Posts Tagged middle-grade nonfiction

In Honor of Memorial Day

By on May 27, 2024   /   Book Lists  

Memorial Day roots were grown in the aftermath of the Civil War, in the late 1860’s. As the war claimed more lives than any other conflict in American history, it was necessary to establish national cemeteries. Many communities began honoring our fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers on May 30. Decoration Day grew into Memorial Day, celebrated on the fourth Monday of May.

In recognition of this history, I thought it appropriate to share a handful of titles about the Civil War for middle-grade readers.

Bull Run written by Paul Fleischman

Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children’s Book

In this brilliant fictional tour de force, which the New York Times called “a deft, poignant novel,” Newbery Medal-winning author Paul Fleischman re-creates the first great battle of the Civil War from the points of view of sixteen participants.

Northern and Southern, male and female, white and black.

Here are voices that tell of the dreams of glory, the grim reality, the hopes, horror, and folly of a nation discovering the true nature of war.

A Soldier’s Heart written by Gary Paulsen

 

In June 1861, when the Civil War began, Charley Goddard enlisted in the First Minnesota Volunteers. He was 15. He didn’t know what a “shooting war” meant or what he was fighting for. But he didn’t want to miss out on a great adventure.

The “shooting war” turned out to be the horror of combat and the wild luck of survival; how it feels to cross a field toward the enemy, waiting for fire. When he entered the service he was a boy. When he came back he was different; he was only 19, but he was a man with “soldier’s heart,” later known as “battle fatigue.”

 

Shades of Gray written by Carolyn Reeder

In the aftermath of the Civil War, recently orphaned Will must start a new life and overcome his prejudices.

Courage wears many faces…

The Civil War may be over, but for twelve-year-old Will Page, the pain and bitterness haven’t ended. How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?

And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will’s uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.

At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor–or at least a coward.

But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man.

And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.

Last in a Long Line of Rebels written by Lisa Lewis Tyre

Sheila Turnage meets Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie in this debut about a small town and a young girl who discovers some old family secrets.

Lou might be only twelve, but she’s never been one to take things sitting down. So when her Civil War-era house is about to be condemned, she’s determined to save it—either by getting it deemed a historic landmark or by finding the stash of gold rumored to be hidden nearby during the war. As Lou digs into the past, her eyes are opened when she finds that her ancestors ran the gamut of slave owners, renegades, thieves and abolitionists. Meanwhile, some incidents in her town show her that many Civil War era prejudices still survive and that the past can keep repeating itself if we let it. Digging into her past shows Lou that it’s never too late to fight injustice, and she starts to see the real value of understanding and exploring her roots.

 

The Girls of Gettysburg written by Bobbi Miller

A gripping historical novel in which the fates of three young girls collide amidst the chaos of the American Civil War.

Disguised as a boy, thirteen-year-old Annie Gordon becomes a soldier and joins the Portsmouth Rifles of the 9th Virginia Infantry as they march north to Gettysburg.Tillie Pierce, the frivolous fourteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy merchant finds herself surrounded by a vicious battle, destroying her romanticized notion of war.Defiantly, Grace Bryan and her father refuse to flee with the other free black citizens of Gettysburg, who fear the rebels will arrest them as fugitive slaves, determined to help othersEverything comes to a head on the final day of the battle with Pickett’s Charge, the suicidal Confederate assault on Gettysburg, when the lives of the three girls–a Yankee, a rebel and a freed slave–are linked and forever changed.Bobbi Miller’s well-researched novel draws on actual accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg, weaving an unforgettable tale of the tragedies and triumphs, the humanity, heartache, and heroism of this Civil War battle. Told in fast-paced chapters with alternating points of view, The Girls of Gettysburg is a fascinating glimpse at the different worlds that existed, side by side, in this tumultuous moment. Perfect for introducing young readers to the complexities of the Civil War, and the ways in which our experiences shape our lives.
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STEM Tuesday — Renewable Energy — Writing Tips & Resources

By on May 21, 2024   /   Renewable Energy, STEM Tuesday  

Renewable Creative Energy

STEM Tuesday friends, I was creatively tired. Drained. The well was dry. Etc., etc., etc. It’s been a wild couple of months in which I feel I’ve been running full tilt on a treadmill not going anywhere. The battery was drained. 

There’s a definition of energy derived from Aristotle and his concept of enérgeia.

Energy is a condition that allows the capacity to do work.

I needed some renewable energy. I need the capacity to do my work.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.

This little nugget is the Law of Conservation of Energy. 

Ah, but since energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another, I couldn’t just wave a magic wand and create the “Best STEM Tuesday Post of All Time” I dreamt of making. 

I needed some renewable energy. But how? There’s no Creative Energy section in any of my local stores, there were a few TikToks that were of no help at all, and, unbelievably, Amazon doesn’t list anything relevant to my problem. 

I was at a loss.

In utter creative despair, I snapped the laptop lid closed, fell to my knees, and reached, like Tim Robbins after his escape in The Shawshank Redemption, to the creative spirits of the universe in a plea for help. Sadly, the creative spirits of the universe did not answer. So I got off the office floor, went outside to fill the bird feeders, and then took the dog for a walk. Signs of early spring were everywhere. Birds, buds, and lilacs. Daffodils, tulips, and a soft breeze. 

The creative battery notched a level up. 

I felt a thaw in the ice floe jamming my creative brain (For a little brain science, here’s a link to my post, Creative Braining). I had an urge to go to the library. I picked up my two grandsons (5 and 3 years old, respectively) and we descended with great enthusiasm to the children’s floor in the basement of our library. Their energy was contagious. I scoured the shelves and found a half dozen awesome picture books to use for illustrator studies. 

With great excitement, we hauled our stacks of books from the library and to the truck to take home. I was fired up to return to my office, read the books I’d checked out, and then add sticky notes to mark the illustrations I wanted to draw for illustrator studies.

With little effort, the creative battery reached an almost full charge. Turns out, all I needed was to take a step back from the work and redirect to a renewable creative energy source. Nature and libraries. Two great sources of renewable creative energy. Bingo!

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another.

The Law of Conservation of Energy. 

It means energy comes at a price, even the forms of renewable energy listed in this month’s fabulous STEM Tuesday Renewable Energy book list. The trick for humanity at this critical point in environmental history is to transition to creating energy that minimizes the negative impact on the environment while still providing the energy to fuel our lifestyles.

We all know it’s important to develop renewable energy strategies for the environment. It’s also vital to develop strategies to renew creative energy. Find what works and when that doesn’t work, try something different. Expand the lens that feeds your creative brain. Be curious. 

As for that Best STEM Tuesday Post of All Time? You might have to wait on that one for a while longer. 

 

Bellatheblond, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Mike Hays has worked hard from a young age to be a well-rounded individual. A well-rounded, equal-opportunity sports enthusiast, that is. If they keep a score, he’ll either watch it, play it, or coach it. A molecular microbiologist by day, middle-grade author, sports coach, and general good citizen by night, he blogs about sports/training-related topics at  www.coachhays.com and writer stuff at  www.mikehaysbooks.com. Two of his science essays, The Science of Jurassic Park and Zombie Microbiology 101, are included in the Putting the Science in Fiction collection from Writer’s Digest Books. He can be found roaming around the X under the guise of @coachhays64 and on Instagram at @mikehays64.

 

The O.O.L.F Files

This month’s version of the O.O.L.F.(Out of Left Field) Files explores a spectrum of renewable energy information. From DIY to corporate plans to how the word “energy” came to be, you can check it all out at the links below.

Renewable Energy (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy)

Microsoft’s Emissions and Water Use Shoot Up As It Goes All In on AI (via Futurism)

What is renewable energy? (kids.earth.org)

The renewable energy movement must have corporate involvement. This may take time and involve the consumer holding them accountable for their promises and PR on renewable energy.

Natural Resource Distribution Video for Kids (GenerationGenius) 

DIY Renewable Energy

The History of the Word “Energy” (Energy Fundamentals from the University of Leipzig)

 

Florian Gerlach (Nawaro), CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

 

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STEM Tuesday — Renewable Energy — In the Classroom

By on May 14, 2024   /   Renewable Energy, STEM Tuesday  

 

How will renewable energy be part of our future? These books explore different sources of renewable energy and how they are being used today and in the future. The possibilities are endless for energy-filled classroom discussions and activities!

Energy Lab for Kids: 40 Exciting Experiments to Explore, Create, Harness, and Unleash Energy by Emily Hawbaker, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Energy lab for kids: 40 exciting experiments to explore, create, harness, and unleash energy

by Emily Hawbacker

Do you want to know about the different types of energy and how they help us in our everyday lives? Potential, kinetic, chemical, radiant and thermal energy: they affect us daily. This book provides activities that explore the different components of energy: from what it is, to how it’s discovered and used, and how we can save it. If you like hands-on fun, this is the book for you!

 

Classroom Activity

How much energy do you use? Ask students to track their energy use for 24 hours. Have them write down the activity, type of energy used, time spent using energy, and where they used it. Using this information, have students answer the following questions:

  1. How many minutes of energy did you use in total?
  2. What activities used the most energy?
  3. What surprises you about your energy use?
  4. Why is it important to understand your energy use?

Have students brainstorm three ways they can conserve energy in their daily life. What changes will they have to make? How easy will it be to implement these changes?

 

See related product detailThe Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader’s Edition

written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, illustrated by Anna Hymas

An exciting memoir of a boy living in a drought-stricken village in Malawi, who builds a windmill from scrap, with the help of science books at the school library, and brings electricity to his home to pump water for crops.

 

Classroom Activity

After reading about William Kamkwamba’s windmill, students can harness their creativity to design and built wind-powered cars. A basic wind car design has a base, wheels, and a sail. Have students sketch a design for their wind car. Next, students can brainstorm easy-to-find materials they can use to build their cars. What will they use to build the base? The wheels? The sail? Have students gather the materials and attempt to build their design. What adjustments, if any, do they need to make to the initial design? Once the cars are built, test how well they capture wind power. Which designs perform the best? Why?

 

Green Energy

by Jasmine Ting

Have you ever considered the energy we use to power our lives? Our houses, our tablets, our handheld games and phones all require it. That won’t stop anytime soon. What scientists want to do is find sustainable energy that will lead us to a green future. This book explains what green energy is, the types of green energy available to us, and how each is put to work for us through technological innovations.

 

 

Classroom Activity

What types of renewable energy are being used in your community? Have students form small groups to research renewable energy use. How could renewable energy sources replace fossil fuels in the community? What types of renewable energy would be the easiest to implement? What types would be the most difficult? How and where would the renewable energy be used? Have each group prepare a presentation that highlights their renewable energy recommendations for the community.

 

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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on Twitter @carlawrites.

 

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