Posts Tagged nonfiction

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 — 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!

 

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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

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STEM Tuesday — Serendipity Science — Book List

By on June 1, 2021   /   Serendipity Science, STEM Tuesday  

Do all discoveries, inventions, and innovations require plans and procedures? Nope. Serendipity, a blend of chance and wisdom, play a huge part in many instances. Tales of accidental brilliance are fun to read and show us the part in plays in all of our lives. Here’s a list of books that tell tales of serendipity.

Accidental Archeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries by Sarah Albee

Sarah Albee tells tales of the secret treasures that are found all around us in Accidental Archeologists. Readers will discover many incredible tales in this book of accessible archeology.

Building Blunders: Learning from Bad Ideas by Amie Jane Leavitt 

As a part of the series Fantastic Fails, this book shares building failures that led to learning.

Gadget Disasters: Learning from Bad Ideas by Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan

Another in the Fantastic Fails series, Gadget Disasters introduces readers to gadgets gone wrong and what designers learn from those missteps.

How to Become an Accidental Genius by Freida Wishinsky and Elizabeth MacLeod, Illustrated by Jenn Playford

Yes, you can become an accidental genius too, according to these two authors, who share a series of inspiring tales of global inventors.

Mistakes That Worked: 40 Familiar Inventions and How They Came to Be by Charlotte Foltz Jones, Illustrated by John O’Brien

Readers will find the stories of common things, like potato chips, and their chance invention. Mistakes can lead to success.

Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds by Allison Pearce Stevens, illustrated by Matt Huynh

It’s difficult to believe that rhinos, elephants, and camels once roamed North America. Readers will learn about a startling archeological discovery right in the heart of Nebraska in this book that proved their existence.

All In a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

Lori Alexander tells the fascinating story of self-taught scientist, Antony van Leeuwenhoek’s great discovery.

Accidental Inventions: The Chance Discoveries That Changed Our Lives by Birgit Krols

Here is another book that features the backstories of some of our most important, fun, and useful inventions.

Great Medicine Fails by Barbara Krasner

Can bloodletting with leeches actually lead to a medical success? Read about some of the biggest failures in medicine that led to important success.

Alexander Fleming: Scientists and their Discoveries by Bradley Sneddon

Penicillin is one of the world’s greatest discoveries and has one of the most fascinating stories. Discover how a chance mold contamination led to saving countless lives across the planet.

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Nancy Castaldo has written books about our planet for over 20 years including, THE STORY OF SEEDS, which earned the Green Earth Book Award, Junior Library Guild Selection, and other honors. Nancy’s research has taken her all over the world from the Galapagos to Russia.  She strives to inform, inspire, and empower her readers. Nancy also served as Regional Advisor Emeritus of the Eastern NY SCBWI region. Her 2020 international title about farm and food is THE FARM THAT FEEDS US: A Year In The Life Of An Organic Farm. Visit her at www.nancycastaldo.com. 

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Patricia Newman writes middle-grade nonfiction that empowers young readers to act on behalf of the environment and their communities. Academy Award winner and environmentalist Jeff Bridges calls Planet Ocean a “must read.” Newman, a Sibert Honor author of Sea Otter Heroes, has also received an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Award for Eavesdropping on Elephants, a Green Earth Book Award for Plastic, Ahoy!, and a Eureka! Gold Medal from the California Reading Association for Zoo Scientists to the Rescue. Her books have received starred reviews, been honored as Junior Library Guild Selections, and included on Bank Street College’s Best Books lists. During author visits, she demonstrates how young readers can use writing to be the voice of change. Visit her at www.patriciamnewman.com.

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