The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, literally meaning "cat-foot black-and-white") is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the Giant Panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Other parts of its diet include honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, and bananas when available.
The Giant Panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Due to farming, deforestation, and other development, the Giant Panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.
The Giant Panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. A 2007 report shows 239 Giant Pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of Giant Pandas in the wild is on the rise. However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.
While the dragon has historically served as China's national emblem, in recent decades the Giant Panda has also served as an emblem for the country. Its image appears on a large number of modern Chinese commemorative silver, gold, and platinum coins. Though the Giant Panda is often assumed to be docile, it has been known to attack humans, presumably out of irritation rather than predation.
The Giant Panda has a black-and-white coat. Adults measure around 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) long and around 75 centimeters (2.5 ft) tall at the shoulder. Males are 10–20% larger than females. Males can weigh up to 150 kilograms (330 lb). Females are generally smaller than males, and can occasionally weigh up to 125 kg (275 pounds). The Giant Panda lives in mountainous regions, such as Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi.
The Giant Panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, arms and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, some speculate that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage into its shade-dappled snowy and rocky surroundings. The Giant Panda's thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. The Giant Panda has large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo.
The Giant Panda's paw has a "thumb" and five fingers; the "thumb" is actually a modified sesamoid bone, which helps the Giant Panda to hold bamboo while eating. Stephen Jay Gould used this example in his book of essays concerned with evolution and biology, The Panda's Thumb.
The Giant Panda can usually live to be 25–30 years old in captivity.
In the wild, the Giant Panda is a terrestrial animal and primarily spends its life roaming and feeding in the bamboo forests of the Qinling Mountains and in the hilly Sichuan Province. Though generally alone, each adult has a defined territory and females are not tolerant of other females in their range. Pandas communicate through vocalization and scent marking such as clawing trees or spraying urine. The Giant Panda is able to climb and take shelter in hollow trees or rock crevices but does not establish permanent dens. For this reason, pandas do not hibernate, which is similar to other subtropical mammals, and will instead move to elevations with warmer temperatures. Pandas rely primarily on spatial memory rather than visual memory.
Social encounters occur primarily during the brief breeding season in which pandas in proximity to one another will gather. After mating, the male leaves the female alone to raise the cub.
Despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivore, the Giant Panda has a diet that is primarily herbivorous, which consists almost exclusively of bamboo. However, the Giant Panda still has the digestive system of a carnivore, as well as carnivore-specific genes, and thus derives little energy and little protein from consumption of bamboo. Its ability to digest cellulose is ascribed to the microbes in its gut. The average Giant Panda eats as much as 9 to 14 kg (20 to 30 pounds) of bamboo shoots a day. Because the Giant Panda consumes a diet low in nutrition, it is important for it to keep its digestive tract full. The limited energy input imposed on it by its diet has affected the panda's behavior. The Giant Panda tends to limit its social interactions and avoids steeply sloping terrain in order to limit its energy expenditures.
Two of the panda's most distinctive features, its large size and its round face, are adaptations to its bamboo diet. Panda researcher Russell Ciochon observed that: “[much] like the vegetarian gorilla, the low body surface area to body volume [of the giant panda] is indicative of a lower metabolic rate. This lower metabolic rate and a more sedentary lifestyle allow the giant panda to subsist on nutrient poor resources such as bamboo.” Similarly, the Giant Panda's round face is the result of powerful jaw muscles, which attach from the top of the head to the jaw. Large molars crush and grind fibrous plant material.
Twenty-five species of bamboo are eaten by pandas in the wild, such as Fargesia dracocephala and Fargesia rufa. Only a few bamboo species are widespread at the high altitudes pandas now inhabit. Bamboo leaves contain the highest protein levels; stems have less.
Because of the synchronous flowering, death, and regeneration of all bamboo within a species, the Giant Panda must have at least two different species available in its range to avoid starvation. While primarily herbivorous, the Giant Panda still retains decidedly ursine teeth, and will eat meat, fish, and eggs when available. In captivity, zoos typically maintain the Giant Panda's bamboo diet, though some will provide specially formulated biscuits or other dietary supplements.
For many decades the precise taxonomic classification of the Giant Panda was under debate because it shares characteristics of both bears and raccoons. However, molecular studies suggest that the Giant Panda is a true bear and part of the Ursidae family, though it differentiated early in history from the main ursine stock. The Giant Panda's closest ursine relative is the Spectacled Bear of South America. The Giant Panda has been referred to as a living fossil.
Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the pseudo thumb (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat), the Giant Panda and Red Panda are only distantly related. Molecular studies have placed the Red Panda in its own family Ailuridae, and not under Ursidae.
Two subspecies of Giant Panda have been recognized on the basis of distinct cranial measurements, color patterns, and population genetics (Wan et al., 2005).
- The nominate subspecies Ailuropoda melanoleuca melanoleuca consists of most extant populations of panda. These animals are principally found in Sichuan and display the typical stark black and white contrasting colors.
- The Qinling Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis is restricted to the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi at elevations of 1300–3000 m. The typical black and white pattern of Sichuan Giant Pandas is replaced with a dark brown versus light brown pattern. The skull of A. m. qinlingensis is smaller than its relatives, and it has larger molars.
Uses and human interaction
In the past, pandas were thought to be rare and noble creatures – the mother of Emperor Wen of Han was buried with a panda skull in her vault. The grandson of Emperor Taizong of Tang is said to have given Japan two pandas and a sheet of panda skin as a sign of goodwill. Unlike many other animals in Ancient China, pandas were rarely thought to have medical uses. The few known uses include the Sichuan tribal peoples' use of panda urine to melt accidentally swallowed needles, and the use of panda pelts to control menses as described in the Qin Dynasty encyclopedia Erya.
The creature named mo (貘) mentioned in some ancient books has been interpreted as giant panda. The dictionary Shuowen Jiezi (Eastern Han Dynasty) says that the mo, from Shu (Sichuan), is bear-like, but yellow-and-black, although the older Erya describes mo simply as a "white leopard". The interpretation of the legendary fierce creature pixiu (貔貅) as referring to the giant panda are also common.
The comparative obscurity of the giant panda throughout most of China's history is illustrated by the fact that, despite there being a number of depictions of bears in Chinese art starting from its most ancient times, and the bamboo being one of the favorite subjects for Chinese painters, there are no known pre-20th-century artistic representations of giant pandas.
The Giant Panda was first made known to the West in 1869 by the French missionary, Armand David, who received a skin from a hunter on March 11, 1869. The first Westerner known to have seen a living Giant Panda is the German zoologist Hugo Weigold, who purchased a cub in 1916. Kermit and Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., became the first foreigners to shoot a panda, on an expedition funded by the Field Museum of Natural History in the 1920s. In 1936, Ruth Harkness became the first Westerner to bring back a live Giant Panda, a cub named Su-Lin who went to live at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. In 1938 five Giant Pandas were sent to London; these activities were later halted because of wars and for the next half of the century, the West knew little of pandas.
Loans of Giant Pandas to American and Japanese zoos formed an important part of the diplomacy of the People's Republic of China in the 1970s, as it marked some of the first cultural exchanges between the People's Republic and the West. This practice has been termed "Panda Diplomacy".
By 1984, however, pandas were no longer used as agents of diplomacy. Instead, China began to offer pandas to other nations only on 10-year loans. The standard loan terms include a fee of up to US$1,000,000 per year and a provision that any cubs born during the loan are the property of the People's Republic of China. Since 1998, due to a WWF lawsuit, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service only allows a U.S. zoo to import a panda if the zoo can ensure that China will channel more than half of its loan fee into conservation efforts for the Giant Panda and its habitat.
In May 2005, China offered a breeding pair to Taiwan. The issue became embroiled in cross-Strait relations—both over the underlying symbolism, and over technical issues such as whether the transfer would be considered "domestic" or "international," or whether any true conservation purpose would be served by the exchange. China's offer was initially rejected by President Chen of Taiwan. However when the presidency changed hands China's offer was accepted at the beginning of Ma Ying-jeou's presidency in 2008, and the pandas themselves arrived in December of that year. A contest to name the pandas was held in China, resulting in the politically charged names "Tuan Tuan" and "Yuan Yuan" (from tuanyuan, meaning "reunion", i.e. "reunification").
The Giant Panda has been a target for poaching by locals since ancient times, and by foreigners since it was introduced to the West. Starting in the 1930s, foreigners were unable to poach Giant Pandas in China because of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, but pandas remained a source of soft furs for the locals. The population boom in China after 1949 created stress on the pandas' habitat, and the subsequent famines led to the increased hunting of wildlife, including pandas. During the Cultural Revolution, all studies and conservation activities on the pandas were stopped. After the Chinese economic reform, demand for panda skins from Hong Kong and Japan led to illegal poaching for the black market, acts generally ignored by the local officials at the time.
Though the Wolong National Nature Reserve was set up by the PRC government in 1958 to save the declining panda population, few advances in the conservation of pandas were made, due to inexperience and insufficient knowledge of ecology. Many believed that the best way to save the pandas was to cage them. As a result, pandas were caged at any sign of decline, and suffered from terrible conditions. Because of pollution and destruction of their natural habitat, along with segregation due to caging, reproduction of wild pandas was severely limited. In the 1990s, however, several laws (including gun control and the removal of resident humans from the reserves) helped the chances of survival for pandas. With these renewed efforts and improved conservation methods, wild pandas have started to increase in numbers in some areas, even though they still are classified as a rare species.
In 2006, scientists reported that the number of pandas living in the wild may have been underestimated at about 1,000. Previous population surveys had used conventional methods to estimate the size of the wild panda population, but using a new method that analyzes DNA from panda droppings, scientists believe that the wild panda population may be as large as 3,000. Although the species is still endangered, it is thought that the conservation efforts are working. As of 2006, there were 40 panda reserves in China, compared to just 13 reserves two decades ago.
The Giant Panda is among the world's most adored and protected rare animals, and is one of the few in the world whose natural inhabitant status was able to gain a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, located in the southwest Sichuan province and covering seven natural reserves, were inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 2009.
Not all conservationists agree that the money spent on conserving pandas is money well spent. Chris Packham has argued that breeding pandas in captivity is "pointless" because "there is not enough habitat left to sustain them". Packham argues that the money spent on pandas would be better spent elsewhere, and has said that he would "eat the last panda if I could have all the money we have spent on panda conservation put back on the table for me to do more sensible things with," though he has apologized for upsetting people who like pandas. He points out that "The panda is possibly one of the grossest wastes of conservation money in the last half century."
Initially the primary method of breeding Giant Pandas in captivity was by artificial insemination, as they seemed to lose their interest in mating once they were captured. This led some scientists to try extreme methods such as showing them videos of giant Pandas mating and giving the males Viagra. Only recently have researchers started having success with captive breeding programs, and they have now determined that Giant Pandas have comparable breeding to some populations of the American Black Bear, a thriving bear family. The current reproductive rate is considered one young every two years.
Giant Pandas reach sexual maturity between the ages of four and eight, and may be reproductive until age 20. The mating season is between March and May, when a female goes into her estrous cycle which lasts for two or three days and only occurs once a year. When mating, the female is in a crouching, head-down position as the male mounts her from behind. Copulation time is short, ranging from thirty seconds to five minutes, but the male may mount her repeatedly to ensure successful fertilization. The gestation period ranges from 95 to 160 days. Cubs weigh only 90 to 130 grams (3.2 to 4.6 ounces), which is about 1/900 of the mother's weight. Usually, the female gives birth to one or two cubs. Since cubs are born very small and helpless, they need the mother's undivided attention, so she is able to care for only one of her cubs[dubious ]. She usually abandons one of her cubs, and it dies soon after birth. At this time, scientists do not know how the female chooses which cub to raise, and this is a topic of ongoing research. The father has no part in helping raise the cub.
When the cub is first born, it is pink, furless, and blind. A Giant Panda cub is also extremely small, and it is difficult for the mother to protect it because of the baby's size. It nurses from its mother's breast 6 to 14 times a day for up to 30 minutes at a time. For three to four hours, the mother may leave the den to feed, which leaves the cub defenseless. One to two weeks after birth, the cub's skin turns gray where its hair will eventually become black. A slight pink color may appear on cub's fur, as a result of a chemical reaction between the fur and its mother's saliva. A month after birth, the color pattern of the cub's fur is fully developed. A cub's fur is very soft and coarsens with age. The cub begins to crawl at 75 to 90 days; mothers play with their cubs by rolling and wrestling with them. The cubs are able to eat small quantities of bamboo after six months, though mother's milk remains the primary food source for most of the first year. Giant Panda cubs weigh 45 kg (99.2 pounds) at one year, and live with their mothers until they are 18 months to two years old. The interval between births in the wild is generally two years.
In July 2009, Chinese scientists confirmed the birth of the first cub to be successfully conceived through artificial insemination using frozen sperm. The cub was born at 07:41 on 23 July that year in Sichuan as the third child of You You, an 11-year-old. The technique for freezing the sperm in liquid nitrogen was first developed in 1980 and the first birth was hailed as a solution to the problem of lessening Giant Panda semen availability which had led to in-breeding. It has been suggested that panda semen, which can be frozen for decades, could be shared between different zoos to save the species. It is expected that zoos in destinations such as San Diego in the United States and Mexico City will now be able to provide their own semen to inseminate more Giant Pandas.
There is no conclusive source for the origin of the Anglicized name "panda." The closest candidate that has been accepted as the source originates in the Nepali word ponya, possibly referring to the adapted wrist bone. The Western world originally applied this name to the Red Panda. Until 1901, when it was erroneously stated that it was related to the Red Panda, the Giant Panda was known as "mottled bear" (Ailuropus melanoleucus) or "particolored bear."
In most encyclopedic sources, the name "panda" or "common panda" originally referred to the lesser-known Red Panda, thus necessitated the inclusion of "giant" and "lesser/red" prefixes in front of the names. Even now, Encyclopaedia Britannica still uses "giant panda" or "panda bear" for the bear  and simply "panda" for the Ailuridae, despite the popular usage of the word "panda" today.
Since the earliest collection of Chinese writings, the Chinese language has given the bear 20 different names, such as 花熊 (hua xiong) "spotted bear" and 竹熊 (zhu xiong) "bamboo bear." The most popular names in China today are 大熊貓 (dà xióng māo), literally "large bear cat," or just 熊貓 (xióng māo), "bear cat." The name may have been inspired by the Giant Panda's eyes which have pupils that are cat-like vertical slits unlike other bear species with round pupils.
In Taiwan, the popular name for panda is the inverted 貓熊 (māo xióng) "cat bear," even though many encyclopedia and dictionaries in Taiwan still use "bear cat" as the correct name. Some linguists argue that, in this construction, "bear" instead of "cat" is the base noun, making this name more grammatically and logically correct, which may have led to the popular choice despite official writings.
Pandas in zoos
Pandas have been kept in zoos as early as the Western Han Dynasty in China, where the writer Sima Xiangru notes that the panda was the most treasured animal in the emperor's garden of exotic animals in Xi'an. Not until the 1950s were pandas again recorded to have been exhibited in China's zoos.
A 2006 New York Times article outlined the economics of keeping pandas, which costs five times more than that of the next most expensive animal, an elephant. American zoos generally pay the Chinese government $1 million a year in fees, as part of a typical ten-year contract. San Diego's contract with China was to expire in 2008 but got a five-year extension at about half of the previous yearly cost. The last contract, with the Memphis Zoo in Memphis, Tennessee, ends in 2013.
Many zoos and breeding centers in China house giant pandas. These include:
- Beijing Zoo, home of the internationally notorious Gu Gu.
- Bifengxia Panda Base, Ya'an, Sichuan – home to U.S. born giant pandas Mei Sheng(M) and Hua Mei (F), and soon to be home for Tai Shan (M).
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Chengdu, Sichuan – Twelve cubs were born here in 2006.. It is home to a number of other captive Giant Pandas, including the Japanese-born Xiong Bang (M). It will be home for the U.S.-born Mei Lan (F).
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Sichuan – Seventeen cubs were born here in 2006.
- Ocean Park, Hong Kong – home to Jia Jia (F) and An An (M) since 1999. Two new pandas, Le Le (M) and Ying Ying (F), were added to Ocean Park on April 26, 2007.
- Other places in Asia

Is é an Panda Giant (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, a chiallaíonn go litriúil "cat-foot dubh-agus-geal") a bear dúchasach go lár-iarthair agus i ndeisceart an tSín. Is furasta é a aithint trína spotaí móra, sainiúla dubh timpeall na súl, os cionn na gcluasa, agus ar fud a chorp cruinn. Cé go mbaineann sé leis an ord Carnivora, tá bia an Panda Giant 99% bambú. I measc na gcodanna eile dá réim bia tá mil, uibheacha, iasc, yams, duilleoga crann, oráiste, agus bananaí nuair a bhíonn siad ar fáil.
Tá an Panda Giant ina chónaí i roinnt slabhraí sléibhe i lár na Síne, go príomha i gcathair Sichuan, ach freisin i gcathair Shaanxi agus Gansu. Mar gheall ar fheirmeoireacht, dífhoraoisiú, agus forbairt eile, tá an Panda Giant dífhostaithe as na ceantair ísealleathanna ina raibh cónaí air uair amháin.
Is speiceas atá i mbaol a bhfuil spleáchas ar chaomhnú air. Léiríonn tuarascáil 2007 go bhfuil 239 Panda Giant ina gcónaí i ngéibheann laistigh den tSín agus 27 eile lasmuigh den tír. Tá meastacháin ar líon na ndaoine fiáine éagsúil; léiríonn meastachán amháin go bhfuil thart ar 1,590 duine ina gcónaí san fhiáine, agus meastar i staidéar 2006 trí anailís DNA go bhféadfadh an figiúr seo a bheith chomh hard le 2,000 go 3,000. Léiríonn roinnt tuairiscí freisin go bhfuil líon na Pandaí Móra i bhfásach ag méadú. Mar sin féin, ní chreideann an IUCN go bhfuil cinnteacht go leor ann fós chun an speiceas a ath-aicmiú ó Threataithe go Vulnerable.
Cé gur bhain an drámach úsáid as siombail náisiúnta na Síne ó shin, le blianta beaga anuas, tá an Panda Giant mar siombail don tír freisin. Tá a íomhá ar líon mór de mhiníní comórtha nua-aimseartha na Síne óir, airgid agus platanam. Cé go meastar go minic go bhfuil an Panda Giant docile, tá a fhios go ndéanann sé ionsaí ar dhaoine, is dócha as a bheith irritated seachas predation.
Tá cóta dubh-agus-béar ag an Panda Giant. Tá na daoine fásta thart ar 1.5 méadar (4.9 ft) ar fhad agus thart ar 75 ceintiméadar (2.5 ft) ar airde ag an ghualainn. Tá na fir 1020% níos mó ná na mná. D'fhéadfadh fir suas le 150 cileagram a mheá. De ghnáth tá mná níos lú ná fir, agus is féidir leo suas le 125 kg a mheá uaireanta. Tá an Panda Giant ina chónaí i réigiúin bheannta, mar shampla Sichuan, Gansu agus Shaanxi.
Tá cruth comhlacht an Panda Giant tipiciúil ar bhéar. Tá gruaig dhian ar a chluasa, ar a chuid súl, ar a shrón, ar a chosa, ar a lámha agus ar a ghualainn. Tá an chuid eile den chúntas ainmhí bán. Cé nach bhfuil a fhios ag eolaithe cén fáth go bhfuil na béar neamhghnácha seo dubh agus bán, meastar go dtugann an dath láidir cumais éifeachtach dá timpeallacht sneachta agus carraig a bhfuil scáthanna ann. Coinníonn an panda ollmhór a chún cóta tiubh, uachtar te i bhforaoisí fionnuar a áit chónaithe. Tá fiacla móra móra ag an Panda Giant agus matáin mhála láidir chun bambú crua a phrósadh.
Tá "domhnach" agus cúig mhéar ag an mbánta Giant Panda; is cnámh sesamoid modhnaithe é an "domhnach" i ndáiríre, a chabhraíonn leis an Panda Giant bambú a shealbhú agus é ag ithe. D'úsáid Stephen Jay Gould an sampla seo ina leabhar de aisteanna a bhaineann le héabhlóid agus bitheolaíocht, The Panda's Thumb.
Is féidir leis an Panda Giant maireachtáil go 25-30 bliain d'aois i ngéibheann.
Sa fhiáin, is ainmhí talún é an Panda Giant agus caitheann sé a shaol ag siúl agus ag ithe go príomha i bhforaoisí bambú na Sléibhte Qinling agus i gCúige Sichuan cnocach. Cé go bhfuil gach duine fásta ina n-aonar de ghnáth, tá críoch sainithe aige agus ní bhíonn mná inbhuanaithe i leith mná eile ina raon. Cumarsáideann pandaí trí ghuth agus marcáil boladh mar crainn a cló nó miotal a spraeáil. Is féidir leis an Panda Giant dul suas agus tearmann a fháil i gcrann lom nó i gcroí carraige ach ní bhunaíonn sé dúnanna buan. Ar an gcúis seo, ní hibernachann pandas, rud atá cosúil le mamaigh fho-thrópaiceacha eile, agus bogfaidh siad ina ionad sin go dtí airde le teochtaí níos teo. Tá pandaí ag brath go príomha ar chuimhne spásúil seachas ar chuimhne amhairc.
Tarlaíonn bualadh sóisialta go príomha le linn na séasúr breithe gearr ina ndéanann pandaí atá in aice lena chéile a bhailiú. Tar éis a chéile, fágann an fear an baineann ina n-aonar chun an cailín a ardú.
In ainneoin a aicmiú tacsainómach mar carníbhir, tá aiste bia ag an Panda Giant atá go príomha féithíoch, atá comhdhéanta beagnach go heisiach de bambú. Mar sin féin, tá córas díleá carnivore ag an Panda Giant fós, chomh maith le géiní sonracha carnivore, agus dá bhrí sin faigheann sé beagán fuinnimh agus beagán próitéine ó ithe bambú. Tá a chumas cellulose a díleá á chur i leith na micreabí ina intestines. Bíonn an panda ollmhór ag ithe 9 go 14 kg (20 go 30 punt) de shoots bambú in aghaidh an lae. Toisc go n-itheann an Panda Giant aiste bia íseal-chothaithe, tá sé tábhachtach dó a thrácht díleá a choinneáil lán. Tá tionchar ag an gcothabháil fuinnimh teoranta a fhorchuirtear air ag a réim bia ar iompar an panda. Tá claonadh ag an Panda Giant a idirghníomhaíochtaí sóisialta a theorannú agus seachnaíonn sé tírdhreach go géar-sléibhe chun a chaiteachas fuinnimh a theorannú.
Dhá cheann de na gnéithe is sainiúla atá ag an panda, a mhéid mór agus a aghaidh cruinn, oiriúnaithe lena réim bia bambú. Dúirt taighdeoir panda Russell Ciochon: [Is cosúil go mór] leis an ghorilla glasraí, is é an limistéar beag dromchla an choirp i gcomparáid le toirte an choirp [an panda ollmhór] léargas ar ráta meitibileach níos ísle. Ligeann an ráta meitibileach níos ísle seo agus stíl mhaireachtála níos suíche le panda ollmhór maireachtáil ar acmhainní bochta cothaithigh mar bambú. Ar an gcaoi chéanna, is é an aghaidh cruinn an panda ollmhór toradh na matáin mhála cumhachtach, a cheanglaíonn ó bharr na cinn go dtí an mhála. Cruachann agus miondealaíonn molars móra ábhar plandaí snáithín.
Tá cúig speiceas agus fiche bambú ag pandas san fhiáin, mar shampla Fargesia dracocephala agus Fargesia rufa. Níl ach cúpla speiceas bambú forleathan sna háiteanna ardleibhéil ina bhfuil pandaí anois. Tá na leibhéil próitéine is airde i duilleoga bambú; tá níos lú ag na stiallacha.
Toisc go bhfuil bláthú, bás agus athghiniúint gach bambú laistigh de speiceas comhthreomhar, ní mór go mbeadh dhá speiceas éagsúla ar a laghad ar fáil ag an Panda Giant ina raon chun ocras a sheachaint. Cé go bhfuil an panda ollmhór go príomha féithíoch, coinníonn sé fiacla ursine go cinnte, agus itheann sé feoil, iasc agus uibheacha nuair a bhíonn siad ar fáil. I ngábhas, coinníonn seoltaí ainmhithe de ghnáth aiste bia bambú an Panda Giant, cé go soláthróidh cuid acu biscuití foirmlithe go speisialta nó forlíontaí aiste bia eile.
Ar feadh go leor blianta bhí díospóireacht ar rangú tacsainómach beacht an Panda Giant toisc go bhfuil tréithe ag an mbeirt acu ar bhéar agus ar racaon. Mar sin féin, léiríonn staidéir mhóilíneacha gur fíor-bhéar é an Panda Giant agus go bhfuil sé mar chuid den teaghlach Ursidae, cé gur difríodh go luath sa stair é ón bpríomhstoc ursine. Is é an Bear Spectacled de Mheiriceá Theas an gaol ursine is gaire don Panda Giant. Tagraítear don Panda Giant mar fhosil bheo.
In ainneoin an ainm, an cineál áit chónaithe, agus an aiste bia a chomhroinntear, chomh maith le cnámh uathúil méadaithe ar a dtugtar an pseudo thumb (a chabhraíonn leo greim a fháil ar na bríomhanna bambú a itheann siad), níl an Panda Giant agus an Panda Dearg ach gaolmhar ar shiúl. Chuir staidéir mhóilíneacha an Panda Dearg ina theaghlach féin Ailuridae, agus ní faoi Ursidae.
Aithníodh dhá fho-ghné de Panda Giant ar bhonn tomhais cranial ar leith, patrúin dathanna, agus géineolaíocht daonra (Wan et al., 2005).
- Is é an fho-chineál ainmnithe Ailuropoda melanoleuca melanoleuca an chuid is mó de phobail atá ann faoi láthair de pandaí. Tá na hainmhithe seo le fáil go príomha i Sichuan agus taispeánann siad na dathanna comhréireacha dubh agus bán tipiciúla.
- Tá an Panda Qinling, Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis teoranta do Sléibhte Qinling i Shaanxi ag airde 13003000 m. Cuirtear patrún dorcha donn in ionad patrún dubh agus bán tipiciúil Pandas Giant Sichuan le patrún donn solais. Tá crápa A. m. qinlingensis níos lú ná a ghaolta, agus tá molars níos mó aige.
Úsáid agus idirghníomhaíocht daonna
San am atá caite, meastar go raibh pandaí ina gcrutháin neamhchoitianta agus uasal  adhlacadh máthair an Impire Wen de Han le crann panda ina seolta. Deirtear gur thug an buachaill de Impire Taizong de Tang dhá panda agus leathán de chraiceann panda don tSeapáin mar chomhartha dea-thoil. Murab ionann agus go leor ainmhithe eile san Ailtín, ní raibh sé de mheon ann go raibh úsáidí leighis ag pandaí. I measc na n-úsáideanna beag ar a dtugtar tá úsáid na ndaoine treibhe Sichuan ar bhéal panda chun snáthaigh a shléitear go neamhchinnte, agus úsáid peileanna panda chun rialuithe míosta a rialú mar a thuairiscítear i encyclopedia Qin Dynasty Erya.
Léirítear gur panda ollmhór é an créatúr ar a dtugtar mo () a luaitear i roinnt leabhar ársa. Deir an foclóir Shuowen Jiezi (Dínastóireacht Han an Oirthir) go bhfuil an mo, ó Shu (Sichuan), cosúil le béar, ach buí-agus-dubh, cé go ndéanann an Erya níos sine cur síos ar mo ach mar "leopard bán". Tá léirmhíniú an créatúir ferocious legendary pixiu () mar a bhaineann leis an panda ollmhór coitianta freisin.
Léirítear an dorchadas coibhéiseach a bhí ag an panda ollmhór i rith an chuid is mó de stair na Síne leis an bhfíric, in ainneoin go raibh roinnt léaráidí ar bhéar i ealaín na Síne ag tosú óna laethanta is ársa, agus gur ceann de na hábhair is fearr le péinteoirí na Síne é an bambú, níl aon léiriú ealaíne ar pandas ollmhór roimh an 20ú haois ar eolas.
Ba é an misinéir Fraincis, Armand David, a thug an leathar ó dhiagnóir ar an 11 Márta, 1869, a thug aithne ar an Panda Giant don Iarthar den chéad uair i 1869. Is é an chéad Iarthar a bhfuil a fhios aige gur chonaic sé Panda Giant beo ná an seolaí Gearmánach Hugo Weigold, a cheannaigh buachaill i 1916. Ba iad Kermit agus Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., na chéad eachtrannaigh a lámhaigh panda, ar thuras a mhaoinigh an Field Museum of Natural History sna 1920idí. Sa bhliain 1936, ba é Ruth Harkness an chéad Thiar a thug Panda Giant beo ar ais, buachaill darbh ainm Su-Lin a chuaigh chun cónaí ag Seomra Seolta Brookfield i Chicago. Sa bhliain 1938, seoladh cúig Panda Giant go Londain; chuir na gníomhaíochtaí seo stad orthu níos déanaí mar gheall ar chogaí agus don leathchéad bliain ina dhiaidh sin, ní raibh mórán eolais ag an Iarthar ar pandaí.
Bhí iasachtaí Pandas Giant do ghairdín ainmhithe Mheiriceá agus na Seapáine mar chuid thábhachtach de dhaonlathas Phoblacht na Síne sna 1970idí, mar a bhí sé ar cheann de na chéad mhalartuithe cultúrtha idir Phoblacht na Síne agus an Iarthar. Tugtar "Diplomacy Panda" ar an gcleachtas seo.
Faoi 1984, áfach, níor úsáideadh pandaí mar ghníomhairí taidhleoireachta a thuilleadh. Ina áit sin, thosaigh an tSín ag tairiscint pandas do náisiúin eile ach ar iasachtaí 10 mbliana. I measc na gcoinníollacha iasachta caighdeánacha tá táille suas le US $ 1,000,000 in aghaidh na bliana agus foráil go bhfuil aon luibheanna a rugadh le linn an iasachta ar mhaoin Phoblacht na nDaoine na Síne. Ó 1998, mar gheall ar chás WWF, ní cheadaíonn Seirbhís Iascaigh agus Fiadhúlra na Stát Aontaithe le seó sna Stáit Aontaithe panda a allmhairiú ach amháin má fhéadann an seó a chinntiú go gcuirfidh an tSín níos mó ná leath dá táille iasachta i ngníomhaíochtaí caomhnaithe don Panda Giant agus a ghnáthshaol.
I mí na Bealtaine 2005, thairg an tSín péire breeding do Taiwan. Tháinig an cheist i dteagmháil le caidreamh tras-Strait - an dá cheann ar an siombalachas bunúsach, agus ar shaincheisteanna teicniúla mar an gcaithfí an t-aistriú a mheas mar "intleánach" nó "idirnáisiúnta", nó an mbeadh aon chuspóir caomhnaithe fíor ag an malartú. Dhiúltaigh Uachtarán Chen de Taiwan d'ofríocht na Síne ar dtús. Mar sin féin nuair a d'athraigh an uachtaránacht lámha, glacadh le tairiscint na Síne ag tús uachtaránacht Ma Ying-jeou i 2008, agus tháinig na pandaí féin i mí na Nollag den bhliain sin. Reáchtáladh comórtas chun na pandas a ainmniú sa tSín, agus mar thoradh air sin tháinig na hainmneacha polaitiúla "Tuan Tuan" agus "Yuan Yuan" (ó tuanyuan, rud a chiallaíonn "athcheangal", i.e. "ath-aontú").
Tá an Panda Giant ina sprioc le haghaidh poaching ag muintir na háite ó am ársa, agus ag eachtrannaigh ó tugadh isteach é san Iarthar. Ag tosú sna 1930idí, ní raibh eachtrannaigh in ann pandaí ollmhóra a dhíol sa tSín mar gheall ar an Dara Cogadh Síneach-Seapánach agus an Cogadh Cathartha na Síne, ach d'fhan pandaí mar fhoinse feirme bog do na háitritheoirí áitiúla. Chuir an borradh daonra sa tSín tar éis 1949 strus ar chónaí na pandas, agus mar thoradh ar na haigneacha ina dhiaidh sin tháinig méadú ar fhiadhóireacht fiadhúlra, lena n-áirítear pandas. Le linn an Réabhlóid Chultúrtha, cuireadh deireadh leis na staidéir agus na gníomhaíochtaí caomhnaithe ar na pandas. Tar éis athchóiriú eacnamaíoch na Síne, mar thoradh ar éileamh ar chraiceann panda ó Hong Cong agus ón tSeapáin, rinneadh poillíocht neamhdhleathach don mhargadh dubh, gníomhartha a ndearna na hoifigigh áitiúla neamhaird orthu ag an am.
Cé gur bhunaigh rialtas na Síne Cúlchiste Náisiúnta Wolong i 1958 chun an daonra panda atá ag titim a shábháil, níor rinneadh mórán dul chun cinn i gcosanta pandaí, mar gheall ar easpa taithí agus eolas neamhleor ar éiceolaíocht. Chreid go leor gurbh é an bealach is fearr chun na pandaí a shábháil iad a chur i gcathair. Mar thoradh air sin, cuireadh pandaí i gcage ar aon chomhartha de laghdú, agus d'fhulaing siad ó choinníollacha uafásacha. Mar gheall ar thruailliú agus ar scrios a gnátháit nádúrtha, mar aon le scaradh mar gheall ar cageáil, bhí an t-athrú pandaí fiáine teoranta go mór. Sna 1990idí, áfach, chabhraigh roinnt dlíthe (lena n-áirítear rialú gunna agus daoine cónaitheacha a bhaint as na cúlchistí) le seansanna maireachtála do pandaí. Leis na hiarrachtaí athnuaite seo agus modhanna caomhnaithe feabhsaithe, tá méadú tagtha ar líon na bpandaí fiáine i roinnt ceantair, cé go bhfuil siad fós aicmithe mar speiceas annamh.
I 2006, thuairiscigh eolaithe go bhféadfadh go raibh an líon pandaí a bhí ina gcónaí sa fhiáin á mheas faoi bhun ag thart ar 1,000. Bhí modhanna traidisiúnta á n-úsáid ag suirbhéanna daonra roimhe seo chun méid daonra panda fiáine a mheas, ach ag baint úsáide as modh nua a dhéanann anailís ar DNA ó dhroim panda, creideann eolaithe go bhféadfadh an daonra panda fiáine a bheith chomh mór le 3,000. Cé go bhfuil an speiceas i mbaol fós, meastar go bhfuil na hiarrachtaí chun é a chaomhnú ag obair. Faoi 2006, bhí 40 cúlchiste panda sa tSín, i gcomparáid le 13 cúlchiste dhá scór bliain ó shin.
Tá an Panda Giant i measc na n-ainmhithe neamhchoitianta is mó a adhradh agus a chosaint ar domhan, agus tá sé ar cheann de na cúpla duine ar domhan a raibh a stádas cónaitheora nádúrtha in ann ainmniúchán Saoráid Oidhreachta Domhanda UNESCO a fháil. Cuireadh Na hIonadchomhnaithe Panda Giant Sichuan, atá suite i gcathair dheas-thiarthar Sichuan agus a chlúdaíonn seacht gcúlchiste nádúrtha, ar Liosta Oidhreachta Domhanda i 2009.
Ní aontaíonn gach coimirceoir go bhfuil an t-airgead a chaitear ar chaomhnú pandaí ina airgead a chaitear go maith. Dúirt Chris Packham go bhfuil sé "neamhbhéasach" pandaí a chothú i ngábháil toisc "nach bhfuil go leor gnáthóg fágtha chun iad a chothú". Deir Packham go mbeadh an t-airgead a chaitear ar pandaí caite níos fearr in áit eile, agus dúirt sé go "ithfeadh sé an panda deireanach dá bhféadfainn an t-airgead go léir a chaitear ar chaomhnú panda a chur ar ais ar an mbord dom rudaí níos ciallúla a dhéanamh leis", cé gur iarr sé leithscéal as daoine a bhfuil grá acu do pandaí a chur ar a gcroí. Tugann sé le fios go bhfuil "an panda ar cheann de na dramhaíola is mó ar airgead caomhnaithe sa leathchéad bliain anuas".
Ar dtús ba é an príomh-mhodh chun pandaí ollmhóra a chothú i bpríosún ná trí insemination saorga, mar is cosúil go gcaillfeadh siad a n-ainneoin a gcuid spéise i gcáistiú nuair a gabhadh iad. Thug sé seo le roinnt eolaithe modhanna iomarcacha a thriail amhail físeáin a thaispeáint dóibh de Pandas ollmhór ag páirteach agus Viagra a thabhairt do na fir. Ní raibh ach le déanaí ag taighdeoirí a bheith ag éirí go rathúil le cláir chothú i ngábh, agus tá siad anois chinn go bhfuil Pandas Giant chothú inchomparáide le roinnt daonra de na Meiriceánach Black Bear, teaghlach bear rathúil. Meastar go bhfuil ráta atáirgthe reatha ag duine óg gach dhá bhliain.
Faigheann pandaí ollmhóra aibíocht ghnéasach idir aois ceithre agus ocht mbliana d'aois, agus d'fhéadfadh siad a bheith atáirgthe go dtí aois 20. Tá séasúr na páirte idir Márta agus Bealtaine, nuair a théann bean isteach ina timthriall estrous a mhaireann ar feadh dhá nó trí lá agus a tharlaíonn ach uair sa bhliain. Nuair a bhíonn sé ag páirteach, bíonn an baineann i seasamh crouching, ceann síos agus an fear ag marcaíocht uirthi ó chúl. Tá am cóipeála gearr, idir tríocha soicind agus cúig nóiméad, ach d'fhéadfadh an fear a bheith ag teacht suas léi arís agus arís eile chun a chinntiú go n-éiríonn le feithil. Tá an tréimhse toirchis idir 95 agus 160 lá. Ní mheáann na páistí ach 90 go 130 gram (3.2 go 4.6 ounce), rud atá thart ar 1/900 de mheáchan na máthar. De ghnáth, tugann an baineann breith do leanbh amháin nó dhó. Ós rud é go bhfuil na hógáin an-bheag agus gan chúnamh, ní mór aird iomlán a thabhairt don mháthair orthu, mar sin ní féidir léi ach ceann amháin dá ghogáin a chúram [dubious ]. De ghnáth, is é a cuid cailín a fhágann ar an taobh, agus básann sí go luath tar éis a breithe. Ag an am seo, níl a fhios ag eolaithe conas a roghnaíonn an baineann an leanbh a ardú, agus is ábhar taighde leanúnach é seo. Níl aon ról ag an athair sa chabhair chun an liathróid a ardú.
Nuair a rugadh an buachaill den chéad uair, tá sé bándearg, gan gruaig, agus dall. Tá an-bheagán Panda Giant freisin, agus tá sé deacair ar an máthair é a chosaint mar gheall ar mhéid an linbh. Bíonn sé ag cothú ó chíche a mháthar 6 go 14 uair sa lá ar feadh suas le 30 nóiméad ag an am. Ar feadh trí nó ceithre uair an chloig, d'fhéadfadh an mháthair an t-eagla a fhágáil chun bia a fháil, rud a fhágann an buachaill gan chosaint. Seachtain nó dhó tar éis a bhreith, bíonn craiceann an chiúin ag dul go liath, ach sa deireadh bíonn a chuid gruaige dubh. D'fhéadfadh dath rósaigh a bheith ar chraiceann an chuile, mar thoradh ar imoibriú ceimiceach idir an chraiceann agus saill a mháthar. Mí tar éis a bhreith, tá patrún datha gruaige an chiúin go hiomlán forbartha. Tá gruaig an-éadrom ag an mbóg agus bíonn sé ag dul i ngrá leis an aois. Tosaíonn an buachaill ag crawling ag 75 go 90 lá; imríonn máithreacha lena gcuid buachaillí trí rollaíocht agus troid leo. Tá na páistí in ann cainníochtaí beaga bambú a ithe tar éis sé mhí, cé go bhfanann bainne na máthar mar phríomhfhoinse bia don chuid is mó den chéad bhliain. Meáchan na páistí Panda Giant 45 kg (99.2 punt) ag bliain amháin, agus maireann siad lena máithreacha go dtí go bhfuil siad 18 mí go dhá bhliain d'aois. Is é an t-eachtra idir na breitheanna san fhiáin de ghnáth dhá bhliain.
I mí Iúil 2009, dhearbhaigh eolaithe na Síne go raibh an chéad leanbh a rugadh go rathúil trí insamhlánú saorga trí sperm reoite a úsáid. Rugadh an t-óg ag 07:41 ar 23 Iúil na bliana sin i Sichuan mar an tríú leanbh de You You, 11 bliana d'aois. Forbraíodh an teicníc chun an sperm a reo i nítrigin leachtacha den chéad uair i 1980 agus tugadh moladh don chéad bhreith mar réiteach ar an bhfadhb maidir le fáilte a chur ar fáil sperm Panda Giant a bhí mar thoradh ar inbreeding. Tagraíodh go bhféadfaí an séipéal panda, ar féidir é a reo le blianta fada, a roinnt idir zó éagsúla chun an speiceas a shábháil. Táthar ag súil go mbeidh sé ar chumas seó i gceann scríbe mar San Diego sna Stáit Aontaithe agus i gCathair Mheicsiceo a gcuid síolta féin a sholáthar anois chun níos mó Pandas Giant a insamhlú.
Níl aon fhoinse chinnte ann maidir le bunús an ainm "panda" Anglicized. Is é an t-iarrthóir is gaire a glacadh mar fhoinse ná an focal Nepali ponya, agus is féidir go bhfuil sé ag tagairt do chnámh an láimhe oiriúnaithe. Ba é an domhan Thiar an t-ainm seo a thugtar ar an Panda Dearg ar dtús. Go dtí 1901, nuair a luaitear go mícheart go raibh baint aige leis an Panda Dearg, bhí an Panda Giant ar a dtugtar "mottled bear" (Ailuropus melanoleucus) nó "particolored bear".
I bhformhór na bhfoinsí encyclopedic, ba é an t-ainm "panda" nó "panda coiteann" a bhí i gceist leis an Panda Dearg nach raibh chomh mór sin, agus mar sin bhí gá le réamhchomharthaí "giant" agus "less/red" a chur os comhair na n-ainmneacha. Fiú anois, úsáideann Encyclopaedia Britannica "panda ollmhór" nó "panda bear" don bhéar agus "panda" go simplí don Ailuridae, in ainneoin úsáid coitianta an fhocail "panda" inniu.
Ón gclúdach is luaithe de scríbhinní na Síne, thug an teanga Síne 20 ainm éagsúil don bhéar, mar shampla 花熊 (hua xiong) "bhéar spoite" agus 竹熊 (zhu xiong) "bhéar bambú". Is iad na hainmneacha is coitianta sa tSín inniu 大熊貓 (dà xióng māo), go litriúil "cat mór béar", nó díreach 熊貓 (xióng māo), "cat béar". D'fhéadfadh go raibh an t-ainm spreagtha ag súile an Panda Giant a bhfuil daltaí acu atá cosúil le cat slits ingearach murab ionann agus speicis eile béar le daltaí babhta.
I Taiwan, is é an t-ainm tóir ar panda an 貓熊 (māo xióng) "bear cat" a thiontú, cé go n-úsáideann go leor encyclopedia agus foclóirí i Taiwan "bear cat" fós mar an t-ainm ceart. Deir roinnt teangacha gur "bear" an t-ainm bunús sa chumadh seo in ionad "cat", rud a fhágann go bhfuil an t-ainm seo níos grammatically agus logically ceart, rud a d'fhéadfadh a bheith mar thoradh ar an rogha tóir in ainneoin scríbhinní oifigiúla.
Pandaí i zún
Bhí pandaí á gcoimeád i zóanna chomh luath le Ríshliocht Han an Iarthair sa tSín, áit a ndeir an scríbhneoir Sima Xiangru gurb é an panda an t-ainmhí is luachmhara i ngairdín na n-ainmhithe coimhthíocha an impire i Xi'an. Ní raibh pandas ar taispeáint i zúnanna na Síne go dtí na 1950idí.
Léirigh alt 2006 de The New York Times an t-airgeadas a bhaineann le pandaí a choinneáil, a chosnaíonn cúig huaire níos mó ná an t-ainmhí is daor eile, an t-eilifint. De ghnáth íocann seoltaí seolta Mheiriceá $ 1 milliún in aghaidh na bliana do rialtas na Síne mar phíosaí, mar chuid de chonradh tipiciúil deich mbliana. Bhí conradh San Diego leis an tSín le dul in éag i 2008 ach fuair sí síneadh cúig bliana ag thart ar leath an chostais bhliantúil roimhe sin. Críochnaíonn an conradh deireanach, le Seomra Ealaíne Memphis i Memphis, Tennessee, in 2013.
Tá pandaí ollmhóra i go leor zú agus ionaid chothúcháin sa tSín. I measc na n-ábhar sin tá:
- Beijing Zoo, baile an Gu Gu mór-cháil idirnáisiúnta.
- Bonn Panda Bifengxia, Ya'an, Sichuan  baile do pandaí ollmhóra a rugadh sna Stáit Aontaithe Mei Sheng (M) agus Hua Mei (F), agus go luath beidh sé ina bhaile do Tai Shan (M).
- Bunús Taighde Chengdu d'Achtú Panda Giant, Chengdu, Sichuan  Rugadh dhá mhalán déag anseo i 2006.. Tá roinnt Pandas Giant eile gaolta ann, lena n-áirítear an Xiong Bang (M) a rugadh sa tSeapáin. Beidh sé ina bhaile don Mei Lan (F) a rugadh sna Stáit Aontaithe.
- Ionad Coimirce agus Taighde na Síne don Panda Giant ag Cúlchiste Náisiúnta Náisiúnta Wolong, Sichuan  Rugadh seacht déagán anseo in 2006.
- Ocean Park, Hong Kong  baile do Jia Jia (F) agus An An (M) ó 1999. Cuireadh dhá panda nua, Le Le (M) agus Ying Ying (F), leis an bPáirc Aigéin ar an 26 Aibreán, 2007.
- Áiteanna eile san Áise


Why do you have painted pictures of the saints on the walls of the church? Isn't that idolatry?
The painted pictures in the church are called icons, a Greek word meaning image. Icons represent Jesus, various saints, or scenes from scripture.
History indicates that they were part of early Christian practice dating back to the first century. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, "The idea that the Church of the first centuries was in any way prejudiced against pictures and statues is the most impossible fiction."
Icons were primarily used for two purposes: to teach and to honor. St. Gregory, the Dialogist, (Pope of Rome ca. 590-604, during the time of the unified Church) spoke of icons as being scripture to the illiterate.
He wrote, "For what writing presents to readers, this picture presents to the unlearned who behold, since in it even the ignorant see what they ought to follow; in it the illiterate read" (Epistle to Bishop Serenus of Marseilles, NPNF 2, Vol. XIII, p. 53).
Icons were quite ornate and intricate, drawing the viewer into contemplation and reflection. In fact, each of the colors used in icons are representative of different Biblical themes (i.e. heaven, glory, etc). The early Christians, who lived amidst pagan practices, were cautious not to allow such customs into Christian devotion.
The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that early Christians' "monotheism, their insistence on the fact that they serve only one almighty unseen God, their horror of the idolatry of their neighbors, the torture and death that their martyrs suffered rather than lay a grain of incense before the statue of the emperor's numen are enough to convince us that they were not setting up rows of idols of their own.
On the other hand, the place of honor they give to their symbols and pictures, the care with which they decorate them argue that they treated representations of their most sacred beliefs with at least decent reverence."
The honor and instruction of these images later gave rise to devotional practices, especially among cultures in the East. The images were venerated, paid respect, with a kiss or bowing. These practices, among others, led some Western Christians to interpret such actions as worshipping of carved images. The issue was discussed in the final Ecumenical Council who held that the practice of veneration was different than that of worship.
One analogy that may help in the understanding of veneration by our Eastern brothers and sisters is that of our saluting a flag. They venerate or hold in esteem what is represented by the icon, just as we hold in esteem what the American flag represents.
It is not about the wood and paint any more than it would be about the cloth and dye in a flag. Rather, it is the recognition and acknowledgment of what is represented. In Anglicanism, the custom has been maintained as a devotional practice from the earliest days of the Christian faith. Some find icons helpful as a part of their devotion.
As St. John of Damascus wrote, "we are led by perceptible Icons to the contemplation of the divine and spiritual" (PG 94:1261a). The use of icons in the Church serve to encourage us to live in holiness and faithfulness as the saints who have gone before us.
Robin Cormack, Byzantine Art (Oxford History of Art).
Jim Forest, Praying with Icons
"Veneration of Images." The Catholic Encyclopedia.
"Icon." Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed. (Oxford UP, 1997), p. 815.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/nicea2.html (on the Seventh Ecumenical Council)

Cén fáth a bhfuil pictiúir na naoimh péinteáilte agat ar bhallaí na heaglaise? Nach í an íodálaíocht sin?
Tugtar íocáin, focal Gréagach a chiallaíonn íomhá, ar na pictiúir péinteáilte san eaglais. Léiríonn íomhánna Íosa, naoimh éagsúla, nó radharcanna ó scrioptúr.
Léiríonn an stair go raibh siad mar chuid de chleachtas na Críostaithe luatha a bhí ag teacht siar go dtí an chéad chéid. De réir The Catholic Encyclopedia, "Is é an smaoineamh go raibh claontacht ar bith ag an Eaglais sna chéad céadta bliain i gcoinne pictiúir agus deilbh an ficsean is dodhéanta".
Baineadh úsáid as íomhánna go príomha chun dhá chuspóir: chun teagasc a thabhairt agus chun onóir a thabhairt. Naomh Gregory, an Dialógóir, (Pápa na Róimhe ca. 590-604, le linn na hIgliceach aontaithe) labhair sé faoi íomhánna mar scripture do na daoine gan litearthacht.
Scríobh sé, "Mar a chuireann an scríbhneoireacht i láthair na léitheoirí, tugann an pictiúr seo don neamhfhoghlaimí a fheiceann, ós rud é go bhfeiceann fiú na daoine aineolacha an rud ba chóir dóibh a leanúint; léann na daoine gan léitheoireacht ann" (Epistle to Bishop Serenus of Marseilles, NPNF 2, Vol. XIII, lch 53).
Bhí na híomhánna go leor ornáide agus casta, ag tarraingt an lucht féachana isteach i machnamh agus machnamh. Go deimhin, tá gach ceann de na dathanna a úsáidtear in íomhaigh ionadaíoch do théamaí éagsúla Bíobla (i.e. neamh, glóir, etc). Bhí na chéad Chríostaithe, a bhí ina gcónaí i measc cleachtais phéagain, cúramach gan ligean do na cleachtais sin dul isteach sa dílseacht Críostaí.
Tugann an t-Encyclopedia Catholicaí faoi deara go raibh "aon-theitheachas na gCríostaithe luatha, a n-insistíocht ar an bhfíric go raibh siad ag freastal ar Dhia uilechumhachtach amháin nach bhfeictear, a n-inbhualadh ar ídholachas a gcomharsana, an tortúr agus an bás a d'fhulaing a mairtirí seachas grán incense a chur os comhair dealbh numen an impire, go leor chun a chur ina luí orainn nach raibh siad ag cur sraitheanna ídholacha acu féin ar bun.
Ar an láimh eile, an áit onóra a thugann siad dá siombailí agus dá phictiúir, an cúram a thugann siad dóibh a mhaisiú go ndearna siad ionadaíocht ar a gcreideamh is naofa le reverence measartha ar a laghad".
Thug an onóir agus an t-eolas a thugtar do na hiontaois seo tús le cleachtais devotional níos déanaí, go háirithe i measc cultúir san Oirthir. Bhí meas, meas, á tabhairt ar na híomhánna le póg nó le bowing. Thug na cleachtais seo, i measc cleachtais eile, le cuid de na Críostaithe san Iarthar gníomhartha den sórt sin a léiriú mar adhradh do íomhánna deartha. Pléadh an cheist sa Chomhairle Eacnamaíoch deiridh a choinnigh go raibh an cleachtas urraim difriúil ó chleachtas an adhradh.
Is é an t-amhrán a thugann ár gcairde san Oirthear dúinn a thuiscint ná an salúnta a dhéanaimid ar an bhratach. Tá siad ag tabhairt urraim nó ag cur meas ar an méid a léiríonn an íocán, díreach mar a léiríonn muid meas ar an méid a léiríonn bratach Mheiriceá.
Ní bhaineann sé leis an adhmad agus an péint níos mó ná mar a bheadh sé leis an éadach agus an dath i mbratach. Is é an rud is tábhachtaí ná go n-aithnítear agus go n-aithnítear an rud a léirítear. Sa t-Aingilís, coinníodh an nós mar chleachtas díograiseach ó laethanta is luaithe an chreidimh Chríostaí. Faigheann cuid acu go bhfuil íomhánna cabhrach mar chuid dá bhróga.
Mar a scríobh Naomh Eoin de Damascus, "tá Iacóin inláimhsithe á dtreorú againn chun an diaga agus an spioradálta a mheas" (PG 94:1261a). Tá úsáid na n-icónna san Eaglais ag spreagadh dúinn maireachtáil i naofacht agus i nguthúnacht mar na naoimh a chuaigh roimh dúinn.
Robin Cormack, Ealaín Byzantine (Ealaín Stair Oxford).
Jim Forest, Ag guí le hIocáin
"Ríomhaith na nIomhánna". An t-Einscríbhinn Caitliceach.
"Icon". Fuaimín Oxford na hEaglaise Críostaí, 3ú heagrán. (Oxford UP, 1997), lch. 815.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/nicea2.html (ar an Seachtú Comhairle Eacnamaíoch)


Did you know that today is the first day of the rest of your life? Carpe Diem! As we wake to each new day opportunities, challenges, and wonders await. Our habit this week is Be Open to Continuous Learning. Teaching our children to live each day with this perspective makes them more resilient and open to the freshness of life. I think that this is an area that adults need to practice more than children. Children seem to be much more open to new ideas and learning than adults.
Knowledge is doubling every 18 months. It is essential that our children learn how to sift through the nonsense knowledge and seek what is true and valuable. Being open to ideas and new knowledge is what has made our country the leader in innovation and invention. Take the time to ask your child that age old dinner table question, “what did you learn in school today?”. Help them to realize that everyday is a unique opportunity to grow into a better version of ourselves. Here are a few ideas to stretch this habit:
- Heart – play with someone new.
- Mind – ask to learn a different way of doing something that you already know how to do.
- Body – practice juggling.
- Soul – ask you parents about why they chose their career.
“Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.” – John Dewey
“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.” – Louis L’Amour
“There is no finish line.” – Nike Corporation
Do you know the proverb, “Feed someone a fish and you feed them for a day, teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime”? The author may be unknown, but the message is clear. Learning is something we do, not something that happens to us. Whether children are learning to ride a bike or writing complex sentences, parents and teachers can’t do it for them. They need to do it on their own if they are to truly learn. Our habit of the week is an essential principle to great growing great kids. Consider all of the thinking involved when you allow your child to solve a problem on their own. You may have a good answer you would like to share, but allowing a child to question and problem solve on their own nurtures neurons and helps grow intelligence. Use the 80:20 question:answer rule. Ask questions 80% of the time and give answers 20%. I believe this is a healthy ratio for most children. As children develop confidence with their ability to resolve problems, more questions and fewer answers is appropriate. Avoid questions that provide a simple answer such as, “yes” or “no”. Use questions that lead to creativity and problem solving. Ask “how, why, what if, help me understand, have you considered ..” . Jonas Saulk once said, “the answer to any problem pre exists. We need to ask the right question to reveal the answer”.
The question a child typically asks first is drawn from his/her personal temperament. There is a desire to seek answers that satisfy our inner curiosity. For example, a child with a strong blue kite has a dominant interpersonal intelligence and will likely be drawn to the who question. A green kite thinks more intra-personally and asks why. The red thinker wants to know where and how because he/she is more hands-on and visually smart. The yellow kite considers logistics of a question and asks what and when. If we follow the natural questioning path that a child travels, we are likely to lead him/her straight to the correct answers.
Imagine the difference between giving your child a toy model car versus giving your child a toy model to build a car. Answering versus questioning has the same effect. When our children build a model they go through the process of discovery that is essential to deep understanding, innovation, and joy. If we are always providing the answers to questions, we get to show them how smart we are. Unfortunately, that does little for their own brain. Thinking power comes from asking questions and posing problems. In our brain we do the work to resolve those questions and problems and build neural pathways that become tools for the next time the question or problem arises.
“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.” – Albert Einstein
“Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” – Anthony Robbins
Many hands make light work, especially when you are in your 50’s. Words such as community, harmony, teamwork, family, and synergy express the outcomes of people working and living together cooperatively. It is nice to know that we live with others who are willing and able to help us be a better version of ourselves.
Thinking interdependently is one of the habits that uses many of the habits we have already practiced: flexibility, listening with understanding, thinking win-win, sacrifice, communicating with clarity, and so on. Thinking interdependently recognizes that our lives are happier and more successful when we work together.
Our effort between school and home to raise healthy and intelligent young people may be our most important interdependent relationship. When we share the same philosophy about educating children and teach meaningful habits, we more than double the influence on their minds.
It is clear to neuroscientist’s that the link between interdependence and learning is profound. When children believe that they are not alone and they have help from teachers and peers, the level of stress to learn diminishes dramatically. Knowing that we are never alone is a powerful defense against fear and boost for success.
- Heart – purposely help a friend struggling with a problem.
- Mind – read a story with someone and individually speak the parts of the characters.
- Body – work together to complete a set of chores instead of working alone.
- Soul – share how your personal smarts help others.
“Many hands make light work” – English poet John Heywood, 1546
“It is good to rub and polish our brain against that of others.” – Michael De Montaigne
Help Children Get Along
Parents’ Guide to Student Success (by grade level)
Using Positive Interdependence
Sacrifice: something given up or lost. Yet, when we sacrifice, we seem to gain something! The satisfaction and joy of watching our children become wonderful citizens and happy people is wonder and awe. It’s the common good that is the reward. Seeing others enjoy life more fully as a result of our sacrifice makes it all worth it. Giving up of our time, talents, and treasures is not something to be done in vain or for the sake of being nice. The ultimate goal is to gain something greater than that which was sacrificed. We don’t sacrifice for selfish reasons. It’s the greater good we can find satisfaction in. It’s our saying “no” to self that provides a bigger “yes” to others. When I give of my time to help one of my children I gain greater respect as a father and discover a deeper love between us.
Helping our kids to understand this deeper level of sacrifice can help them to do things, not because we said that they ought to, but because they will gain happiness in their relationships with others and greater success in their lives. Goodness should be the goal of sacrifice – not affliction. True sacrifice is never pointless. A sacrificial person should expect to gain in the end at the expense of self to the wealth of all.
Appropriately, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week and this Sunday is Mother’s Day–two of the most sacrificial people in our lives! I think it should be a week of celebration for both of these people!
“In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich.” – Henry Ward Beecher
Here are a few ways we can sacrifice and win:
- Heart – let someone go first.
- Mind – give up some play time to practice an academic skill.
- Body – help a family member with a chore that isn’t your own.
- Soul – consider how your personal talents make you special to our community.

An raibh a fhios agat go bhfuil an lá atá inniu ann an chéad lá den chuid eile de do shaol? Carpe Diem! De réir mar a dhúisímid le gach lá nua, tá deiseanna, dúshláin agus iontais ag fanacht linn. Is é ár ngnáthamh an tseachtain seo Bí Oscailte ar Fhoghlaim Leanúnach. Má múineann muid ár gcuid páistí chun maireachtáil gach lá leis an dearcadh seo déanann sé níos mó athléimneacha agus oscailte do úrnuacht na beatha. Sílim gur réimse é seo a bhfuil gá le daoine fásta cleachtadh a dhéanamh níos mó ná leanaí. Is cosúil go bhfuil leanaí i bhfad níos oscailte do smaointe nua agus do fhoghlaim ná daoine fásta.
Tá an t-eolas ag dúbailt gach 18 mí. Tá sé riachtanach go bhfoghlaimfeadh ár gcuid páistí conas an t-eolas gan chiall a scagadh agus an rud atá fíor agus luachmhar a lorg. Is é a bheith oscailte d'ailt agus d'eolas nua an rud a rinne ár dtír ina cheannaire i nuálaíocht agus i ndearadh. Tóg an t-am chun an cheist sean-aois a chur ar do pháiste ag an mbord dinnéir, "cad a d'fhoghlaim tú ar scoil inniu?" Cabhair leo a thuiscint go bhfuil gach lá ina deis uathúil chun fás isteach i leagan níos fearr de dúinn féin. Seo cúpla smaoineamh chun an cleachtadh seo a shíneadh:
- Heart  imirt le duine éigin nua.
- Mind  iarr ar bhealach difriúil a dhéanamh ar rud a bhfuil a fhios agat cheana féin conas é a dhéanamh a fhoghlaim.
- Body  cleachtadh juggling.
- Soul  a iarraidh ar do thuismitheoirí faoi cén fáth a roghnaigh siad a gcuid gairme.
Is é an sprioc amháin a bhaint amach an pointe tosaigh ar cheann eile.  John Dewey
Tiocfaidh am nuair a chreideann tú go bhfuil gach rud críochnaithe. Beidh sé sin a bheith ar an tús.   Louis LAmour
Níl aon líne chríochnaithe.  Nike Corporation
An bhfuil an seanfhocal ar eolas agat, "Bíodh iasc ag duine agus beidh bia aige ar feadh lá, múin dó conas iasc a ghabháil agus beidh bia aige ar feadh a shaoil"? B'fhéidir nach bhfuil an t-údar ar eolas, ach tá an teachtaireacht soiléir. Is rud é a fhoghlaim a dhéanaimid, ní rud a tharlaíonn dúinn. Cibé an bhfuil leanaí ag foghlaim rothaíocht a dhéanamh nó seantanna casta a scríobh, ní féidir le tuismitheoirí ná le múinteoirí é a dhéanamh dóibh. Ní mór dóibh é a dhéanamh ar a gcuid féin más mian leo foghlaim go fírinneach. Is é ár n-oideas na seachtaine prionsabal riachtanach chun leanaí móra móra a fhás. Smaoinigh ar na smaointeoireacht go léir a bhaineann le ligean do leanbh fadhb a réiteach ina n-aonar. B'fhéidir go bhfuil freagra maith agat ar mhaith leat a roinnt, ach má ligeann tú do leanbh ceisteanna a chur agus fadhbanna a réiteach ina n-aonar, cuireann sé sin cothaithe ar néaróin agus cabhraíonn sé le heolas a fhorbairt. Úsáid an riail 80:20 ceist:freagra. Ceisteanna a chur 80% den am agus freagraí a thabhairt 20%. Creidim gur cóimheas sláintiúil é seo do chuid is mó leanaí. De réir mar a fhásann muinín leanaí as a gcumas fadhbanna a réiteach, tá níos mó ceisteanna agus níos lú freagraí oiriúnach. Seachain ceisteanna a thugann freagra simplí mar, yes nó no. Úsáid ceisteanna a spreagann cruthaitheacht agus réiteach fadhbanna. Iarr ar conas, cén fáth, cad má, cabhrú liom a thuiscint, tá tú mheas ..  . Dúirt Jonas Saulk uair amháin, "Tá an freagra ar aon fhadhb ann cheana féin. Ní mór dúinn an cheist cheart a chur chun an freagra a nochtadh.
Is é an cheist a chuireann leanbh ar dtús ná a temperament pearsanta. Tá sé de dhíth orainn freagraí a fháil ar na ceisteanna a bhíonn againn. Mar shampla, tá cliste idirphearsanta den scoth ag leanbh a bhfuil dromchla gorm láidir aige agus is dócha go dtiocfaidh sé chuig an cheist cé. Smaoiníonn an dromchla glas níos mó go intrah-phearsanta agus iarrann sé cén fáth. Ba mhaith leis an smaointeoir dearg a fháil amach cá háit agus conas toisc go bhfuil sé/sí níos láidre agus níos cliste go amhairc. Measann an dromchla buí logistíocht ceist agus iarrann sé cad agus cathain. Má leanann muid an bealach ceisteála nádúrtha a thaistealaíonn leanbh, is dócha go dtógfaimid go díreach na freagraí cearta air/uirthi.
Smaoinigh ar an difríocht idir carr samhail bréagán a thabhairt do do leanbh i gcomparáid le samhail bréagán a thabhairt do do leanbh chun carr a thógáil. Tá an éifeacht chéanna ag freagairt i gcoinne ceistiú. Nuair a thógann ár gcuid páistí samhail, téann siad tríd an bpróiseas fionnachtana atá riachtanach chun tuiscint dhomhain, nuálaíocht, agus áthas a fháil. Má tá muid i gcónaí ag soláthar na bhfreagraí ar cheisteanna, faighimid a thaispeáint dóibh cé chomh cliste atá muid. Ar an drochuair, ní dhéanann sé sin mórán dá n-inchinn féin. Tagann cumhacht smaointeoireachta ó cheisteanna a chur agus fadhbanna a chur i láthair. I ár n-inchinn déanaimid an obair chun na ceisteanna agus na fadhbanna sin a réiteach agus cosáin néarócha a thógáil a thiocfaidh chun bheith ina n-uirlisí don chéad uair eile a thagann an cheist nó an fhadhb chun cinn.
 Dá mbeadh uair an chloig agam fadhb a réiteach agus go mbeadh mo shaol ag brath ar an réiteach, chaithfeadh mé na chéad 55 nóiméad ag cinneadh an cheist cheart a chur, mar nuair a bhíonn a fhios agam an cheist cheart, d'fhéadfainn an fhadhb a réiteach i níos lú ná cúig nóiméad.  Albert Einstein
Is ceisteanna cáilíochta a chruthaíonn saol cáilíochta. Cuireann daoine rathúla ceisteanna níos fearr, agus mar thoradh air sin, faigheann siad freagraí níos fearr.   Anthony Robbins
Tá go leor lámha ag obair go héasca, go háirithe nuair a bhíonn tú sna 50idí. Léiríonn focail mar phobal, comhchuibhiú, obair ar fhoireann, teaghlach, agus sineirgíocht torthaí daoine a oibríonn agus a chónaíonn le chéile go comhoibritheach. Tá sé deas a fhios go bhfuil muid ag maireachtáil le daoine eile atá toilteanach agus in ann cabhrú linn a bheith ina leagan níos fearr de féin.
Is é smaoineamh ar idirspleáchas ceann de na nósanna a úsáideann go leor de na nósanna a rinneamar cheana féin: solúbthacht, éisteacht le tuiscint, smaoineamh ar gach duine a bhuachan, íobairt, cumarsáid a dhéanamh le soiléireacht, agus mar sin de. Tuigeann smaointeoireacht idirspleách go bhfuil ár saol níos sona agus níos rathúla nuair a oibrímid le chéile.
Is féidir go bhfuil ár n-iarracht idir an scoil agus an teach chun daoine óga sláintiúla agus cliste a thógáil ar an gcaidreamh is tábhachtaí atá againn lena chéile. Nuair a roinnimid an fealsúnacht chéanna maidir le hoideachas leanaí agus nósanna bríomhar a mhúineadh, déanaimid níos mó ná dúbailt den tionchar ar a gcuid intinn.
Tá sé soiléir do na neiro-eolaithe go bhfuil nasc domhain idir idirspleáchas agus foghlaim. Nuair a chreideann leanaí nach bhfuil siad ina n-aonar agus go bhfuil cabhair acu ó mhúinteoirí agus ó chomhghleacaithe, laghdaíonn an leibhéal strus chun foghlaim go suntasach. Tá a fhios againn nach bhfuil muid féin riamh ina chosaint chumhachtach i gcoinne eagla agus spreagadh chun rath.
- Heart  cuidiú go ciallmhar le cara ag streachailt le fadhb.
- Mind  scéal a léamh le duine agus cuid de na carachtair a labhairt go hidirnáisiúnta.
- Corp  obair le chéile chun sraith tascanna a chur i gcrích in ionad obair ina n-aonar.
- Soul  roinn conas a chuidíonn do chuid intleachtaí pearsanta le daoine eile.
Más lámha a dhéanann obair éadrom  An file Sasanach John Heywood, 1546
Is maith a bheith ag scuabadh agus ag póladh ár n-inchinn i gcoinne cinn daoine eile.  Michael De Montaigne
Cabhair do Leanaí a Fháil amach
Treoir do Thuismitheoirí maidir le Sásamh na Mac Léinn (de réir leibhéal grád)
Ag baint úsáide as an Idirbhinseacht Dhearfach
Sacrifice: rud a thugtar suas nó a chailltear. Ach, nuair a dhéanaimid íobairt, is cosúil go bhfaighimid rud éigin! Is ionadh agus uafásach an sásamh agus an lúcháir a bhíonn againn nuair a fheiceann muid ár gcuid leanaí ag éirí ina saoránaigh iontach agus ina ndaoine sona. Is é an leas coiteann an luach saothair. Nuair a fheiceann muid daoine ag baint taitneamh as an saol níos láidre mar thoradh ar ár n-íobairt, is fiú an méid sin go léir. Ní rud é a dhéanfar ar son a bheith deas ná ar son a bheith bocht, ná ní rud é a dhéanfar ar son ár n-am, ár n-ailt agus ár gcuid airgid a thabhairt. Is é an sprioc deiridh rud éigin níos mó a fháil ná an rud a íoctar. Ní dhéanaimid íobairt ar chúiseanna féinbhunaithe. Is é an leas níos mó is féidir linn a fháil ar sásamh i. Is é ár rá "ní" féin a sholáthraíonn "tá" níos mó do dhaoine eile. Nuair a thugann mé mo chuid ama chun cabhrú le ceann de mo chlann, faigheann mé níos mó meas mar athair agus faighim grá níos doimhne idir sinn.
Agus ár gcuid páistí a chabhrú chun an leibhéal níos doimhne íobairt seo a thuiscint, is féidir leo rudaí a dhéanamh, ní mar gheall ar a dúirt muid gur chóir dóibh, ach toisc go bhfaighidh siad sonas ina gcaidrimh le daoine eile agus rath níos mó ina saol. Ba chóir go mbeadh an dea-ghníomh mar aidhm na íobairt  ní an t-aigne. Ní bhíonn fíor-íobairt gan chiall riamh. Ba chóir go mbeadh súil ag duine íobairt a fháil sa deireadh ar chostas féin do shaibhreas gach duine.
Go cuí, is é an tseachtain seo an Seachtain Measúnaithe Múinteoirí agus an Domhnach seo Lá na Máthar - beirt de na daoine is íobairt inár saol! Sílim gur chóir go mbeadh seachtain ceiliúradh ann do na daoine seo araon!
 Sa saol seo ní hé an méid a ghlacann muid, ach an méid a thugann muid suas, a dhéanann muid saibhir.  Henry Ward Beecher
Seo cúpla bealach ar féidir linn íobairt a dhéanamh agus bualadh:
- Heart  lig duine éigin dul ar dtús.
- Mind  roinnt ama a thabhairt suas chun cleachtadh a dhéanamh ar scileanna acadúla.
- Cuid  cuidiú le ball teaghlaigh le cúram nach é do chuid féin é.
- Soul  smaoineamh ar conas a dhéanann do chuid buanna pearsanta speisialta a dhéanamh duit dár bpobal.


A minibook that teaches students the names of the continents and oceans.
This minibook gives students information about continents, oceans, and lines of latitude and longitude. It includes writing the names of the continents and oceans in order by size and writing which continent the student lives on and which ocean is closest.
Includes: one 2-page PDF (one color and one black/white)
Instructions: Cut along the solid lines around the paper and in the middle. Fold in half longways along the dotted line. Open and fold in half the other way along the dotted line. Open and fold the edges up along the dotted lines to meet the crease in the middle (folds should be the opposite way of the middle fold). Then fold back in half longways and push the sides in towards the middle. Fold so that the name page is the front of the book.
Part of the Continents and Oceans bundle
Files are designed for printing on A4 or A3 paper, so there may be very minor differences if printing on letter paper. Due to this being a digital download, refunds are not issued. Please contact me if you have any questions before purchasing.
Designed for individual use. You may make as many copies as needed, but please use only in your own home or classroom. All files copyrighted by Little River English 2020.
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Files will have a download link after purchase. Please email Little River English if your files do not download correctly.
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Leabhar beag a mhúineann ainmneacha na mór-roinn agus na n-aigéan do mhic léinn.
Tugann an leabhar beag seo faisnéis do mhic léinn faoi mhór-roinn, muirí, agus línte leitheadaigh agus fhadta. Áirítear leis ainmneacha na mór-roinn agus na n-aigéan a scríobh in ord de réir a mhéid agus a scríobh cén mór-roinn a bhfuil an mac léinn ina chónaí air agus cén aigéan is gaire.
Áirítear: PDF amháin 2 leathanach (dath amháin agus ceann dubh/geal)
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Cuid den chnapán mór-roinn agus aigéin
Tá comhaid deartha le priontáil ar pháipéar A4 nó A3, mar sin d'fhéadfadh go mbeadh difríochtaí an-bheag má phriontáiltear ar pháipéar litreacha. Toisc gur íoslódáil dhigiteach é seo, ní eisítear aisíocaíochtaí. Cuir le do thoil teagmháil liom má tá aon cheist agat sula gceannaíonn tú.
Ceaptha le húsáid aonair. Is féidir leat a lán cóipeanna a dhéanamh de réir mar is gá, ach le do thoil é a úsáid ach amháin i do theach féin nó i seomra ranga. Tá cóipcheart na gcomhad go léir ag Little River English 2020.
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In the Lesson Bank...
The Lesson Bank is a user-supported clearinghouse for on-line lesson plans. Over 2900 lessons have been submitted by teachers around the world. Contribute your favorite lesson ideas and help support teachers everywhere!
Fun with Food: Hola Jalapeno
by Aixa B. Rodriguez
The following plan is a home visit lesson plan that contains components that address Adult Education/ESOL, and age appropriate activities for Toddler, Preschool and School aged children. This is suitable for EVEN START, EARLY HEADSTART and other home visiting programs. It is also suitable for families who wish to expose their children to a second language early in their childhood.
Lesson Plan: Fun with food: Paper Tacos
Aim/Objective: Adult will participate in measuring, writing out a recipe and putting the steps of a recipe into sequence. Adult will read book to children, help children with matching (concentration) game, and reinforce steps to prepare tacos in English and Spanish. All children will participate in pretending to cook tacos, preparing the tacos and creating the recipe.
NYS Standards: Health & nutrition, Math, English, Languages other than English, Art and Social Studies
Prior Knowledge/Motivation: Food, Mexican Culture, Spanish language, Tacos.
- Book: Hola Jalapeno by Amy Wilson Sanger
- Aluminum foil
- Origami paper and construction paper
- Glue, double sided tape
- Child scissors, different kinds of edged scissors
- Crayons and markers
- Matching cards for concentration labeled in English and Spanish
- Old taco box from Old El Paso
- Toy pots and spoons, and measuring cups
- Precut yellow or white paper circles, old manila folders
- Templates for food
- Pictures to create recipe with, large piece of paper to write the recipe on
- Parent will read Hola Jalapeno with the children with assistance if necessary
- Teacher will review the book to address vocabulary words.
- Teacher will review the matching game cards in Spanish and English
- Family will play matching game using both Spanish and English.
- Creating Tacos: all paper materials needed are in the taco box from Old El Paso
- Elicit the activity from the children "What do you think we are going to do?"
- Draw two burners on the back of the box, to pretend to cook the "meat"
- Children will rip up brown paper to make "meat" and place in toy pot
- Children will pretend to stir and cook it, taking turns and putting in pretend "seasoning."
- While the "meat" is cooking (toddler can continue to stir) children will crumble and then cut green paper to make lettuce, yellow paper to make cheese, and red paper for tomatoes using the edged scissors. Place the cut paper in toy bowls.
- Children and parent will use markers and crayons to color the taco shells and the tortillas (yellow and white circles)
- Children will paste yellow circles on old manila folders and parent will assist in shaping it and cutting it out to look like a taco shell
- Children will fill the tacos discussing what goes in "first" "primero" "second" "segundo"
- Children will wrap their tacos with aluminum foil
- Parent and children will put the pictures of the taco making process in order, using tape to affix them to the large paper. School aged child and parent will work together to write out recipe in simple directions, using English, Spanish or both.
Practice: The matching game, art project, and recipe component allow all participants to practice the vocabulary through active involvement.
Performance based assessment of student learning: Questions for the teacher/facilitator: Were all the participants interested and engaged? Did the toddler stir and help rip and cut paper with adult assistance? Did the toddler say any of the target words? Did the children have an opportunity to show their knowledge? Was the preschooler able to follow directions? Was the preschooler able to sequence the steps involved in making a taco? Was the preschooler able to participate actively? Did the school-aged child actively assist his/her siblings? Was the school-aged child able to write the words for the recipe with assistance?
Self Evaluation: Did I allow the parent and children opportunities to assist each other and fully participate? Were the tasks scaffolded for different developmental levels and language ability? Were the tasks appropriate and well received by the parent and children? Did the children enjoy the activity? Did the children have an opportunity to complete the tasks and gain confidence in their abilities?
Extension/Follow up: Book and materials can be left in the home to make other recipes mentioned in the book. Other titles by the same author are The first book of sushi, Yum Yum Dim Sum and Let's Nosh, which teach about Japanese, Chinese and Jewish foods with the same interesting collages. And these books can be used to talk about other cultures and introduce new foods and words.
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Sa Bhainc Léachta...
Is ionad imréitigh é an Banc Ceachtanna a thacaíonn úsáideoirí leis le haghaidh pleananna ceachtanna ar líne. Chuir múinteoirí ar fud an domhain os cionn 2900 ceacht isteach. Cuir do chuid smaointe is fearr leat le ceacht isteach agus cuidiú le múinteoirí a thacú i ngach áit!
Sásamh le Bia: Hola Jalapeno
le Aixa B. Rodriguez
Is plean ceachtanna cuairte baile é an plean seo a leanas ina bhfuil comhpháirteanna a bhaineann le hOideachas do Dhaoine Fásta/ESOL, agus gníomhaíochtaí atá oiriúnach d'aois do leanaí Óige, Réamhscoile agus Scoile. Tá sé seo oiriúnach do chláir EVEN START, EARLY HEADSTART agus cláir eile cuairteanna baile. Tá sé oiriúnach freisin do theaghlaigh ar mian leo a gcuid leanaí a chur i láthair don dara teanga go luath ina gcuid óige.
Plean Ceachta: Amharc le Bia: Tacos Páipéir
Cuspóir/Cuspóir: Rannpháirtíonn an fásta i tomhas, i scríbhneoireacht oideas agus i seicmiú céimeanna an oideas. Léann daoine fásta leabhar do leanaí, cabhraíonn siad le páistí le cluiche comhoiriúnaithe (cuimsiú), agus cuireann siad céimeanna chun tacos a ullmhú i mBéarla agus i Spáinnis. Glacfaidh na páistí go léir páirt i mhalairt a dhéanamh go bhfuil tacos á cócaireacht, ag ullmhú na tacos agus ag cruthú an oidis.
Caighdeáin NYS: Sláinte & cothú, Matamaitic, Béarla, Teangacha seachas Béarla, Ealaín agus Staidéar Sóisialta
Eolas/Mothuithe Roimhe: Bia, Cultúr Mheicsiceo, teanga na Spáinne, Tacos.
- Leabhar: Hola Jalapeno ag Amy Wilson Sanger
- Foil alúmanaim
- Páipéar origami agus páipéar tógála
- Glú, téip dhúbailte
- Scáileán do leanaí, cineálacha éagsúla scáileán gearradh
- Craicigh agus marcóirí
- Cártaí comhoiriúnaithe le haghaidh tiúchan le lipéadú i mBéarla agus i Spáinnis
- Sean bosca taco ó Old El Paso
- Potaí agus spúnóg bréagáin, agus cupáin tomhais
- ciorcail páipéir buí nó bán réamhchroite, sean-chlárna manila
- Teimpléid do bhia
- Pictiúir chun an t-oideas a chruthú leo, píosa mór páipéir chun an t-oideas a scríobh air
- Léann tuismitheoirí Hola Jalapeno leis na páistí le cúnamh más gá
- Athbhreithneoidh an múinteoir an leabhar chun focail fhocail a chur in iúl.
- Athbhreithneoidh an múinteoir na cártaí cluiche comhoiriúnacha i Spáinnis agus i mBéarla
- Beidh an teaghlach ag imirt cluiche comhoiriúnaithe ag baint úsáide as an Spáinnis agus Béarla araon.
- Tá na hábhair páipéir go léir a theastaíonn i mbosca taco ó Old El Paso
- An ghníomhaíocht a spreagadh ó na páistí "Cad a cheapann tú go ndéanaimid?"
- Dhéan dhá dóiteáin a tharraingt ar chúl an bhosca, chun a dhéanamh cosúil go bhfuil an "feoil" á chócaráil
- Beidh leanaí a rip suas páipéar donn a dhéanamh "feoil" agus a chur i bpóca bréagán
- Beidh na páistí ag déanamh cosúil go bhfuil siad ag cur isteach agus ag cócaireacht é, ag dul ar a chéile agus ag cur "seasoning" bréagach isteach.
- Cé go bhfuil an "feoil" ag cócaireacht (is féidir leis an leanbh beag leanúint ag mealladh) beidh leanaí ag crumble agus ansin páipéar glas a ghearradh chun salainn a dhéanamh, páipéar buí chun cáis a dhéanamh, agus páipéar dearg le haghaidh trátaí ag baint úsáide as an sciar gearr. Cuir an páipéar gearr i mboscaí bréagán.
- Úsáidfidh leanaí agus tuismitheoirí marcóirí agus criostail chun na craiceann taco agus na tortillas a dathú (ciorcail bhlaoda agus bán)
- Cuirfidh leanaí ciorcail buí ar sheanfhillteán manila agus cabhróidh tuismitheoir leis an bhfoirm a chur air agus é a ghearradh amach chun breathnú cosúil le craiceann taco
- Beidh na páistí a líonadh na tacos plé a dhéanamh ar cad a théann i "an chéad" "primero" "second" "segundo"
- Beidh leanaí a wrap a tacos le fóil alúmanaim
- Cuirfidh tuismitheoirí agus leanaí na pictiúir den phróiseas taco a dhéanamh in ord, ag baint úsáide as téip chun iad a chur ar an bpáipéar mór. Oibreoidh leanbh atá in aois scoile agus tuismitheoir le chéile chun an t-oideas a scríobh amach i dtreoracha simplí, ag úsáid Béarla, Spáinnis nó an dá cheann.
Cleachtadh: Ligeann an cluiche comhoiriúnaithe, an tionscadal ealaíne, agus an chomhpháirt oideas do gach rannpháirtí an foclóir a chleachtadh trí rannpháirtíocht ghníomhach.
Measúnú bunaithe ar fheidhmíocht ar fhoghlaim na mac léinn: Ceisteanna don mhúinteoir/do chúntóir: An raibh suim agus rannpháirtíocht ag na rannpháirtithe go léir? An raibh an leanbh beag ag cur páipéar i bhfeidhm agus ag cabhrú leis an páipéar a scriosadh agus a ghearradh le cúnamh ó dhuine fásta? An d'inis an páiste aon cheann de na focail sprioc? An raibh deis ag na páistí a gcuid eolais a thaispeáint? An raibh an leanbh réamhscoile in ann treoracha a leanúint? An raibh an leanbh réamhscoile in ann na céimeanna a bhaineann le taco a dhéanamh a ordú? An raibh an leanbh réamhscoile in ann páirt ghníomhach a ghlacadh? An raibh an leanbh in aois scoile ag cabhrú lena dheartháireacha/a deirfiúracha go gníomhach? An raibh an leanbh in aois na scoile in ann na focail don oideas a scríobh le cabhair?
Féinmheasúnú: An ndearna mé deis don thuismitheoir agus do na páistí cuidiú lena chéile agus páirt iomlán a ghlacadh? An raibh na tascanna scaffolded do leibhéil éagsúla forbartha agus cumas teanga? An raibh na tascanna oiriúnach agus an raibh fáilte roimh an tuismitheoir agus na páistí? An raibh an ghníomhaíocht á taitneamh ag na páistí? An raibh deis ag na páistí na tascanna a chur i gcrích agus muinín a fháil dá gcumas?
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This is an agreement between two parties, usually institutions, to exchange cash flows according to a predefined calculation at specified periodic intervals in the future. The calculation may be based on the future value of interest rates, foreign exchange rates or some other market variable. Like forward and futures contracts both parties to the contract are obligated to perform their end of the deal. Also like forward and futures contracts swaps are priced to have a value of zero at inception.
Interest Rate Swap
In a standard (plain vanilla) IRS, the buyer of the contract, usually a company, pays a predetermined fixed rate (F) payment leg and receives a floating rate(R) payment leg which is usually linked to some index (such as LIBOR).
Both payments are based on the same notional amount (Q) and period of time. The principal amount is not exchanged in an IRS. Usually there is a difference check at each payment point and the party that is obligated to pay more will make the payment of the difference between the two cash flows.
The payment on the fixed rate leg is easy to calculate, assuming same basis, the notional value is Q, and the F is the fixed swap rate:
The floating side, with R as the floating rate is
The net cash flow for the buyer of the contract at each payment date is:
Net Cash flowt=Q×(Rt-1-F)× days,
where t-1 is the payment date on which the floating rate interest was observed and is one payment date prior to the payment date on which the net cash flow is paid. “days” are the period of time in the interest rate period (in years) based on the appropriate day count convention.
The fixed rate in the IRS that makes the value of the IRS zero at inception is known as the swap rate.
A currency swap exchanges the principal and interest payments in one currency with the principal and interest payment in another currency. The principals will be exchanged at commencement and expiration of the contract. At the initial stage the principals are usually equivalent based on the prevailing exchange rates at that point in time. However at the expiration date even though the principal amounts will not change, their actual values could be significantly different based on how the two currencies have moved in relation to each other.
Online Finance Course – Pricing Interest Rate Swaps – What is swap – End Session Three

Is comhaontú é seo idir dhá pháirtí, de ghnáth institiúidí, chun sreabha airgid a mhalartú de réir ríomhleithle réamhshainithe ag eatraimh chuimsitheacha sonraithe sa todhchaí. Féadfaidh an ríomh a bheith bunaithe ar luach todhchaí rátaí úis, rátaí malairte eachtraí nó ar athróg margaíochta eile. Cosúil le conarthaí réamhthaobhacha agus todhchaí, tá dualgas ar an dá pháirtí sa chonradh a gcuid deireadh den chomhaontú a chomhlíonadh. Chomh maith leis sin, cosúil le conarthaí forásacha agus fúthair, tá praghas ag na malartuithe go bhfuil luach nialasa acu ag tús.
Rátaí úis a mhalartú
I gconradh IRS caighdeánach (plain vanilla), íocann ceannaitheoir an chonartha, cuideachta de ghnáth, rannán íocaíochta ráta seasta réamhchinnte (F) agus faigheann sé rannán íocaíochta ráta seasta (R) a bhíonn ceangailte de ghnáth le hinnéacsa éigin (mar shampla LIBOR).
Tá an dá íocaíocht bunaithe ar an méid nochtasach céanna (Q) agus ar an tréimhse ama céanna. Ní dhéantar an príomh-mhéid a mhalartú i IRS. De ghnáth déantar seiceáil ar an difríocht ag gach pointe íocaíochta agus déanfaidh an páirtí a bhfuil oibleagáid níos mó air íoc an difríocht idir an dá shreabhadh airgid a íoc.
Is furasta an íocaíocht ar an rannán ráta seasta a ríomh, ag glacadh leis an mbonn céanna, is é an luach nochtasach Q, agus is é an F an ráta malartaithe seasta:
Is é an taobh shoiléir, le R mar an ráta shoiléir
Is é an t-airgeadra glan a thagann chun sochair do cheannaitheoir an chonartha ag gach dáta íocaíochta ná:
Ní mór an t-airgeadra a bheith ar fáil ar an margadh.
I gcás ina bhfuil an t-1 an dáta íocaíochta ar a ndearnadh an ráta úis a athrú a urramú agus tá sé ina dháta íocaíochta amháin roimh an dáta íocaíochta ar a n-íocfar an t-airgeadra glan. Is éard atá i  lá an tréimhse ama sa tréimhse rátaí úis (in blianta) bunaithe ar an gconradh cóimheasa lá iomchuí.
Is é an ráta seasta sa IRS a dhéanann luach an IRS nialasach ag tús ar a dtugtar an ráta malartaithe.
Is éard atá i gceist le malartú airgeadra ná íocaíochtaí an phríomh-chiste agus an úis i airgeadra amháin a mhalartú le íocaíochtaí an phríomh-chiste agus an úis i airgeadra eile. Déanfar na príomhoidí a mhalartú ag tús agus ag deireadh an chonartha. Sa chéim tosaigh, is gnách go bhfuil na príomh-chomhpháirtithe comhionann bunaithe ar na rátaí malairte atá i réim ag an bpointe sin. Mar sin féin, ar dháta éaga, cé nach n-athróidh na méideanna príomhchistí, d'fhéadfadh a gcuid luachanna iarbhír a bheith difriúil go suntasach bunaithe ar an gcaoi a ndeachaigh an dá airgeadra i gcomparáid lena chéile.
Cúrsa Airgeadais Ar Líne  Príomhú Leideanna Rátaí Úis Suasanna  Cad é an t-aistriú  Seisiún a Trí a chríochnú