Anomalocaris: The First Super-Predator

They were the very first animals to live in the sea.  And they were the first animals to have eyes.  Also, it ate trilobites.  It was a very long creature.  It was two... meters long.  And also, it's jaws, the weird wavy-like thingys near their mouths... sort of... they were as sharp as kitchen knives.  Also, they were pretty big.  Sometimes, when it's spine got broken... I mean, it doesn't have a spine... sometimes when it's back armor gets bent too far back and breaks, our ancestors with spines will dig into the flesh and get a small meal.

Anyway, the second super-predator was brontoscorpian.  Here's a picture down here.  (Get a picture, Mom.)

The only thing is that brontoscorpian did have a predator.  It looks like a giant crab, but it is the size of a crocodile.  <<Ben whispers, "Picture Mom."... "What was it called again, Mom?"  "Pterygotus," I reply after looking it up and stumbling through the pronunciation.  "Pterygotus, Pterygotus, Pterygotus," Ben repeats as I post the picture below.>>

It also ate scorpions.  Oh, and also, I forgot one more predator of the sea scorpions.  It's like a... umm, ahhh, ummm.... Oh, I know!  It's kinda like a giant squid inside a cone.

The Ninth Most Deadliest Sea: the Caribbean Ocean!

The Eight Most Deadliest Sea: ???? Put a bunch of question marks here.

The Seventh Most Deadliest Sea: Armored Fish Sea!  Hold on, no, that's the wrong sea.  Boy, I've been really traveling to the dinosaur times way too much maybe.

The Sixth Most Deadliest Sea: ???? Same thing (Makes question mark motion in air.)

The Fifth Most Deadliest Sea: Armored Fish Sea!

The Fourth Most Deadliest Sea: ????

The... Hold On!  Go back to the Fourth One!

The Fourth Most Deadliest Sea: Megalodon Ambush!

The Third Most Dangerous Sea: Hold on, I know it, it's.... just put a question mark for now... NO!  The Triassic!

The Second Most Dangerous Sea: ?

The First Most Dangerous Sea: <<Ben made a movie reference here.  "That's a movie?" he asked.  "Yeah," chimed in his sister.>>

I just want to share one more of my favorite animals from the life before dinosaurs.  It's called Hyneria.  

<<Ok, and I assume you want me to put in another picture?  "Yeah.">>

That's all!

<<Ben has once again been enjoying his collection of the BBC's "Walking with" series.  Today, he was enjoying, "Walking with Monsters: Water Dwellers."  We HIGHLY recommend the entire series for all ages!  Well, maybe not toddlers and the like.  You can find the DVDs online.>>

The Most Strongest Dino That's A Carnivore Ever

<Originally Published April 15, 2014>

Liopleurodon are the most dangerous-est dinos in the world.  Plus, they have razor sharp teeth that could chomp up anything, even if it is this other type of carn, then it could totally still. 

Lucky for us that they're dead.  Plus Liopleurodon are the most greatest expert at hunting.  They're shark eaters. 

And also, if you have this movie called "Walking with Dinosaurs," then just if you go to this place called "The Discovery Station," and it's your birthday, they would give you free astronaut ice cream and "Big Al" and the bonus one.  By the way, if you have that movie, or not, you should travel to "The Discovery Station."

<<Ben did receive a complimentary "astronaut ice cream" as a gift from one of the staff members who had gotten to know him.  I don't believe this is customary.  The videos were gifts from me.>>

And also if you learn about this giant Allosaurus named "Big Al."  Big Al, if you watch his life a whole lot, you would earn the movie and the bonus one, like me, Ben.  I earned it. 

And also, look for "Cursed Sea."  And also, in that movie it all started with a pregnant Opthalmosaurus, but in the real beginning of "Cursed Sea" a dino's tail gets grabbed and he gets eaten by a Liopleurodon.

That's all.  Now time for picture.

Oh, and if you want to know what a Liopleurodon looks like, just look at the picture and you'll find out.

That's all.  No, seriously.  That's all!

Werewolves Are Wild

<Originally Published December 8, 2013>

Werewolves are really dangerous.  They eat meat, and also they are not dogssssssssssssss. 

Now, next.  Well, I know all about another wild animal.  It's an snake.  Snakes are in many places, they are everywhere, including Antarctica.  It's really cold in Antarctica. 

Next!  Now, I know another sea wild animal.  It's called the cone-shell.  Now, the cone-shell is really, really dangerous.  It shoots spikes at you.  That's how it defends itself. 

Next.  Now, if you are bitten by a werewolf, the next whole moon you'll be a werewolf.  Oh, you write something you should say, I'll tell you what you should say.  <<Ben gets angry when I typed the above.>>  Now, Next!

<<Ben says I should say something I want to say.  Werewolves, snakes, and cone-shells.  Huh.  Not a clue how those came together.>>

Now, next.  The best thing you shall do when you're catched by a werewolf... R-U-N!!! 

Now, next.  If you are catcheded by a snake, best thing to do is to just kill it.

If you want a cone-shell, be more careful just go awayyyy.

Next, oh, by the way, frogs are really helpful.  But, most frogs have protection.  Some, such as the tomato frog, can puff up their body. 

Oh, Mom, write it below...

<<Ben tells me what to type here.  I've sent him off to do his chores and deleted "my" comments. 

Instead, I think it is interesting that Ben has decided to play with asking me to type not only what he says, but how he says it.  It is rather a struggle for me as the daughter of an English major it makes me cringe.  That said, it is a learning process and an opportunity for self expression.  I'm going to keep saying that until the desire to correct passes.  This may take a while.

As for the topic(s) of this blog, your guess is as good as mine as to the source!  I will say he has been on the cone-shell theme for over two weeks, frogs are revisited periodically, but snakes and werewolves?  The mind of a six-year-old boy!>> 

That's all!

<<Ben's teacher, Mr. Kevin, commented on the original post:

          Hey. I love it. We have a book at school called, "Never smile at a monkey" It has about 15 different animals that have evolutionary traits that could be dangerous for humans. That is where the cone shell stuff is coming from, I think. 

          Also, tomato frog is a reference from brainpopjr. I can't remember exactly which video. >>

Guts and Bolts

<Originally Published December 3, 2013>

Human body has one muscle that does not match others.  It is your heart!  Your heart is the most important thing that you need.  Because if you don't have a heart, then your fresh and not oxygenated blood can stay forever and make you get sick. 

And another part of you, your body.  It is called the lungs.  Lungs help you breath oxygen.  If you didn't have lungs, you can go like this...  <<Ben now demonstrates a death scene by flopping on the floor dramatically, making some odd strangled noises, and sticking out his tongue indicating he is now "dead.">>

Next!  There is a really important body part in yourself.  It is called your brain.  The brain is a important part of your body.  If you didn't have a brain, you always go like this... "What's the answer to 1+1?  What's the answer to 5+5?  Could somebody tell me what is "math"?"  Hahahahaha!! 

Now, this next body part is called your intestines  <<pronounced "e-test-tants.">>.  Your intestines help you digest food.  If you didn't have a part of your intestines, it will be really... ummm... just a minute... <<Ben shifts uncomfortably and leaves the room.  Upon return, he asks me to read what I've written in my comment.>>  No I didn't!  <<Yes you did, you asked what I wrote and I read it to you.>>  Oh.

If you didn't have one body part, you will be "clang!" cranky.  That's all.

<<Much of this blog's information stemmed from Ben's interpretation of his favorite game on www.brainpop.com.  I highly recommend this site for kids of (almost) all ages!  A special thanks to Ben's teacher, Mr. Kevin, and his school for introducing us to this great site!>>

Dinosaurs and Mammals

<Originally Published December 3, 2013>

Dinosaurs were alive when people weren't alive.  And... ummm... they, for the last time I am saying, that dinosaurs and mammals were not alive at the same time.  Today, there are two dinosaurs, the crocodile and the alligator. 

Now, mammals have been now alive now.  People are mammals.  There are lots of mammals.  Living in the wild, if your a fox, you can only make four cubs in the wild while if you are a female.  Female foxes in the winter, they are snow white.  In spring, they match the color of the sky.  <<What color is that?>> Light blue.  In summer, they need to be their normal size.  Their normal size and normal coat.  In fall, their coat starts to turn red. 

So, now you know about dinosaurs and mammals.  You can just check on here.  And also, I have a blog!  For the last time, dinosaurs and humans are not on the real fossil, because their bones are different. 

OK.  And also write, ... nevermind.  Give me a break now.  That's all!

<<I have no idea how these three items ended up together or how Ben came to the conclusions he did.  When I asked him how he came up with this week's blog, he told me it was "because my brain is working, it didn't turn to mush!"  I think that pretty much sums it up!>>

<<Ben's teacher, Mr. Kevin, commented on the original post:

I should tell you that I pretty consistently tell the kids that their brains are like muscles and they must exercise them or they will turn to mush. We also watched a Bill Nye video about dinosaurs as sort of a treat or culmination to the non-fiction unit on animals. I know that it brings in a whole new set of questions and information that I couldn't fully explain to them, but we will keep on trying to suss out these mysteries together.>>

Ocean Habitats

<Originally Published November 25, 2013>

There are four types of zones in the ocean.  One is called the sunlit zone.  The sunlit zone has a lot of light.  The twilight zone is dark and also light, so it's ... dunno.  One is called the midnight zone.  The midnight zone is the deepest... it is really dark.  Less things can survive in there.  Only angler fish, sperm tooths, and other types of things like glowables jellyfish.

That's all.

Giant Squid

<Originally Published November 18, 2013>

No one knew about the giant squid.  In fact it has a good mouth to swallow it's food, and it's best enemy is the sperm whale.  The sperm whale has tentacles on itself. 

<<Wait, the sperm whale has tentacles?>>

Well, they found it out. 

And the giant squid can change it's body color to match it's spot.  And also, giant squids, some can look like arrow fish.

Arrow fish do not exist.  Arrow fish are extinct dead, because they were alive at the time dinosaurs were alive.  And also, giant squids can look like shark worms. 

Shark worms are a type of squid too, because shark worms, they have some tentacles, they can swim, and they can attack a boat.  But giant squid just are real and if you see one just go on my blog.

I do have a blog, ok?  So when you gets nervous, just go on our painter.  Well, we can make a painter. 

That's All!

<<I have no idea what a "painter" is or how to make one.>>

<<Ben's teacher, Mr. Kevin, commented on the original post:

http://www.ted.com/talks/edith_widder_how_we_found_the_giant_squid.html I thought you guys might appreciate this. I did bring in a short video of a sperm whale with a giant squid in his mouth to show to the class, but this video is a more dense but very impressive. >>

Kids Discover Bats

<Originally Published November 4, 2013>

Bats.  There are all kinds of bats that are coming out at night when you go to sleep.  Some bats eat bugs, some bats eat fruit. 

They are wild and when you see one, that means it's maybe sick, so never pick it up or touch it or else you could get sick. 

Then, but some bats eat pollen and when they get to their homes they lick each other's fur to clean up.  Some bats drink milk, baby bats always do. 

When it's day, they go into their dens and when they get to their dens they sleep hanging upside down.  The darker it is the safer they are and they are really good. 

Fruit bats and pollen bats are really good because fruit bats make some juice fall to the ground and the juice creates a tree nest until the seed gets into the ground and the juice helps it grow.  Pollen bats make seeds fall to the ground and they grow new plants.

Always ask your parents when you see a bat and it's sick and they can maybe help it and then they can get well again and go.  Baby bats have good calls that call their parents. 

And there always are bats around so when you know one type of thing about bats and you sleep tonight, you'll maybe dream about all the stuff about bats and that's gonna happen sometime and there will be good stuff about bats.

That's all!

Be Safe

<Originally Published October 27, 2013>

Never play with big scorpions, snakes, and spiders or roaches.  If you are holding a stuffed animal and the roach eats it, it could maybe be not so good.

If you see one, just call your dad and he will come and trap it and kill it with his big shoe.  And also, if they get to your room and find lots of stuffed animals, that could be dangerous.  And also roaches have super disgusting, icky smell.  That's a signal that says, "Hey guys, there's food over here!" And each one will just come out of the toilet and just follow that one, the first one that been coming out.

If you see one, just call your dad.  He'll come with a cup and trap it and squish it with his heavy, heavy shoe.  And that could pain a lot.  And to that roach, he may think that that hurts so much a lot.

I hate roaches.  Stuffed animals that you love could be killed, but if you have a big dragon toy stuffed animal, he could just turn to life and eat up all roaches.  I do not want to see another roach come again! 

If I see one, I will just get some heavy things and just put them on top of him, or I could just smack him with something that hurts a lot like this, "SMACK!"  If it's too fast, I could just smack it, in the head, then his brain blood will bleed. 

That's all.

<<The roach in question was spotted last night by Ben in his bathroom, and proceeded to hold him hostage for about 5 minutes.  It was approximately 2.5 inches long, not including antenna.  It met an untimely death after I trapped it, Ben's dad and I talked with Ben about roaches, then Ben's dad stomped on it - it took 3 tries!  The roach's body was inspected by all concerned and it was given an unceremonious "burial at sea" - this may explain how the toilet entered this week's blog.  Sister did not attend the events, instead she went downstairs very quickly to "work on my homework - Eww, eww, ewwwwwwww!">>

First Post

<Originally posted October 20, 2013>

I told Mom I thought we should make a website and put songs on it and teach people about the water cycle because that's what we're learning in school and it's really cool and really important.

Mom said instead of a website, we could do a blog and she would help me. She said it's really like a website, but we could include more stuff and it's for sharing things we think are important or things that we like or something else like that.

I can't really type yet. Mom is typing what I'm saying. Mom says we have to be careful what we put on the internet, because it can be a dangerous place and until I'm older - I think like 50 or something - she has to approve everything. So we're doing this together starting today and it's just for us to do together. Not for Sissy or Dad - just US.

My name is Ben and I'm 6 and I'm in first grade.