STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday– Chemistry– Book List
February 3, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

Chemistry is everywhere! It helps us understand how the world works. Explore many aspects of chemistry with biographies, a cookbook, a graphic novel, a study guide, amazing true tales, and several fascinating informational texts! Who Was George Washington Carver? by Jim Gigliotti This book introduces Carver, a famous American agricultural scientist, educator, and scientist. Born into slavery in 1864, Carver became the first Black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and then its first Black professor. His research with plants which focused largely on peanuts, revolutionized Southern agriculture. Maria Orosa Freedom Fighter: Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines by Norma Olizon-Chikiamco This book shares the inspiring biography of a remarkable woman who studied chemistry and pharmaceutical science and created super-nutritious foods to save the lives of many people in the Philippines during a time of crisis. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements: The Powers, Uses, and Histories of Every Atom in the Universe by Lisa Congdon Learn about all...
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STEM Tuesday Author Interview: Jasmine Ting
January 27, 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! Today, we’re interviewing Jasmine Ting, author of Forests in Danger (A True Book: The Earth at Risk). The book explores forests around the world and invites kids to learn how climate change is impacting these biomes and what we can all do to protect these ecosystems! Andi: What forest fact that you learned surprised you the most? For me, it was the sheer number of insect species in the Amazon rainforest! Jasmine: I think the fact that 25% of the world’s modern medicines come from rainforest plants surprised me. I feel like we’re all so used to this idea that medicine is produced in laboratories and those types of environments that we forget—many of the things we have come from nature. Though, of course, Indigenous people who safeguard these forests are very well...
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STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — Writing Tips & Resources
January 20, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

Hello, and welcome back to STEM Tuesday’s Writing Tips and Resources. I’m Stephanie. The intersection of trees and writing is a well-traversed one. I’ve been meaning to write about it for years, to really analyze the motif across children’s literature. Trees are symbolic of many nouns… people, places, things, and ideas. At least for me, trees invoke feelings of magic, wonder, stability, and safety. I feel confident in surmising the same is true of others; otherwise, why are they so prevalent in these writings? As an English major, Sigmund Freud captured my attention because of his essay The Interpretation of Dreams which in my humble opinion—along with The Uncanny—remains his most relevant work informing literary analysis. In the former essay, he explored the significance of dream-elements in proportion to each other. In terms of story (the supposed dream), and in service of the writing craft, how could his insights become...
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STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — In the Classroom
January 13, 2026 by STEM Tuesday

Trees are some of nature’s most amazing creations! Around the world, trees of all sizes and shapes are the heart of forest ecosystems. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, stabilize soil, and serve as essential habitat and food sources for countless species. In these books, readers can take a walk through a number of different forests across the globe and join scientists and naturalists as they discover many amazing secrets of some remarkable trees. They make a great starting point for classroom discussions and activities! Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Trees by Patricia Daniels Introductory pages include “what is a tree?” and provide lessons for recognizing leaves. Each tree entry includes a photo of the entire tree and a close-up of the leaves or needles, flowers, nuts, cones, or fruit. Special features and “fun facts” make this more than just an ordinary field guide. Classroom Activity – Tree...
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