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STEM Tuesday– Radio/UV Waves and Applied Physics — Writing Tips and Resources

By on February 18, 2025   /   Applied Physicis, STEM Tuesday  

Catch a Wave!

(This post was originally a STEM Tuesday Spin-Off guest post for the Middle Grade Book Village blog. It fits with this month’s theme of Radio/UV Waves – Applied Physics so I’m recycling it for my Writing Tips & Resources post.)

In STEM Tuesday Spin-Off, we look around at the things in life we often take for granted. We peer behind the curtain, search underneath the hood for the STEM principles involved, and suggest books and/or links to help build an understanding of the world around us. The common, everyday thing will be the hub of the post, and the “spin-offs” will be the spokes making up our wheel of discovery. As our former STEM Tuesday Writing Tips & Resources partner, Heather L. Montgomery often says, we’ll “Go deep!” on a common subject and take a look at its inherent STEM components. 

Today, we will take a closer look at something that is always with us and affects the life of the average 8-14-year-old.

Waves!

Shalom Jacobovitzderivative work: Brocken Inaglory ([[User talk:Brocken Inaglory|talk]]) [CC BY-SA]

The Hub: Waves

Waves, dude! They’re awesome. Riding a wave, either on a board or by body, is exhilarating. Throwing a rock into a calm lake or pond to watch the wave patterns is pretty entertaining and tossing in another rock or two to watch the wave patterns interact takes it to a whole new level. 

Wave motion is pretty cool. The waves created by a sheet flapping in the breeze or the waves generated with a length of rope or a Slinky toy give us hours of entertaining observation. Waves provide both satisfaction from their aesthetic and their physical principles. In short, waves rock!

As cool as the above waves are, there are multitudes of waves in constant motion around us every day and we don’t even need to hit the beach to enjoy them. We notice some of these waves, while others we don’t notice. Yet these waves profoundly affect our modern life every second of every day.  

In today’s Catch a Wave Edition, we’ll talk about these sound and electromagnetic waves and introduce some spin-off resources to learn more and dig deeper into STEM. There are waves all around us, light waves, sound waves, radio waves, microwaves, other electromagnetic waves, and, may I add, waves of middle-grade academic enthusiasm.

Spoke 1: Sound Waves

Sound waves are mechanical waves created by the vibration of a source. The vibrations create longitudinal waves consisting of regions of high pressure and low pressure called compressions and rarefactions that mimic the source vibration. A sound wave must travel from one place to another in a medium and cannot move through a vacuum. 

Sound wave in a cylinder. via Wikimedia Commons.

Transverse Waves

The remaining Spin-Off Spokes are all transverse waves of the electromagnetic spectrum. One of the amazing things about electromagnetic waves is they are a single physical phenomenon that can be separated into types by the characteristic properties associated with their frequency and wavelength.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is em-spectrum-nasa_-wikimedia-commons.jpg

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is longitudinal-and-transverse-waves-1.png

Electromagnetic wave shape is the more familiar wave shape of crests and troughs, called a sine wave. Transverse waves of the EM spectrum travel at the speed of light in a vacuum.

Spoke 2: Radio Waves

We are all familiar with radio. Turn it on, crank it up, and dance down the hallway on the way to the lunchroom. Radio rocks! Let me tell you, that box that plays our favorite tunes is only a mere sliver of the pure awesomeness of radio waves. Radio waves are the do-it-all, blue-collar, workman of the physical world. Sound, data, and video can be pulsed (modulated) onto a radio wave carrier, transmitted great distances through an antenna, and received by another antenna. A receiver then separates (demodulates) the original signal from the carrier wave and transmits it to an output device.

Let’s say I want to play my wicked new surf guitar solo to a friend who lives six hours away. First, I create the sound into a microphone by playing my new jam. The microphone transforms the vibration of the longitudinal sound wave from the guitar strings into an electromagnetic wave which then gets pulsed/modulated onto a radio wave or microwave. The message on the carrier wave is sent by my antenna great distances at the speed of light until it reaches my friend’s antenna. The antenna catches my message, and the electromagnetic wave is decoded/demodulated from the carrier and sent to a speaker where it is transformed back into a sound wave. Next thing you know, my friend is rocking out to my surf guitar solo. All is good in the world.

A low-frequency message signal (top) may be carried by an AM or FM radio wave.

Look around your school or classroom, there are probably devices on the ceiling or on a table all around that are constantly modulating and demodulating data for your computers and Wi-Fi networks. MOdulating and DEModulating, MOdulating and DEModulating, MOdulating and DEModulating. (Isn’t “modem” an exceptional portmanteau of “modulator-demodulator”?) Did you know that’s what your modem does? Radio waves and microwaves are the carriers of modern life. Technology doesn’t go anywhere without them.

Spoke 3: Microwaves

Microwaves do more than make popcorn or heat up that frozen burrito. With higher energy and higher frequency wave than a radio wave, a microwave can penetrate obstacles that radio waves can’t. Some of the non-food functions of microwaves overlap with the functions of radio waves and the daily utility of these may surprise you. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, satellite radio, amateur radio, weather radar, and some broadcasting and communications transmissions, to name a few, are all microwaves. See what I mean? Microwaves make life better, and the bag of popcorn popped in two minutes is truly a bonus.

A satellite dish receives satellite television over a Ku band 12–14 GHz microwave beam from a direct broadcast communications satellite in a geostationary orbit 35,700 kilometers (22,000 miles) above the Earth.

Spoke 4: Infrared Waves

Infrared is such a cool sounding word, science fiction level cool in my book. In reality, though, it simply means “below red”. Infrared waves are often associated with heat, especially the longer wavelength end of the spectrum. These heat waves are given off by fire, heat lamps, and the sun. On the opposite end, the shorter infrared wavelengths don’t give off much heat but do function in one of mankind’s greatest inventions—the remote control! Automatic doors, heat sensors, and night-vision technology are just a few ways we interact with infrared waves in our daily life. Now, where did I put that TV remote?

IR thermography helped to determine the temperature profile of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system during re-entry.

Spoke 5: Visible Waves

We are all familiar with the visible spectrum of electromagnetic waves. They’re the ones we can see and account for the rainbow of colors detected by our eyes. The different frequencies of visible waves are either absorbed or reflected by an object. If the reflected waves are at the longer wavelengths of the visible spectrum, 625-740 nm, the light is red. If the reflected waves are at the shorter end of the spectrum, 380-450 nm, the reflected light is violet. Everything we can see and the multitude of colors originate from the electromagnetic waves of the visible spectrum. You may also have heard about fiber-optic cables used for communication. Fiber optics contain light waves that carry data much like radio and microwaves. Without the visible wave spectrum, we would spend most of our time in the dark.

Spoke 6: Ultraviolet Waves

If the word “infrared” wasn’t cool enough for you, may I present “ultraviolet”? In reality, it’s just an awesome way to say “beyond violet”. Besides the level of word coolness, ultraviolet waves themselves are pretty dang awesome. UV waves are emitted by high-temperature objects, like stars, and help astronomers learn more about how the galaxies are put together. Just as “beyond violet” suggests a deeper shade of purple, ultraviolet waves have their own dark side. UV rays emitted by our sun are the cause of sunburns and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause cancer by changing our DNA.

Of course, there are also the UV rays of lower frequencies emitted from a blacklight bulb which we all know make the school dances spectacular events for white clothing clad individuals.

NASA image of Mira’s bow shock & hydrogen gas tail in ultraviolet, rendered in blue-visible light.

ROUGE WAVES?

There are two additional wave types in the electromagnetic spectrum. These waves, however, are ones you don’t want to expose yourself to regularly. 

X-rays are high-energy waves naturally produced by high-temperature sources, like the sun’s corona. We may be more familiar with medical imaging equipment that uses the power of X-rays to view bone structure. There’s a good reason the radiology technician wears a lead apron for protection while performing X-rays—too much exposure to X-rays can cause serious health problems.

The second waves to avoid are gamma waves. Gamma waves are such high frequency/short wavelength they can pass through the space of a single atom! Unfortunately, they can also destroy living cells. Gamma waves are mainly formed by high-energy objects in space and are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere. Lightning, nuclear explosions, and radioactive decay are sources on Earth that can produce gamma rays.

Franquet T., Chung J.H. [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)]

Wrap-Up

The final waves needing recognition are the waves of middle-grade enthusiasm and, in particular, the waves of middle-grade enthusiasm for STEM. Keep riding the STEM wave and asking questions about how our world works.

Hopefully, I’ve given you at least six good reasons to appreciate the physical phenomenon of waves. They may not be the easiest thing in the world to understand but they are fascinating.  

Next time you switch on a radio or the TV or get your sprained ankle x-rayed at the hospital, think about all the invisible and visible waves swirling around us every second of every day. Appreciate the STEM-tastic wave and remember this:

Be curious. 

Think about the world around you.

Figure out what makes it tick and work to make it a better place.

CATCH A WAVE!!!

Mike Hays has worked hard from a young age to be a well-rounded individual. A well-rounded, equal-opportunity sports enthusiast, that is. If they keep a score, he’ll either watch it, play it, or coach it. A molecular microbiologist by day, middle-grade author, sports coach, and general good citizen by night, he blogs about sports/life/training-related topics at www.coachhays.com and writer stuff at www.mikehaysbooks.com. Two of his science essays, The Science of Jurassic Park and Zombie Microbiology 101,  are included in the Putting the Science in Fiction collection from Writer’s Digest Books. He can be found roaming Bluesky under the guise of @mikehays64.bsky.social and @MikeHays64 on Instagram.

The O.O.L.F Files

This month on the Out Of Left Field (O.O.L.F.) Files, we take a trip around the internet to further investigate the awesomeness of radio and ultraviolet waves. 

National Radio Astronomy Observatory 

The University of Central Florida’s Astronomy coursebook chapter, The Electromagnetic Spectrum.

NASA’s Hubblesite

Studious Guy

Middle School, Experiment with Radio Waves Science Projects

GCSE Physics

  • Radio Waves #65

  • Visible and UV Light #67

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Books to Share with Kids on Presidents’ Day that Emphasize the Democratic Process

By on February 17, 2025   /   Articles, Common Core & NGSS, Curriculum Tie-in, Fiction, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Nonfiction  

Presidents’ Day serves as a reminder of the role of the president and the foundational values of our democracy. Today and every day, it’s important to teach children about the responsibilities of leadership, including checks and balances and the democratic process.

Here are some books for kids that focus on the presidency, as well as how the democratic process works.

Ellie May on Presidents’ Day by Hillary Homzie

For younger readers, Ellie May on Presidents’ Day provides a relatable way to explore the presidency. I think this is a particularly fun and informative book for younger readers. (True Confession: I wrote this story). While it’s a chapter book, it’s also perfect for reluctant readers who are fourth and fifth graders. In this story, Ellie May learns about presidential qualities and how important it is to have strong, compassionate leadership. This story introduces kids to the idea that the president’s role is not just about authority but also about service to others.

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters by Jeff Foster

This book is a great way to get older elementary school as well as middle school students thinking about the democratic process and the roles that various government branches play. Foster breaks down the complex relationships between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. By highlighting how the system works together to ensure fairness, the book promotes the idea that balance is vital to preserving freedom and justice.

So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George and Illustrated by David Small

This timeless picture book offers an entertaining and informative look at the quirks and qualities of past presidents. The engaging writing and vibrant illustrations by David Small make it a fantastic starting point for kids of all ages, including upper elementary school students. It introduces young readers to the many responsibilities of the president, including the challenges of leadership, while also celebrating the diversity of presidential experiences.

The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman

In this fun and imaginative story, a middle schooler runs for president. The book can help young readers gain a better understanding of what it takes to run a campaign. In a humorous style, the book demonstrates how democratic elections function. It points to the fact that anyone can make a difference and how it takes more than blind ambition to lead

Speaking of America by Jared Cohen

This book offers a deep dive into American history, values, and the evolution of leadership, especially focusing on the office of the president. Cohen’s exploration of key moments in American history illustrates how the presidency has influenced the country. It’s an excellent resource for helping kids understand how presidential decisions shape the nation, especially in times of national tension or transformation.

By sharing these books, teachers, librarians, parents and caregivers can help foster a deeper understanding of the democratic process. So as we celebrate Presidents’ Day, let’s remember that the presidency is not just about one individual—it’s about the collective efforts of all Americans to ensure that democracy continues to thrive for generations to come.

Hillary Homzie is the author of the Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She’s also a contributor to the Kate the Chemist middle grade series (Philomel Books/Penguin Random House). And her nonfiction picture book, If You Were a Princess: True Stories of Brave Leaders From Around the World is a look at historical and current princesses from many diverse lands who have made their mark (Simon & Schuster, August 2022). During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University. In the summer, she teaches in the graduate program in children’s literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University .She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on Instagram, and her Facebook page 

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Author Spotlight: Sydney Dunlap

By on February 14, 2025   /   Author Interviews  

Today, I’m thrilled to shine the Author Spotlight on children’s author and fellow MUF member Sydney Dunlap! Sydney’s latest MG novel, Racing the Clouds, praised by Kirkus as a “hopeful, heartfelt story of resilience… handled with a gentle touch,” is out February 18 from Jolly Fish Press.

Interview with Sydney 

Melissa: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Sydney! It’s always a pleasure to shine the Author Spotlight on a fellow MUF member, especially a new(ish) one.

Sydney: Thank you so much, Melissa! I’m very excited to be a part of MUF.

Melissa: Racing the Clouds, comes out in just FIVE days (!). What’s going through your mind right now? (I can only guess. 🙂)

Sydney: Honestly, that after working on this book for such a long time, it’s hard to believe it’s about to be out in the world. And I’m looking forward to my launch events. I’m very lucky to get to have an in-conversation event with Lynne Kelly (one of my blurbists) at a great independent bookstore called Buy the Book near my home in Texas, as well as one with Kate Albus (another of my blurbists) at the wonderful Scrawl Books in northern Virginia, close to where I lived for many years. I love going to my friends’ book launches as well as having my own. Gathering with friends and family to celebrate is so much fun!

About the Book

Melissa: Can you tell readers a bit about the novel? Also, what was the inspiration behind it?

Sydney: Racing the Clouds is the story of a 13-year-old girl named Sage who has a big secret involving her mom’s whereabouts. The story begins after she hears from her grandparents—her mom’s parents, who she’s never met—for the first time in her life. They invite her to visit, and she wants to fix what’s gone wrong in her family, so she flies to Ohio by herself as soon as school gets out for the summer. She feels an almost immediate connection with her grandfather, but her grandmother is so strict and formal that it doesn’t seem they’ll ever see eye-to-eye. Sage learns that family relationships—and people—can be much more complex than they appear on the surface. She also begins to understand more about the power of forgiveness and how to find her way forward during a difficult time.

As for the inspiration, I like writing about topics that are very real and part of a lot of people’s lives but aren’t always discussed that much, like drug addiction, which is a component of the story. I also thought it would be interesting to explore what might happen when a person hears from relatives they’ve never met and never heard anything good about, and to find out their perspective.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Melissa: Sage, the protagonist, is hiding more than she’s telling—especially when it comes to her mom. (I’ll avoid spoilers, so I won’t say more.) What was it like to get into the head of such a guarded character? Carrying a secret is such a heavy burden to bear.

Sydney: I used to be involved in theater when I was growing up, and I think that acting gave me a chance to feel like I really was the character. When I write, I have that same kind of experience, so I only revealed what it felt like Sage would be okay revealing at different points along the story. It was a huge relief when Sage could finally tell her friend Marla the whole story. I felt a burden off my chest, the same as Sage did, after writing the scene where she reveals what really happened.

Exploring Real-Life Issues

Melissa: Your previous novel, It Happened on Saturday, is also a contemporary novel that deals with real-life issues, namely human trafficking. What compels you to write about difficult issues for young readers? I know this is something you’re passionate about.

Sydney: As a child, I loved to read books about real things that could happen to kids in real life, and I especially enjoyed books written by Katherine Paterson and Judy Blume, because they wrote so honestly about all kinds of difficult topics. My experiences volunteering with child trafficking survivors and my realization that I couldn’t find any middle grade books with that subject matter – even though kids ages 11-14 are an especially vulnerable group — led me to write It Happened on Saturday. As for Racing the Clouds, I feel that there is room for more books for young readers dealing with addiction in the family, as it is a huge part of life for many children.

It’s a Dog’s Life

Melissa: Another passion of yours is animals, which is evident in your sympathetic portrayal of Nicky, a stray dog Sage rescues while visiting her estranged grandparents in Ohio. Can you tell us more about Sage’s bond with Nicky, and how it helps Sage to connect with her prickly grandmother?

Sydney: The Philadelphia apartment where Sage and her family lived until their recent move didn’t allow dogs, so Sage has never had a pet. When she meets Nicky, she is drawn to him because he seems so lost and like he could really use a friend. Sage is utterly flabbergasted to discover that her strict, formal grandmother has a soft spot for dogs. Taking care of Nicky together gives them a common purpose and something they can be in complete agreement about. Dogs bring such positive energy wherever they go, and I’ve seen people in my own extended family who disagree on pretty much everything else find common ground in their love for dogs.

Drummer Girl

Melissa: Like her dad, a once-almost-famous musician, Sage is a talented drummer. Is this a common interest, or did you have to do extensive research on how to play the drums?

Sydney: My son used to play the drums when he was in elementary and middle school, and I got to sit in on lots of drum lessons and of course see many concerts. We still have his old drum set in our house and my husband likes to play around on it, so drums are pretty familiar to me.

Path to Publication

Melissa: Switching gears, can you tell MUF readers about your path to publication? I know you were an elementary school teacher for many years. What led you to writing for kids?

Sydney: I’ve always loved books and writing, and ever since elementary school, I’ve had the idea that one day I wanted to be an author. I took creative writing classes in high school and college, then became a member and also a conference organizer for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, where I studied the craft and business aspects of writing for a long time. I drafted some manuscripts and sent them out here and there, but it wasn’t until I had the idea for It Happened on Saturday that I got really serious about pursuing traditional publication. Once I started working on that manuscript, I began writing almost every day and eventually signed with my agent, Ann Rose.

Writing Is Rewriting

Melissa: As a follow-up, your debut MG novel, Jeremy Norbeck: Animal Whiz Kid, came out in 2014. What have you learned about the publishing industry—and about writing—since then?

Sydney: I wrote that story while I was an elementary school teacher, and I used to read it out loud to my students while I was working on it. I wanted to use it right away in my classroom because it fit right in with our unit on animal adaptations, so I published it through CreateSpace (now Kindle Direct Publishing) to have it available immediately. I had already learned a lot about the publishing industry through my experiences with SCBWI, but I learned much more once I signed with my agent and then got a publishing contract for It Happened on Saturday.

My biggest takeaway is that writing is really rewriting over and over, and that you are almost never done, because there will always be something to edit or improve, up until your last look before a book goes to the printer. You work as hard as you can (with help from your critique group if that’s part of your process) to have a story be its very best before your agent sees it, and then you do the same thing with their assistance until it goes to your editor, and then you do the same thing with their expertise and guidance. And when you compare what you started with to the finished product, you realize how amazing it is that the spark of an idea could turn into a finished story, and that you are incredibly lucky to have had so many wonderful helpers along the way.

Confessions of a Pantser

Melissa: While we’re on the subject of writing, what does your writing routine look like? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?

Sydney: My writing routine varies a lot, depending on what else I have going on. I’ve been traveling quite a bit lately, and I’m trying to learn to work while on the go, such as editing a manuscript while on a flight. At home, I sandwich writing in between my other responsibilities, my part-time work tutoring students, and my activities, and I find I’m always better able to write if I get some exercise first, usually walking my dog, going running, or doing yoga. I am a pantser through and through; I have to start writing a story to figure out who my characters are, what they want, and what obstacles will be in their way.

Sydney’s Writing Advice

Melissa: What advice would you give to fledgling MG authors?

Sydney: I’d say to read a lot of books in your chosen genre and try to think of them as texts showing examples of different ways to start/end a story, describe settings, keep up your pacing between action and dialogue, reveal character, etc. And I’d highly recommend joining a critique group. Writing friends are the BEST. You can provide each other an amazing listening ear, as well as sharing and getting helpful feedback on your work. And you all speak the same language. Non-writer friends might have no idea what you mean when you talk about queries or MG, YA, plotting vs. pantsing, etc.

Melissa: What are you working on now, Sydney? Can you give Mixed-Up Files readers a sneak peek?

Sydney: I’ve been working on a story told from two points of view that involves themes of freedom and standing up for yourself, both within one’s own family and within society.

Lightning Round!

Melissa: No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Granola bar

Coffee or tea? Tea

Superpower? Flying. I would LOVE to fly, not just to get places quickly, which would be amazing, but also for the experience of soaring through the air with the birds.

Favorite travel destination? Anywhere with a beautiful mountain view

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be? I’m not sure about the rules, but if allowed, I’d bring my dog, my cat, and a horse from the stable where I ride! Exploring a desert island on horseback with my furry pals running along beside me could be kind of fun! 😊

Melissa: Many thanks for joining us today, Sydney, and congratulations on the forthcoming publication of Racing the Clouds. It’s an engaging and heartfelt book, and I’m sure MUF readers will agree!

Sydney: Thank you again for your kind words and thoughtful questions, Melissa! I’m very grateful for the opportunity to share this behind-the-scenes look at Sage’s story with the MUF audience!

Bio

Sydney Dunlap is an award-winning author and former elementary school teacher. She enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful books that explore tough topics that aren’t often addressed in middle-grade literature. Her 2023 debut novel, It Happened on Saturday, has received several medals and was named a 2025 OLA Masterlist selection and Utah Beehive Award nominee, as well as a Crystal Kite Honor Book. A lifelong animal lover, Sydney lives with her family in a home where the dogs and cats outnumber the people. You can find her online at www.sydneydunlap.com.

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