STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday — Astronomy/ Eclipse — Author Interview
April 23, 2024 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’s featured STEM author is Meg Thacher, author of Sky Gazing: a guide to the Moon, Sun, planets, stars, eclipses, constellations (Storey Publishing, 2020). Meg teaches astronomy at Smith College and is the academic director for Smith’s Summer Science & Engineering Program for high school girls. Plus, she writes for kids! Sky Gazing is a fun and fascinating tour of our solar system, with many extra bonus points for its glow-in-the-dark cover! Andi Diehn: The format of your book is slightly unusual – it’s big! Why did your publisher decide to go big with this one? What is it about the content that lends itself to taking up a lot of “space” on the page? (pun intended) Meg Thacher: I think the size (11 by 11 inches), which is similar to many picture books, signals that there will be a lot of illustrations....
Read more →

STEM Tuesday — Astronomy/ Eclipse — Writing Tips & Resources
April 16, 2024 by STEM Tuesday

Astronomy and Poetry The moon, like a flowerIn heaven’s high bower,With silent delight,Sits and smiles on the night.Excerpt from “Night” by William Blake April is National Poetry month so it’s a natural pairing for STE(A)M Tuesday’s astronomy activity blog. This particular post comes after the eclipse, but we can capitalize on the excitement generated by the event. What you’ll find in this post is a history of National Poetry Month founded by the Academy of American Poets, a lesson from NASA “Write A Poem About Space.” Then a couple books about poetry and astronomy. Finally some activities that will take curiosity and learning to a new level and help reinforce communication skills. National Poetry Month Their website says it was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, and celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest...
Read more →

STEM Tuesday — Astronomy/ Eclipse — In the Classroom
April 9, 2024 by STEM Tuesday

What an incredible time to be a young scientist! Yesterday’s total solar eclipse was an exciting and memorable event for students (and adults) across the country. Interest in learning about about eclipses and astronomy in general is at a high. Thankfully, there are a plethora of incredible books on these subjects that students can read and enjoy. These books can be used as a springboard for classroom discussions and activities. Can’t Get Enough Space Stuff: Fun Facts, Awesome Info, Cool Games, Silly Jokes, and More! by Julie Beer and Stephanie Warren Drimmer This highly browsable book is sure to become an instant hit with your students. Chock full of interesting facts, such as the moon isn’t round; it’s egg-shaped, 1 Venus day is equal to 5,832 hours, and astronauts’ sense of taste weakens in space, students will be eager to share these fun tidbits with their friends. And...
Read more →

STEM Tuesday — Astronomy/ Eclipse — Book List
April 2, 2024 by STEM Tuesday

This is an active month for sky-watchers. Not only will the “Great North American Eclipse” happen on April 8, but the night sky will feature a comet that you should be able to view without a telescope. Eclipse Chaser: Science in the Moon’s Shadow (Scientist in the Field) by Ilima Loomis, photos by Amanda Cowan This is a story about the last “Great North American Eclipse” – August 2017 – and how a science team studies eclipses. Not only do they have to find the best place for observing the event, they have a lot of instruments to set up and test prior to the day. Plus, a bagel production line on the morning of the Big Day. Casting Shadows: Solar and Lunar Eclipses with The Planetary Society by Bruce Betts This book uses straightforward language aimed at younger middle grade readers. Beginning with shadows, it then shows how eclipses...
Read more →

Contributors

No results.