Posts Tagged book clubs

STEM Tuesday — STEM in Sports– Book List

By on July 6, 2021   /   STEM in Sports, STEM Tuesday  

If all goes well, the Summer Olympics will begin with an opening ceremony on July 23 in Tokyo, Japan. Just as vital as the athletes competing in Olympic sports are the scientists and engineers behind the equipment and technology used in those sports.

Sports Science & Technology in the Real World by Janet Slingerland

Discover how scientists, engineers, and mathematicians are using science to help athletes – and how this same technology is being used in everyday applications. This book provides a peek into the cutting-edge technology being developed and includes primary source sidebars and discussion questions. 

Super Gear: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up by Jennifer Swanson

Nanotechnology and sports? Using a fun voice, easily understood analogies, and great graphics, this book explores the molecular properties of nanoparticles and the amazing developments that scientists have made in using harnessing them to improve the clothing, shoes, and equipment of athletes. Side bars and “Science in Action!” experiments help demonstrate and explain this cutting-edge science.

The 12 Biggest Breakthroughs in Sports Technology by Janet Slingerland

This book puts the “E” in Stem. Individual chapters focus on topics such as motion capture tech and engineered fibers to improvements in equipment. Some tech allows players the advantage of playing winter sports in non-traditional climates, while other tech brings the sports closer to spectators. And some – such as instant replay – have changed how the events unfold on the field.

STEM in Sports: Engineering by Tim Newcomb [Series – Science (by Jim Gigliotti), Technology & Math (by James Buckley, JR).

From increasing brain speed and reaction time to high-tech clothing and improved protection devices, engineering helps athletes in sports. This book also examines engineering’s role in designing stadiums, fields, arenas, and specialized equipment. It includes “Text-dependent questions” and research projects.

Learning STEM From Baseball: How Does A Curveball Curve? And Other Amazing Answers for Kids! by Marne Ventura

Numerous sciences play a role in baseball. From physics to virtual reality, engineering to woodworking this book does a great job of introducing many of the ways science, math, and technology have interacted throughout baseball’s history. The in-depth endnotes offer great resources for further exploration.

STEM In Sports: [Snowboarding/Hockey/Soccer/Football/Figure Skating/Baseball/Basketball/Auto Racing] (multiple authors)

This photo-illustrated series examines the unique STEM elements involved in 8 different sports, including – Auto Racing (drag, telemetry, speed, and engineered safety barriers and banking), Figure Skating (friction, momentum, motion, software, and math), and Snowboarding (gravity, friction, kinetic energy, and engineered equipment and courses).

Science Behind Sports: [Equestrian/Wrestling/Taekwondo/Gymnastics/Surfing/Skiing/Ice Hockey/ Cycling/Soccer/Football/ Basketball/Baseball/Snowboarding](multiple authors)

Using photos, graphs, charts & illustrations, each of the 13 books in the series explores in-depth the origins, rules, biomechanics, and equipment engineering of each sport. As well as how various sciences are used in the individual sports, such as Equestrian (physics [motion/ weight/gravity], environmental factors, genetics, and psychology), Gymnastics (physics [planes of motion/momentum/friction], mathematics, medical, and psychology), and Surfing (physics [motion/gravity/torque/buoyancy], atmospheric science, and medical). 

The Secret Science of Sports: The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick by Jennifer Swanson (releases July 21st)

Believe it or not, every sport involves science, from physics (laws of motion and balance) and biology (body and brain science) to technology (equipment and clothing) and math (statistics and vectors). With a conversational tone, graphics, fun experiments, and an examination of the strategic elements of each, this engaging book looks at a wide range of sports from baseball, swimming, wrestling, tennis, and lacrosse, as well as many others.

STEM Jobs in Sports by Rick Raymos

This book explains the roles which nutritionists, statisticians, sports engineers, athletic shoe designers, sports doctor/team physicians, dieticians, and athletic software engineers play in sports. It includes “STEM in Action” activities for each profession and culminates in “job fact sheets.”

Sports Medicine: Science, Technology, Engineering by Josh Gregory

Following a quick look at early medicine and technological breakthroughs, this photo-illustrated book delves into the medical professionals, technologies, diagnostics, and surgical procedures which prevent and repair sports injuries. It also offers medical “career stats.” 

The Book of Wildly Spectacular Sports Science: 54 All-Star Experiments by Sean Connolly

Seven fun chapters examine the science around 32 sports, the usual suspects as well as others like trampolines, pole vaulting, hang gliding, and sailing. Using a conversational vernacular and comic-like illustrations, each entry explains an aspect of the sport then sets up an experiment, using sports puns – The Lineup (ingredients), Play Ball! (experiment), Two-minute warning (special advice), and So-Mo Replay (explanation of the science).

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Author Sue Heavenrich

Sue Heavenrich writes about science for children and their families, from space to backyard ecology. Bees, flies, squirrel behavior—things she observes in her neighborhood and around her home—inspire her writing. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com.

Writer Maria Marshall

Maria Marshall is a children’s author, blogger, and poet passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. She’s been a judge for the Cybils Awards from 2017 to present. And a judge for the #50PreciousWords competition since its inception. Her poems are published in The Best Of Today’s Little Ditty 2017-2018, 2016, and 2014-2015 anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com.

 

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Get Your Summer Science On with STEM Tuesday!

By on June 29, 2021   /   STEM Tuesday  

Did you know that the ‘S’ in Summer stands for Science?  Okay, maybe it doesn’t,  but we here at STEM Tuesday think that it should!

So when you have days where your kids are wondering what to do or ask tons of questions about how things work, dive into our archives. We have posts on practically every STEM topic (and if we don’t have a topic you want, leave us a comment to suggest it). We have TONS of ways to keep your kids engaged, excited, and inspired about all things STEM/STEAM. After all, science is all around you.

Just go to our home page HERE and use the drop down menu to search for the topic you want.

 

 

 

 

 

Click on the tab indicated by the red arrow above. There are SO MANY topics to choose from.

Here are just a few to get you started.

 

 

 

 

 ACTIVITIES with ANIMALS

Have kids that love BIRDS? Check out this post HERE about How to Build a Birdhouse, Make a Bird Feeder and even start a Bird Journal by Janet Slingerland Hammond has LOTS of great stuff for current or future birders

If your kids love elephants and want to learn more, you won’t want to miss this interview with author Patricia Newman about her Eavesdropping on Elephants book.  This interview by Mary Kay Carson is sure to get kids interested. You can even have them listen to Elephant sounds at the Elephant Listening Project HERE

OR if your kids want to experience what it’s like to be a REAL scientist and do some Field Work, check out this post by Heather L. Montgomery about creating your own Field Journal. It’s SO COOL!

And of course, don’t miss the awesome list about Books that relate to Field Work. Download and take it with you to your next library outing.  Nancy Castaldo and Patricia Newman did a great job compiling this extensive list

 

FUN with Exploration!  

Perhaps your child is interested in learning more about how humans explore the universe. All types of exploration– from the depths of the ocean to the extreme regions of space (and everything in between)– is found in our fun topics!

Start out with this great list of Exploration books here

Then move to this post by Carolyn DeCristofano which gives tips for kids to explore on their own.

Want to learn more about women in space? Check out this awesome interview post by Christine Taylor Butler with author Tanya Lee Stone and her book Almost Astronauts: 12 Women Who Dared to Dream.

Learn about the teams of scientists and engineers that make space travel possible from this post by Mike Hays.

Exploration is not just space and the ocean, but also dinosaurs and fossils. Check out this awesome book list by Sue Heavenrich and Maria Marshall for books all about paleontology and archaeology.

Karen Latchana Kenney has a FABULOUS post with activities for that junior paleontologist in your house!

 

Diversity in STEM/STEAM

STEM/STEAM works best when people of all backgrounds contribute and collaborate on projects. A good knowledge of just how important it is for everyone to participate in STEM is a great reminder to all of us. Take a look at some of these posts to see how that happens.

Kirsten W. Larson does a great job of showing us the author’s purpose in writing a book about STEM/STEAM in this post. What were they really thinking? What point of view were they trying to get across? This is a great discussion for a rainy day or dinner table activity.

Looking for fun activities to do with STEM books that highlight diversity? Carla Mooney has a wonderful list of activities in this post 

And don’t miss this fantastic interview by Mary Kay Carson with Catherine Thimmesh, author of Girls Think Of Everything
Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

 

And finally, where would STEM/STEAM be without an Epic Achiement or Fantastic Failure?

Kids of all ages need to understand that regardless of whether you succeed or “fail”, in STEM/STEAM its all about the process and learning from your outcome.

Take a look at this post by me (Jennifer Swanson) where I discuss one of my most epic failures  in my career and how I learned from it. Use this as a discussion topic for your dinner table or just to have fun with your kids to see what they have learned from their mistakes.

 

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE ON THE STEM TUESDAY SITE!

Take a look. If you don’t see a topic you’re interested in, let us know. Leave a comment below or send us an email at stemmuf@gmail.com

Have a GREAT SUMMER!

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Jennifer Swanson  is the award-winning author of over 35 books for kids, mostly about science, technology, and engineering. She loves learning new things but still cannot make a plate of agar correctly the first time. But she keeps trying!  You can find her at www. JenniferSwansonBooks.com   Check out her awesome podcast for kids  Solve It for Kids! www.solveitforkids.com

 

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STEM Tuesday — Geology — Interview with Author Jennifer Swanson

By on May 25, 2021   /   Geology, STEM Tuesday  

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview & Book Giveaway, a repeating feature for the fourth Tuesday of every month.Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Jennifer Swanson, author of recently released OUTDOOR SCHOOL: Rock, Fossil, and Shell Hunting. In a shining starred review, Kirkus says it’s a “stellar guide that engages readers with rocks, minerals, fossils, and shells.”

Mary Kay Carson: How did you come to write Rock, Fossil, and Shell Hunting?

Jennifer Swanson: I wrote this book because the publisher reached out to me to ask me to write it. That happens sometimes when you are a STEM nonfiction author. The publisher comes up with an amazing idea and then they look for an author to write the book. Why did they ask me? Well, probably because of my background as an author of STEM books for kids, but also because I am a huge fan of science and the outdoors. I grew up with a creek in my backyard and practically spent my entire childhood running around outside along the creek, climbing trees, tromping in the forest, and much more. Writing this book was awesome! because it helped me to relive my childhood in a lot of ways.

There is a whole Outdoor School series! Check out the other two amazing books: Outdoor School: Hiking and Camping by Jennifer Pharr Davis and Haley Blevins, and as you know, Outdoor School: Animal Watching by Mary Kay Carson. If you have kids who love the outdoors, these three books are a must. Kids of all ages will find themselves armed with tons of maps, tips, and tricks to explore the outdoors like never before. If you want to continue the fun, draw images of what you see, organize the collections that you gather, and get to the library to look for more fun books about these topics.

MKC: The book is billed as “The Definitive Guide” and is 440 pages. What was researching it like?

Jennifer: As I mentioned before, I spent  my childhood outside, so I guess you could say that I’ve been researching this book my whole life. But to be more specific, with a book this long, there is a lot of research. I got very familiar with adult field guides of rocks, fossils, and shells (those are very big books, if I do say so myself). And then I wrote the experiments and actually did them. I mean you have to make sure they will work, right? The writing part took a lot of time, as did the editing. We had to go over each illustration to make sure it accurately represented every rock, fossil, and shell in it. Plus, I added in some safety notes throughout as well as suggestions for where to go to find all of these amazing objects to add to your collection.

MKC: Were you a rock or shell collector as a kid? Are you still?

Jennifer: Yes! I collected them all, or tried to anyway. I had a ton of rocks as a kid and shells, too. I never did find a dinosaur fossil, though. Isn’t that the goal of every kid? But I did get close (sort of). I found a cow skull when I was eight. It was the prize centerpiece of the science club I had in my garage. As an adult, I don’t collect as many rocks, fossils, or shells, as I realize that they are important parts of the ecosystem. So while I look for them, I usually leave them in place in the wild.

MKC: To whom did you imagine yourself writing to while drafting this book?

Jennifer Swanson is the award-winning author of over 35 children’s books, including Brain Games, Super Gear, Astronaut-Aquanaut, and Save the Crash-test Dummies. A self-professed science geek, she started a science club in her garage when she was 7 years old. When not researching cool STEM stuff or writing about it, you can find her walking along the beach with her husband and her dogs, looking for shells. jenniferswansonbooks.com

Jennifer:  Like all my books, I write my books for kids who love science, engineering and the outdoors. For me, writing STEM/STEAM books is about having a conversation with a young reader. It’s about getting them excited about the topic so that they get curious, ask questions, and want to explore more on their own. I love including fun facts so that my readers say, “Wow! I didn’t know that.”  The target audience is kids ages 10-14 years, but really it’s a great book for kids of all ages (yes, that means adults, too). If you love the outdoors or just want to get more familiar with it, this book is awesome for just that!

MKC: Could you give us a peek into your process by sharing where you are right now on a current project?

Jennifer: Right now I’m working on my new book, Saving the Amazon which features a team of scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago who work to help countries decide if a certain part of the land in the Amazon should be conserved for national parks or protected lands. The team goes into an area and  inventories everything! from the animals that creep on the land to the birds that fly in the trees to the fish in the waterways, plus the plants and people that live there, too. It’s a fascinating process and one I’m honored to be able to tell kids about. My process is to interview each scientist/expert on the team, look through photos, papers, and other resources they have and then to visit the Field Museum for onsite research. For me, this is one of the most exciting parts about writing the book– doing the research and interacting with the scientists. The book will be published by Charlesbridge Publishing in 2023. I’m so excited about it!

Win a FREE copy of ROCK, FOSSIL, and SHELL HUNTING!

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment below. The randomly-chosen winner will be contacted via email and asked to provide a mailing address (within the U.S. only) to receive the book.

Good luck!

Your host is Mary Kay Carson, author of Wildlife Ranger Action Guide, The Tornado Scientist, Alexander Graham Bell for Kids, Mission to Pluto, and other nonfiction books for kids. @marykaycarson

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