STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday– Radio/UV Waves and Applied Physics — Author Interview

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Suzanne Slade, author of Unlocking the Universe: The Cosmic Discoveries of the Webb Space Telescope. Unlocking the Universe transports readers to NASA for an up close look at how the James Webb Space Telescope was designed, built, tested, and deployed. The behind the scenes photographs and wonderous space images will leave you agape in wonder!

Unlocking the Universe has been named:

  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • NSTA 2025 Best STEM Book
  • New York Public Library Best Books for Kids

Plus, you can watch a goose-bump inducing book trailer here.

And now, let’s launch into the interview!

Emily Starr: I’ll start with the obvious. The Webb images are breathtaking! What was your involvement in choosing which images to include?

Ring Nebula

Ring Nebula

Suzanne Slade: I started writing this book before Webb had released any space images, so it was super exciting when its first image, a gorgeous galaxy cluster, was unveiled on July 11, 2022. After that, I waited with bated breath for each new spectacular image.

I wanted the book to share a variety of Webb space images, such as nebulas, galaxies, dying stars, nurseries where stars were being born, and more. For example, this image of the Ring Nebula (left) revealed new details of a dying star at the center that gives us a glimpse of what could happen to our Sun. (But nobody panic. The Sun has billions of years left!)

To be honest, there were so many gorgeous images that it was excruciating to decide which ones would make the cut. Near the end of the project, we did manage to squeak in some extra ones on the cover montage, in the back matter pages, and in the end sheets.

Emily Starr: This month, the blog is helping readers explore radio/UV waves and applied physics. Physics concepts can sometimes seem difficult and complicated to children (and some adults!) – like the electromagnetic spectrum. What are your considerations when thinking about how to make advanced science easy for kids to understand?

Suzanne Slade: There are many things to consider when writing about complex science topics for children. Here are a few I implemented in this book.

James Webb Space Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope

Near the beginning of the book some basic science/space terms are defined within the text, such as “nebula” and “exoplanet,” to help readers ramp up on the topic.

Sidebars with colorful infographics helped explain more complicated topics (like the electromagnetic spectrum.)

As we know, a picture is worth a thousand words. So we made the decision to use photos, instead of illustrations, for the entire book. As I poured through hundreds of potential photos to show readers how the Webb telescope was designed and built, I carefully selected interesting ones that would draw the reader in.

Two page spread showing the Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror

Two page spread showing the Webb Space Telescope’s primary mirror

I also looked for photos which shared bits of information not covered in the text. For example, the book explains how Webb’s large primary mirror, which collects distant light in space, is made up of 18 hexagonal shaped gold panels. The photos in the spread at the left show how the panels are assembled into the primary mirror plus more, such as the size of the mirror relative to the workers, the precise way the panels fit together, how the workers and many components were protected from dust contamination, etc.

Emily Starr: Small blocks of layered text also make the book very accessible to younger readers. How did that format come about?

Suzanne Slade: The design layout, which includes the layered text you mention, was a collaborative effort between myself, the editor, and the spectacularly creative book designer. We tried a few different ideas before arriving at the book’s final design. One fun aspect about creating this book, which is not common in most book projects, was that I was able to meet with the editor and book designer in person can discuss the layout. Fortunately, I live north of Boston part-time, and the publisher, Charlesbridge, is located in Watertown near Boston.

Emily Starr: What was your process for contacting experts and conducting interviews at NASA? Was the agency receptive and helpful?

Suzanne Slade: It can be challenging to know who to contact at NASA or other agencies when working on science books, and these smart experts are very busy people. As luck would have it, one of my high school acquaintances, Dr. Jonathan Gardner, is the Deputy Senior Project Scientist for the JWST. I reached out to him, and he kindly agreed to answer questions and vet the manuscript, which was extremely helpful. I had worked with a NASA engineer, Sandra Irish, on a previous project. She was enthused about this book topic and happy to share her expertise. There are also great online interviews which were helpful as well.

Emily Starr:  The JWST was such a long and complicated project that I’m sure you sifted through piles of research. How did you decide what details to include in the book?

Suzanne Slade: I could write volumes about research and the difficult process of deciding which information to include in a book and what seems best to leave out. The short answer is: I try to include some content that readers can easily understand or may already be familiar with, along with new information that will expand their understanding of the topic and hopefully inspire them to want to learn even more. I prioritize facts and random information nuggets I feel young readers will find fascinating.

Orion Bar

Orion Bar

Emily Starr: As an educator who teaches students to expect and even celebrate failures, I appreciated the section about testing and setbacks. Why was it important to you to include those details?

Suzanne Slade: I’m a mechanical engineer who used to work on rockets and car braking systems, so I understand a big part of engineering and science is trial and error, or mistakes and re-designing. I think it’s important for readers to understand that progress in science is built on failures. As a storyteller, I also know that a happy ending is more satisfying when the journey to get there was filled with challenges that needed to be overcome.

Emily Starr: Many of your books delve into interesting space-related topics. What do you hope readers understand about space by reading your work?

Suzanne Slade: Basically I hope they catch a glimpse of the enormity of space, and the many mysteries and unanswered questions about our cosmos we have yet to understand. I’d also be pleased if my books inspire readers to pursue their dreams of a career in a space related field, such as a researcher, teacher, engineer, explorer, or citizen scientist.

Emily Starr:  Are you working on other space-related projects in the near future? (Actually, we would be happy to learn about any of your upcoming projects!)

Suzanne Slade: In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, I wrote Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon and Daring Dozen. Since then, I’ve been thinking about the many talented women who made the Apollo missions possible. So I wrote a book about the sharp, dedicated women who helped engineer, stitch, design, plan, and execute the Apollo moon missions. Of course, thousands of women worked on those missions, so it was difficult to decide how many women to feature. In the end, I decided to share the stories of twelve women to mirror the twelve men who’ve walked on the moon so far. This exciting book, titled Women on a Mission, releases in October 2025. I can’t wait!

 

Sibert Honor author Suzanne Slade has written more than 150 children’s books. As a mechanical engineer who worked on rockets, many of her titles are about space and women in STEM. Some recent titles include The Universe and You, Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises, June Almeida, Virus Detective!, The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus, and A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon (NSTA Best STEM Book). Her title, Astronaut Annie, soared to the ISS and was read by astronaut Anne McClain for Story Time From Space.

 

 

Emily Starr

As a former fourth grade teacher and founder of StarrMatica, a STEM publishing company, Emily Starr has developed award-winning K-5 science curriculum and professional learning materials for 20 years. She is a member of the Iowa State Science Leadership Team, a peer reviewer for the National Science Teaching Association’s journal Science and Children, and a frequent presenter at state and national education conferences. Her debut middle grade nonfiction book will be released in 2025 from the Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation.

 

 

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

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.comTwo 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


STEM Tuesday– Radio/UV Waves and Applied Physics — In the Classroom

 

Bright blue semicircular lines against a black background emanate from a central point to the left and the right. Text reads: Understanding and Using Radio Waves.

 

Understanding and Using Radio Waves
by Elizabeth Rubio

The focus of this book is on the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum called radio waves, but it also does a good job covering what the electromagnetic spectrum is. It also explains the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, which ties into the books X-Rays and The Radium Girls. The book also looks at the many ways radio waves are used.

 

White skeleton of chest and neck glows against a blue outline of a human body, against a black background. Text reads: Super Science Feats: Medical Breakthroughs: X-RaysSuper Science Feats: Medical Breakthroughs: X-Rays
by Alicia Z. Klepeis

This book briefly covers what x-rays are and what they can do.

 

Text reads: The Radium Girls: Young Readers Edition. Underneath, a surface covered in bright green holds a paintbrush, with green paint dripping off it, a bottle containing a green substance, a clock, and a skeleton.The Radium Girls
by Kate Moore

What happens when people are exposed to light waves emitted from radioactive material? This book tells the stories of a group of women who were exposed to radioactive radium through their work. This is not an easy read emotionally, but it tells a very important story.

 

 

The text Microwaves shows over a white, round, object sitting on a metal structure. Blue lines emanate from the ball.Microwaves
by Tracy Vonder Brink

Ever wondered how microwave ovens work? Check out this book for a brief overview of microwaves and how they are used to cook food.

 

A hand holds a cell phone. The image on the phone is a wifi symbol. Text reads How it Works: Wi-Fi.

Bonus Book: WiFi (How It Works)
by Janet Slingerland

This book provides an introduction to WiFi. It includes what radio waves are and how they are used to transmit signals, connecting devices through WiFi networks.

 

The electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) is one of my favorite science topics, and there are so many different things you can do with it. Here are just a few.

Search for Waves

Light waves are all around us all the time. Have students look around them to see how many different types of electromagnetic light waves they can find in their daily lives.

Give students an EMS chart like this one: https://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-2/radiation-sun.php. Have them place things that use EMS waves onto the chart, in their proper location. For instance, everything we see falls into the visible light area of the EMS. Cameras/photographs could also be placed in this area.

BBC Bitesize has a great table that details different ways the various EMS wave types are used: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z79hvcw/revision/2

 

Explore Light

As explained in Understanding and Using Radio Waves, NASA uses radio waves to explore outer space. They have a great educators guide that covers the electromagnetic spectrum: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/the-electromagnetic-spectrum-unit. The activities involve building spectroscopes, instruments that allow people to separate and study light.

Exploratorium has another spectrograph activity: https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/cd-spectroscope

To explore how light is used to transmit audio, check out this activity:   https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/modulated-led. This would be great for a makerspace.

Another type of light that’s fun to explore is polarized light. This activity is also reminiscent of x-rays: https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/bone-stress

 

Have Fun with Luminescence

As described in The Radium Girls, people were enthralled by the luminescent beauty of radium. Here’s an activity that explores luminescence using a chemical reaction: https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/glow-up

You could also have fun exploring with a UV flashlight. This ties in with STEM Tuesday’s Bioluminescence topic from October 2024.

 

Consider OSHA

The story of the radium girls helped spur the creation of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Some legislators have called for eliminating OSHA. Have students explore OSHA – https://www.osha.gov – and what is does. After this investigation, do they believe OSHA should be eliminated or not? Have them write an essay or hold a debate to present their positions.

 

More Activities

Here’s another makerspace activity to build a WiFi antenna out of cans: https://www.shtfpreparedness.com/build-tin-can-wifi-antenna

PBS Electromagnetic Spectrum Tour: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/electromagnetic-spectrum.html

PBS Learning Media – The Electromagnetic Spectrum (grades 9-12): https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/buac20-912-sci-ps-emspectruminfographic/the-electromagnetic-spectrum

5 Activities to Explore the EMS: https://www.brightinthemiddle.com/exploring-the-electromagnetic-spectrum-through-5-fun-wow-factor-activities

 


Woman with short brown hair and glasses, smiling.Janet Slingerland is the author of more than 20 books for young readers. To find out more about Janet and her books, check out http://janetsbooks.com.