Posts Tagged nonfiction

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).

______________________________________________________________________________

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.

 

Back to Top

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!

************************************************************************************************************************

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

 

Back to Top

STEM Tuesday — Serendipity Science — In the Classroom

By on June 8, 2021   /   Serendipity Science, STEM Tuesday  

 

 

This month’s book list highlights of my most favorite aspect of science –Serendipity! Why is it my favorite? Because while everyone may say science is exact, it is anything but that. Scientists conduct do research, make hypotheses, and then conduct experiments. Many times, the results they get are not what they anticipated in the first place. But that doesn’t mean they are wrong. Perhaps they have just discovered a new element, product, or created a brand new drug that will change the world (Alexander Fleming and penicillin)… accidentally!

 

While you most likely aren’t crazy about the idea of letting your students just do experiments without guidelines in your classroom on the off chance they will discover something amazing,  one of the best ways to introduce them to this topic is to introduce them to Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones, illustrated by John O’Brien or Accidental Inventions: The Chance Discoveries That Changed Our Lives by Birgit Krols

 

Mistakes that Worked book cover

Accidental Inventions Book cover

 

Classroom Activities: Split the class up into four to six small groups. Have each group pick one or two inventions and discuss them amongst themselves. Write out what they think is the turning point in the discovery? Ie. When did the scientist realize what they did was not a failure but a success? And then how did they turn their product into something that was marketable? Each group can make a poster or give a talk about their invention and inventors to the rest of the class. Class discussion can focus on HOW it was turned into an invention that became a product to be sold or used. (Hint: this also teaches a bit of economics.)

Here are a few resources for students to use:

https://www.upcounsel.com/blog/how-to-turn-your-invention-ideas-into-products

https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/299456

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8773-turn-your-idea-into-a-product.html

 

How To Become An Accidental Genius

Have Students that want to invent something to change the world? Have them read through How To Become An Accidental Genius by Frieda Wishinsky, Elizabeth MacLeod, illustrated by Jenn Playford. This is a fabulous book for teaching kids HOW to become an inventor.

Classroom Activity:

This can be done in groups, pairs, or individually. Have students come up with their own invention. Use the steps in this book to develop a plan which contains the following

  • Have them outline what their invention is
  • How it will be used
  • List the materials they’ll need to create it
  • Design and draw it
  • Develop a method for the experiment and creation
  • Discuss what they’ll do if they have to make changes
  • How will they market it

Then have them present it to the class. My guess is, you’ll have some pretty amazing inventions! Kids are very creative and ingenious. This could be a fun thing to share with other classes or for a STEM night at school.

Resources:

Show them this  video to be inspired by REAL  kids who came up with their own inventions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiuU1mlFeEc

iKids — The Inventive Kids site is a place where children and adults can learn about inventors and inventions, and their own creative potential! https://inventivekids.com/

 

 

The OTHER part of Serendipity Science is when someone stumbles on a great scientific or technological find. Science is a made up of curiosity, perseverance, and yes, luck. Sometimes the best discovery happens when you are in the right place at the right time.

One of my favorite books that showcases how anyone can make discoveries is Sarah Albee’s Accidental Archeologist. This book is chock full of discoveries made, well, accidentally.

 

Accidental Archaeology by Sarah Albee

Classroom activity: Have the kids read through the table of contents, just to get an idea of what was discovered. They can then pick a chapter and read through as a group or individuals. Make a list of the following

  • How the discovery was made
  • Where the person was when it happened
  • What was the person doing?
  • Where they looking for something else and made this discovery instead?

Then have the students think about something they might  have discovered accidentally? Have they ever found a penny on the sidewalk? Discovered a fossil? Picked up a rock that didn’t belong with the other ones? Seen an animal that is normally nocturnal (out at night) during the day? All of these are accidental discoveries. By paying attention to the world around them, maybe one day they could make a BIG discovery like the people in Albee’s book.

 

Resources:  https://www.history.com/news/7-historical-treasures-discovered-by-accident

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/10/found-by-accident-some-of-the-worlds-inadvertent-archaeological-discoveries/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aohkBc9GuLw

 

Hope you  have fun with this month’s topic!

 

******************************************************************************

 

Jennifer Swanson is the award-winning author of over 45 books for kids, mostly about STEM and STEAM. She is the founder of the STEM Tuesday blog and STEAM Team Books. She has a cool podcast for kids and families called        Solve IT! for Kids— check it out!  You can discover more about Jennifer and book her for events at her website:  www.JenniferSwansonbooks.com

Back to Top