateral Incisor.

Another tooth is the Maxillary Canine, also sometimes called the cuspid.

These are the teeth right next to the front four incisors.
Remember starting from the middle, there are two of each type of teeth:
Central Incisors
Maxillary Lateral Incisors

The Maxillary Canines are a little different than the incisors, because they have a "cusp" on them, meaning they have pointed ends, almost like a dog's tooth.
That's really why they are called "canine" teeth, because canine is another word for a dog, and it you look in a dog's mouth you will see some very sharp pointy teeth!
It's also why sometimes they are called the "cuspid" teeth, because they have a cusp on them.

The canines are like a tooth that can work as an incisor to cut and tear food, but also like the bigger teeth that help you grind up and chew your food once it's in your mouth.

The canine is the longest tooth in the mouth.



(from: wikipedia - maxillary canine)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Hair - Sebaceous Gland

Leeds Castle

We just learned about the Veste Coburg castle.

Another famous castle is Leeds Castle, built in 1086 in Kent, England.

Many famous kings and queens have lived there or stayed there, like Edward I, Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, Eleanor of Castile and Anne of Bohemia.

There is a sundial in this castle that has a matching one in Belvoir, Virginia, America.
In the garden there is a maze made out of 2,400 trees.






(from: wikipedia - leeds castle)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: British Columbia

Silvanus - Bishop of Thessalonica

We just learned about Silas - Bishop of Corinth, one of the seventy disciples.

Another of the seventy was Silvanus, bishop of Thessalonica.

Silvanus was a person who helped write down the words for some of the letters in the Bible.
Many people actually think Silvanus was the same person as Silas the Bishop of Corinth.


(from: wikipedia - silvanus of the seventy)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Proverbs