STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday (Math) It’s a 2-for!
May 26, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math! This month we’ve got a treat: TWO author interviews for the price of ONE! And, of course, they’re both free. First up, we’ve got Stephanie Gibeault, author of Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities. Andi: Where did you get the idea to write a book about animals and math? Stephanie: In a way, the idea for a book on animals and math stretches back a long time. I studied animal behavior in graduate school and was a founding member of the Comparative Cognition Society. So the way animals think and how that varies between species has always been fascinating to me. Although math wasn’t my favorite subject, even back in grad school I was asking, can’t animals count? Doesn’t a bird know if one of her eggs is missing from the nest? Then, about five years ago, I...
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STEM Tuesday– Math– Writing Tips & Resources
May 19, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

MATH (AND WRITING) IS FOR EVERYONE! As the some of the books in this month’s book list mention, there is a persistent myth that some people are inherently good at math. Others are not. This usually comes hand-in-hand with a narrow idea of what math is and isn’t. These myths are mirrored in writing. Some people “are writers” while others are not. “Real” writing is serious and lengthy. But the truth is that math and writing are both skill sets anyone can learn with patience and persistence. Whether we recognize it or not, we all have our own relationships to both math and writing, our own ways of seeing them. And both are EVERYWHERE! You can find math in the kitchen, supermarket, even the garden: just look at the many patterns of petals beginning to bloom! Writing can be found on signs and in emails, bumper stickers, blogs, and beyond!...
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STEM Tuesday– Math– In the Classroom
May 12, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

You might not realize it, but we use math every day! We use math when playing games, sharing snacks, telling time, shopping, and building things. In these books, readers can practice mathematical tips and strategies, solve logic puzzles, learn about inspirational mathematicians, and more. They make a great starting point for classroom discussion and activities! Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities by Stephanie Gibeault and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett This book explores the remarkable mathematical abilities of five animals: guppies, hyenas, African grey parrots, chimpanzees, and honeybees. This 2025 Mathical Honor Book provides a window into how scientists study animal behavior and number skills. Readers are sure to be fascinated that fish can distinguish between large and small quantities; African grey parrots can represent numbers with symbols; chimpanzees can add; honeybees understand the concept of zero; and hyenas count. Classroom Activity – Animal Math...
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