STEM

Be Curious and Pass it On — Science ROCKS!

By on September 18, 2026   /   Articles, STEM   /   Leave a comment

I recently gave a speech on the importance of science education in schools. Unfortunately, studies are showing that in many elementary schools, students are getting 20 minutes of science instruction per day. For some, it might be closer to 20-30 minutes per week. To me, that seems sad. It’s important that we take the time now to understand why this is happening and figure out how we can fix this disturbing trend.

In my TEDx talk, Science is for Everyone. Even YOU!, I offer suggestions for how we can help kids to be excited about science. There are ways that we as adults can support kid’s interest in science as well as the teachers who teach science in the classroom and homeschool.

 

I realize that not everyone loves science as much as I do.  Ever since I started a science club in my garage when I was 7 years old, I have been been hooked! For me, science is how I view the world. But of course, not everyone sees science in that way.

 

Science shouldn’t be intimidating, it should be FUN! At one time, practically every kid was a scientist and asked lots of questions about how things work. The key to all of this is CURIOSITY and AWARENESS.

Let’s talk Curiosity!

  1. Notice the Science all Around You– One way to get kids curious is to encourage them to notice the science that is all around them all the time. Ask kids to look around the room, outside, or wherever they are and name 5 things that come from science. They could be grass, trees, a table, a computer… whatever. When you help kids to become aware of science and the fact that it’s in everything they do, it becomes less scary.
  2.  Fun FACTS! — Most kids LOVE fun facts! I know I do. I guess all of those years watching the Jeopardy show when I was growing up and also having my kids made me really excited to learn obscure and intriguing facts. Try to play that up with your kids, or your grown-up friends, too.

Why are facts so great?

They engage curiosity. A great fun fact can start a discussion. Get kids to ask questions. And promote family interaction. In the age where screen time is ever-increasing, being able to sit down and chat about something cool is a great way to promote family time. Or get kids to read books to discover how things work and why stuff happens. Ever wonder why developing video games is important for space exploration? Check out the Atlas Obscura’s Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World 

Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide to Inventing the World

They provide mini-learning moments. When you are reading something, a fun fact can make you stop and think. It can spur you on to do your own research. It can help you to learn more about something that you maybe didn’t even know you were interested in. These learning moments can take place anywhere at anytime. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been watching television and learned something new from a show that I just had to stop and look up. Learning keeps those brain cells working and energized.

 

They help expand your vocabulary. Some fun facts come about because you aren’t familiar with the topic. Maybe you hear a word that you don’t understand. Or perhaps you hear it used in a way that seems strange to you . Doing the research by looking things up, allows you to not only increase your understanding of the topic, but also to learn new words, new ideas, and gives you a new perspective on the topic. Check out this book below. This book, Actual Factual Files: Ancient Egypt by Workman Publishing is filled with new vocabulary words.

 

Pharoah from Actual Factual Files

They increase critical thinking skills. This is probably one of the most important benefits of curiosity. Being curious can cause you to think about what you just learned.  You might consider the fact. Is it right? Is it a little off? Does it challenge your beliefs? All of these are parts of critical thinking which is incredibly important skill for how we navigate life!

 

Awareness is Key!

Becoming aware of science and how we interact with it on a daily basis is a great way to open up a discussion about science. It encourages people to not be afraid of it, or intimidated, but to ask questions and learn more. If we, as adults, become aware of science and point it out to our children, and each other, then it will become a natural part of our lives.

We don’t need more information about how to teach science, we just need more awareness. Do you cook? That’s chemistry. Drive a car? That’s physics and engineering. Like to go on hikes? That’s environmental, biological, and meteorology. Those are only a few types of science that you will encounter in these activities.  Want to learn about the night sky? Check out this Actual Factual Files: Outer Space book by Workman Publishing

Big Dipper in the Actual Factual Files book

Encourage everyone to be a scientist in their own right and see the world around them. For once we see ourselves as scientists, we will see how important science is. After all, science is our shared language for understanding the world.

 

These books, Actual Factual Files: Ancient Egypt and Actual Factual Files: Outer Space  and the Atlas Obscura’s Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World  by Workman Publishing are excellent resources for awesome fun facts! I think they are really fun and kids love them!

So BE CURIOUS! Encourage AWARENESS! and remember Science ROCKS!

Check out my SCIENCE ROCKS APP for your iPhone and Samsung products!!

Apple App Store   

App Google play 

Jennifer Swanson is the award-winning author of over 50 STEM/STEAM books for kids. She is the creator of the STEM Tuesday blog, STEAMTeamBooks promo group, and the creator and cohost of the Solve It! Science Podcast for Kids. You can find her at www.jenniferwansonbooks.com 

 

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Science Notebooks – A Solution for End of the Year Exhaustion

By on May 25, 2026   /   STEM, Teacher Tips  

The end of the school year can be a challenge. Excitement is high. Patience may be low. And student attention is fading. Sometimes you just need to press pause and take your students outside for a bit of fresh air. Yet that break can be productive if you ask them to take along a science notebook. Science notebooks are research-based tools where students can record their observations and think through science ideas.

Here are five quick and easy science notebook activities you can introduce with nonfiction picture books and use with students of all ages.

Tiny, Perfect Things by M.H. Clark – Find a tiny perfect thing and document it.

Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. Harrington – Write a list of ten things you wonder about on a nature walk.

One Small Square: Backyard by Donald M. Silver – Throw down a hula hoop or enclose a small area with string. Document what you see. What do you notice and wonder?

Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith – Find an insect and document it.

Bioblitz!: Counting Critters by Susan Edwards Richmond – Conduct a school yard count.

If you have students who are reluctant to participate because they lack confidence in their drawing abilities, the videos on John Muir’s site make wonderful mini-lessons – especially for something different to engage students near the end of the school year.

While you are there, check out his video series for a thorough overview of nature journaling techniques, and be sure to grab his free .pdf with hundreds of pages of lessons and helpful ideas for using science notebooks in your classroom. It will make fascinating summer reading. . . in a few weeks after you have a chance to catch your breath!

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STEM Tuesday– Amphibians– Author Interview with Annette Whipple

By on April 28, 2026   /   Amphibians, Animals, Conservation, For Kids, Nonfiction, Nonfiction Titles, STEM, STEM Tuesday  

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 Annette Whipple, author of Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs. The book investigates some of the more than 7,000 frogs around the world and invites readers to take an active interest in their preservation.

 

The Truth About the Writing Process

By Ann McCallum Staats

Ann: There’s a great mix of facts, incredible photography, and just-for-fun jokes and asides (which are TOAD-ally awesome to quote you!) in this book. Can you share how this all came together?

 

 

Annette: Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs is part of The Truth About series with Reycraft Books. I had already written about owls, dogs, and spiders—and I was ready to write about an animal familiar to me that I still didn’t know a lot about. (My favorite topics to write about are the ones I’m already curious about!) I suggested to my editor the next book be about frogs, and the whole team was on board!

Ribbit the Truth About Frogs book

Ann: I was fascinated by all the information packed into Ribbit!—who knew that over a 100 new species of frogs are discovered each year, for example? I’m curious; what is your research process like?

Annette: It absolutely amazes me that for the past twenty years (and probably longer) more than a hundred NEW species of amphibians have been found every year—and most of those are frogs! In the first two months of 2026, seven new kinds of frogs have been identified. I think that’s incredible.

Before I begin my official research for The Truth About books, I read general articles online for the topic. At this point, I really just want a good understanding. I’m not taking notes yet. After a bit of general information-gathering, I brainstorm a bit using a topic web (also called the bubble method or mind-mapping) to come up with different ideas I may want to research.

Frog pushing out their mouths

From there I plan my research. For topics like these animal books where I know many of the ideas I’ll research (diet, habitat, reproduction…), I use a spiral notebook as my research notebook. That’s where I take notes! I create a table of contents and number the pages. I also use it to keep track of my sources. For some of my books I use multiple 3-ring binders as well as folders in my file cabinet. I also save articles I’ve read online—either printed or saved as a digital PDF file.

My sources begin with scientific books, online journals, and research articles. (During the information-gathering phase, I’m not fussy about my sources. Once I’m taking notes, I must choose my sources very carefully.) I contact experts I can interview—and often meet. Often university professors are happy to share their knowledge with me—or point me in the right direction to another expert. Sometimes I consult with an expert online and meet with a different expert in person to get as much feedback and information as possible.

When I met with my frog expert, I heard wood frogs quack and the very loud (nearly painful) calls of spring peepers! If we had met a month or two later, we would have found different frog species in the same area.

I wrote an article about using a topic web here. https://www.annettewhipple.com/2021/07/how-to-brainstorm-nonfiction-writing.html

I wrote an article about my research notebooks here. https://www.annettewhipple.com/2021/09/how-to-set-up-research-notebook.html

Ann: What did you especially enjoy about writing this book? What was challenging for you?

Annette: I loved researching and learning so much more about frogs, because really my knowledge was fairly limited until then. My own knowledge was also my biggest challenge because I had so much to learn!

Images of what frogs eat

Ann: I’m impressed by the design and format of the book. Sections start with a question like “How do frogs eat?” followed by text, stunning photos, and an illustrated aside. How much of the design of the book did you participate in?

Annette: When I pitched the first book in the series, Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls, I stated that I wanted the book to be photo illustrated in addition to art sidebars where I add humor. With that pattern established early on, there weren’t many surprises with Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs. Other than an occasional suggestion to include a photograph of a certain frog species, my design support was minimal.

Ann: You’ve written a lot of books! What is your writing routine like and how do you stay motivated?

Annette: Yes! By the end of this year I will have written more than 40 books. (The longest was 50,000 words. The shortest 250 words.) I don’t write every day, but I do write most days! When I have a hard time staying focused, I set aside a day to just focus on my writing process. So on those days, I don’t want to answer email, fold laundry, or post on social media. On Writing Days, I hunker down and just write!

Ann: What’s your origin story? How did you become a children’s book author?

I began blogging to share my child’s progress overcoming a speech disorder called apraxia. Before long, I realized I wanted to write more, so I took some writing classes and had a few published articles. A few years later I was reading The Chronicles of Narnia with my kids. We had a companion guide called Roar! to go with it. That’s when I realized I wanted to write a book like that: A book about a book—for kids. Soon I was working on The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-by-Chapter Guide and attending writing conferences.

Ann: What’s next for you? What do your fans (me included!) have to look forward to next?

This year I have a few more state books in the Who HQ series that will release including Where Is Missouri?, Where Is Minnesota?, and Where Is Wisconsin? I’m also working on a proposal for a historic nonfiction book—but I don’t have a contract yet!

Maybe I’ll have more news to share soon! I think facts are fun, so that’s my big focus. You can keep up with me with my monthly newsletter at https://substack.com/@annettewhipple. I also use social media! On Facebook and Instagram, find me @AnnetteWhippleBooks. At Twitter/X and BluSky, I’m @AnnetteWhipple. My website is full of articles for curious teachers, families, and writers. https://www.annettewhipple.com/

Ann McCallum Staats is a former teacher and award-winning author. Her latest books are Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants illustrated by Zoë Ingram and A Quilt of Stars, co-written with astronaut Karen Nyberg and illustrated by Alida Massari. Ann loves to follow her curiosity and share what she finds with others. Find out more at www.annmccallumbooks.com

 

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