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STEM Tuesday — Serendipity Science — In the Classroom

By STEM Tuesday 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

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.

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

STEM Tuesday– Geology — Writing Tips & Resources

By STEM Tuesday on May 18, 2021 / Geology, STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday

Layering It On

This month’s #STEM Tuesday book list focuses on geology, which Merriam-Webster defines as “a science that deals with the history of the earth and its life especially as recorded in rocks.”

In reading this month’s books, I was struck by all the images of rock layers, including this one from Jen Swanson’s OUTDOOR SCHOOL: Rock, Fossil, and Gem Hunting.

I learned that every layer gives us a piece of information about the Earth’s history. Some layers have fossils revealing how long ago the layer formed. Others contain rocks and sediment that tell us if water was involved in deposition. Taken together, these layers help us see the big picture about Earth’s history.

Text Features — A Book’s Layers

Books are layered just like the Earth. Text features are the layers that help readers understand the book’s content. These text features include elements like captions, graphics, and labels. Let’s take a look at the graphic below from from DIRTMEISTER’S NITTY GRITTY PLANET EARTH by Steve Tomecek to learn more about text features.

Table of contents – Normally found at the beginning of the book, a table of contents is like a map. It tells you the topics the book will cover and how to find them by listing the page numbers.
Subheadings – Often nonfiction chapters are carved up into smaller chunks, each with its own subheading. These subheadings tell you exactly what the next section of text is about.
Illustrations/photographs – You know that saying, “A picture’s worth a thousand words?” Just think how much easier it is to show you the tectonic plates in the image above, rather than trying to describe what them using text. Illustrations and photographs convey information that may be more difficult to describe in the text.
Captions – These are most often found under an image. They normally are a sentence or two long.
Labels – These are snippets of information placed on an image itself. Labels call out parts or features of an image, like the labels I’ve used in this graphic to call out the various text features.
Sidebars – Sidebars have additional information related to the main part of the text.
Graphics like graphs and charts– These organize information visually. They are especially helpful for showing processes or giving meaning to numbers.
Maps- Show you important locations mentioned in the text.
Special print (typography) – Sometimes print is bolded, like glossary words the author wants you to know. Italics and underlines provide emphasis.
Index – Found at the end of a book, an index is alphabetized, helping you quickly look up ideas, concepts, and names and find which pages will tell you more.
Glossary – Gives definitions for bolded words in the text. Think of it like a little dictionary in the book.

Teaching About Text Features

Have students look at some of the books on this month’s Geology list, then:

Consider creating a bingo card of text features for students to cross off as they find them.
Ask: Did students find any other text features not mentioned? How do they add to their understanding of the book?
Without reading the main text, have students look only at the text features and make some guesses about what they believe the main text is about.
Challenge students to incorporate text features in their next piece of informational writing.

Kirsten W. Larson

Website: kirsten-w-larson.com

Biography

Kirsten used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. She is the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, February 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything (Clarion, Sept. 28, 2021), illustrated by Katy Wu, and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle, Spring 2022), as well as 25 nonfiction books for the school and library market. Find her at kirsten-w-larson.com or on Twitter and Instagram @KirstenWLarson.

STEM Tuesday — Geology– In the Classroom

By STEM Tuesday on May 11, 2021 / Geology, STEM Tuesday

STEM Tuesday

This month we’re going to dig into some great books about GEOLOGY! These books will help students learn more about Earth, its surface, structure, and processes. They are a great starting point for different activities and discussions in the classroom. Are you ready to get a little dirty?

Dirtmeister’s Nitty Gritty Planet Earth: All About Rocks, Minerals, Fossils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, And Even Dirt! by Steve Tomecek
A comprehensive book about geology beginning with the formation of our planet. Chapters cover minerals, earthquakes and volcanoes, plate tectonics, the rock cycle, old dead things (aka fossils) and the importance of soils. Next Gen STEM standards listed at the back.

Classroom activity: Lead a discussion about the rock cycle. How are rocks recycled to create new rocks? Have students create a rock cycle diagram to show what they know. In small groups, students can use wax crayons to create a demonstration of the rock cycle. At the beginning, the crayons represent igneous rock. Next, shave the crayons to simulate weathering. Students can then use the shavings to demonstrate the processes of erosion and deposition. To simulate rock pieces being deposited underground, place some of the crayon shavings in a packet of aluminum foil. Students can then use heat and pressure from their hands to demonstrate the formation of sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks. What needs to happen for these “rocks” to become igneous rocks?

Older Than Dirt by Don Brown
Before dirt there was rock. Before rock there was magma. Before that there was – a BIG Bang! This book presents the history of our planet in graphic panels narrated by a couple of wise-cracking characters. They explain tectonic plates, terraforming through volcanic action and faults, and warn that geological activity continues to change the landscape.

Classroom activity: Earth’s surface is made of large pieces of crust called tectonic plates. Throughout Earth’s history, these plates have slowly moved to create the continents, islands, and mountains that we know today. Have students investigate how mountains form and the role of tectonic plates in their formation. Students can create a model or diagram showing what they have learned.

The Scientists Behind Earth’s Processes by Andrew Solway
An evaluation of twelve female and male scientists (1700’s to present day) whose theories and discoveries informed and influenced our knowledge of the Earth. From dating the Earth to climate changes, fossils to earthquakes, continental drift to mapping the ocean, and predicting the weather to exploring space. Includes an interactive timeline showing how they influenced and built off each other’s theories and a “find out more” section.

Classroom activity: Have students choose a geology pioneer to research. What has their chosen pioneer contributed to the science of geology and our understanding of Earth? Have students work together to create a living timeline of geology’s most important discoveries and scientific achievements.

Looking to get even deeper in the dirt? Browse through the pages of these activity books and choose a few to do in class or at home!

Eyewitness Explorer: Rock and Fossil Hunter by Ben Morgan

Geology Lab for Kids: 52 Projects to Explore Rocks, Gems, Geodes, Crystals, Fossils, and Other Wonders of the Earth’s Surface, by Garret Romaine

A Project Guide to Rocks and Minerals (Earth Science Projects for Kids) by Claire O’Neal

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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. When not writing, she can often be spotted at a hockey rink for one of her kids’ games. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on Twitter @carlawrites.

Posts Tagged resources

STEM Tuesday — Serendipity Science — In the Classroom

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