STEM

Science Notebooks – A Solution for End of the Year Exhaustion

By on May 25, 2026   /   STEM, Teacher Tips   /   Leave a comment

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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Interview with Author Karen Latchana Kenney and her book: Fascinating Fungi and a Giveaway!

By on October 10, 2025   /   Articles, STEM  
Fascinating Fungi book

I am delighted to welcome one of our very own Mixed-up Files and STEM Tuesday members for her new release!

A huge welcome to Karen Latchana Kenney!

 

Karen Latchana Kenney

 

Karen Latchana Kenney is an Indian-Irish children’s author, born near the equator in Guyana, and raised far north in Minnesota. She writes both fiction and nonfiction stories about immigrant and biracial experiences, scientific wonders and discoveries, momentous historical events, and civil rights struggles.

Her books have received several starred reviews and have been named a 2025 Minnesota Book Awards Finalist, 2025 Pedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Awards Finalist, 2023 Mathical Book Prize Honor, YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Book of Note from the TriState Review Committee. She lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with her family, where they explore all the wild places they can find.

 

Her newest book is a star-studded look at… FUNGI!

(The book received THREE stars from major reviewers. Congrats, Karen!!)

Fascinating Fungi book

 

Kirkus (starred review): An extraordinarily well-researched, well-presented, and visually appealing book on a fascinating subject.

Booklist (starred review) : Highly recommended to seasoned “fungi-philes” and those unfamiliar with the threading marvels.— Sharon Rawlins

School Library Journal (starred review): VERDICT A thoroughly researched, visually appealing, and reader-friendly title that brings the hidden world of fungi to life—highly recommended for all collections. –Jenna LaBollita

 

 

Thanks so much for joining us here today to talk about your awesome new STEM book for kids, Karen!

JS: What drew you to writing about fungi? 

KK: It was a really strange mushroom I found in my garden—one I’d never seen before. One day there was a giant puffball growing on its own, all of a sudden it was there. So, I started investigating and learning more about this mushroom that puffs clouds of spores into the air and I wanted to know more and more. I watched some incredible documentaries too, like Fantastic Fungi, and then I knew I wanted to write a book about these fascinating organisms.

 

JS: How did you figure out the organization of this topic? 

KK: There was so much to tell that it was hard to whittle down the topics, but I really wanted to showcase all of the amazing qualities of different kinds of fungi. I thought it was important to start off with a biological background and then move into different aspects of how they look, what they can do for people, and then what they can do within nature. Two chapters, “The Beauties” and “The Oddities,” were especially fun to write. They highlight all the beautiful and unusual forms fungi can take, including the terrifying Bleeding Tooth fungus that oozes a red liquid to the brilliant green Parrot Waxcap covered in slime.

 

JS: It seems like this is something many people don’t know, but how important are fungi to our world? 

KK: They are incredibly important. I don’t think we even know yet how important and pervasive they are yet. They nourish the soil, connect plants, provide food for all kinds of creatures, and decompose all kinds of materials. Without fungi, leaf litter and plant debris would pile up to make a thick layer covering our planet. Scientists are discovering different ways they can restore our planet as well—from breaking down plastics to cleaning toxic sites and water, and much more.

 

JS: Can you give us three intriguing fun facts that you learned while writing this book? 

KK:

  1. A bioluminescent fungus was used to illuminate the controls in America’s first combat submarine, called the Turtle, during the Revolutionary War.
  2. That fungi are genetically and biologically more like people and other animals than they are like plants.
  3. The concept of “wet computing” or wetware, which uses biological components along with hardware to create living, adaptable computers. A researcher I interviewed in England, Dr. Adam Adamatzky, is experimenting with fungi to create these kind of computing devices.

 

JS: What would you like readers to get out of this book?

KK: A sense of wonder about these organisms they may never have really thought about before, and a respect for the complexity and beauty of the natural world.

 

JS: How would you like teachers/librarians to use this book?

KK: I think this book would be perfect for science research or kids interested in ecology or biology.

 

JS: Can you give any tips to writers who want to break into nonfiction children’s books?

KK: Read the top nonfiction books out there and study how writers craft trade nonfiction. It’s filled with fictional elements that add so much interest. Having a great, high-interest angle is important. Also talk to experts in the area you are writing about. I often get the best research tips from the experts I interview.

 

JS: What are you working on now? 

KK: I’m working on a really exciting, top-secret STEM picture book right now!

That sounds fabulous, Karen. We can’t wait to read that one. Thanks for sharing about your new STEM book. Everyone go check out Karen’s website HERE for more of her fabulous books!

 

Want a chance to WIN a Copy of Karen’s New Book? She is doing a giveaway at Goodreads. Click HERE to enter!

 

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