STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday– Electricity — In the Classroom
December 9, 2025 by STEM Tuesday

See what kind of spark grows in your students’ minds from these interesting classroom activities about electricity—this month’s theme for STEM Tuesday! Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott This graphic novel makes incredible use of the comic format to break down complex systems and abstract concepts into bite-sized explanations. Nott not only explains the science behind our electricity, water, and internet systems, but also illuminates how these systems have encoded and perpetuated some of our human biases…sometimes with devastating consequences. This eye-opening book is sure to make you think differently about the technology you use everyday! Activity Have students pick one of the systems covered in the book: internet, power grid, or waterworks. Tell them to research a famous inventor who was important to the development of that system. Ask them to create presentations about the inventor, including a basic diagram of what that person invented....
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STEM Tuesday– Electricity — Book List
December 2, 2025 by STEM Tuesday

December 2025: It’s Electric! With a mix of scientific information, historical perspectives, and plenty of hands-on projects, this month’s book list illuminates the world of circuits and electrical energy. Get ready to power up and be electrified! Science Comics: Electricity: Energy in Action written and illustrated by Andy Hirsch A dynamic graphic-nonfiction dive into volts, current, and power plants, wrapped in a monster-vs-mech storyline. Vibrant visuals and plenty of detail engage middle-grade readers (ages 9–13), though some heft in the science may require careful reading. A charged mix of education and adventure. Electricity: Circuits, Static, and Electromagnets with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids written by Carmella Van Vleet and illustrated by Micah Rauch A lively and practical introduction to electricity for ages 8–12, this book pairs clear, engaging text with bold illustrations and true hands-on STEM activities. Static, currents,...
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STEM Tuesday– Transportation– Author Interview
November 25, 2025 by 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 Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies. The book discusses how restoring the balance between the primary predator and prey was instrumental in restoring a U.S. park’s ecosystem. This book won a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award!! “Attractively designed and engagingly written—sure to appeal to readers with a taste for the scientific and technical.”—Kirkus Reviews ★ “[An] innovative blend of history, technology, and engineering. . . insightful fun. STEM at its best.”—Booklist, Starred Review Hi Jennifer, Thanks so much for joining us today! ST: Tell us a little bit about Save the Crash-test Dummies and the impetus behind writing it? JS: For an earlier book I was doing, I had to research the self-driving car. At the time, Google was the only one making them. I...
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STEM Tuesday– Transportation– Writing Tips and Resources
November 18, 2025 by STEM Tuesday

Planes, trains, and automobiles. Bikes, scooters, and motorcycles. Boats, snowmobiles, and skateboards. Modes of transportation. Ways to get from one place to another. If we know where we’re going and have a semi-reliable means of transportation, then odds are we will arrive at the intended destination. If we don’t know the way, we can use some form of a map to guide our travels. (Note: I still laugh forty-some years later at how, through the magic of those high school career aptitude tests, it was revealed that the perfect profession for me was as a cartographer. Of course, I had to consult the dictionary to find out what a cartographer actually was. After some consideration and with no clue how to become a cartographer, that plan was quickly scrapped. In hindsight, I question that decision.) Reading is a mode of transportation. Reading takes the reader places. When I read one...
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