Posts Tagged writing tips

STEM Tuesday– Chemistry– In the Classroom

By Jennifer Swanson on February 10, 2026 / Chemistry, STEM Tuesday

How Do Molecules Stay Together?
by Madeline J. Hayes, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani

How Do Molecules Stay Together? is a picture book that introduces readers to some basic chemistry concepts. This could be a good read-aloud as an introduction to chemistry, although I suspect older students may find the call-and-response phrases a little too childish for their liking.

Marie Curie for Kids
by Amy M. O’Quinn

This is a book that’s great for readers who love history and activities. Follow Marie Curie’s life from a bright, young girl in occupied Poland through her Nobel prize winning discoveries. This book is packed from activities that explore a wide range of topics, including geography, culture, and science. I read this book in its e-book version, which had some formatting issues that occasionally made it challenging to absorb. This could be an opportunity to explore those areas with an activity. (See below)

The Radium Girls
by Kate Moore

What happens when people are exposed to light waves emitted from radioactive material? That’s what this book covers, by telling the stories of a group of women who worked with radium. This is not an easy read emotionally, but it tells a very important story. It’s referenced in Marie Curie for Kids, and would be a great follow-on book for that one.

Bonus Books:

Werewolves and States of Matter
by Janet Slingerland, illustrated by Angel Mosquito

For readers who love graphic novels and/or werewolves, this book provides a great introduction to chemistry. It explores the concept of matter, what states it can exist in, and how matter transforms from one state to another.

Explore Atoms and Molecules! (with 25 Great Projects)
by Janet Slingerland, illustrated by Matt Aucoin

If you’re looking for activities that help explore atoms and molecules, be sure to check out this book. It covers lots of different chemistry topics, including atomic structure, the periodic table, and chemical reactions. There’s even a section that introduces readers to Lewis dot diagrams, a great way to visualize how atoms combine.

As always, there are lots of different things that can be done with these books. Be sure to check out the activities provided in the books. Some of the books also have educator materials or informative websites associated with them. Here are links to some of them:

There is a website dedicated to The Radium Girls. There is an educator guide linked on this page of the site: https://www.theradiumgirls.com/the-radium-girls-young-readers

The Atoms and Molecules page of my website has some links of interest: http://janetsbooks.com/atoms-and-molecules

There is a classroom guide and a free downloadable activity on the Nomad Press site: https://nomadpress.net/nomadpress-books/explore-atoms-molecules

Some of this month’s books are older, and the web links provided in them no longer work. However, since the authors thought they were worthy of inclusion, exploring them might be a good exercise. If a link no longer works, can you find the same information on another reliable website or page?

Here are some other ideas for activities.

Create a Timeline

As mentioned in the book descriptions, I had some difficulties with the book formatting in Marie Curie for Kids. This was particularly true for the timeline provided in the book. In order to better visualize the timeline, create one of your own. This could be done on a single sheet of paper, or it could be constructed so it wraps around an entire room. This can also be an opportunity to explore the use of technology in presenting a timeline, whether it’s created with a graphic tool like Canva, a slideshow like PowerPoint, or whatever your favorite tool is.

Students can choose what should be placed on the timeline, based on the books they’ve read. Including pictures or illustrations of the events helps everyone visualize the events better. This provides lots of opportunities to practice research skills. This is also an opportunity for students to work together to create it.

Here are some ideas of things that could be included on the timeline:

Major life events for the people involved in the science (the Curies, Mendeleev, Bohr, etc.).
Important discoveries, including elements, atomic structure, effects of elements, etc.
Key dates related to products using chemicals.
Major world events like the World Wars.

Get Messy!

Chemistry can be one of the messiest of the scientific disciplines. The books on this month’s book list include lots of experiments that explore chemical reactions. Here are a few popular experiments:

Elephant Toothpaste:

Erupting Soda:

Making slime:

Get Thoughtful

Scientific discoveries often have unintended consequences. The stories of the Curies and the Radium Girls are perfect examples of this. Here is an article from the Society of Physics Studies and the American Institute of Physics that addresses this topic: https://students.aip.org/radiations/discoveries-unintended-consequences-and-the-values-of-science. After reading it, have some discussions about the topic. Does the scientific process help to address this?

This opens up the topic of the scientific process. This website from UC Berkeley has lots of information on this topic: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/understanding-science-101/how-science-works

Explore (Largely Unsung) Scientists

Marie Curie was the first women to achieve many accomplishments. There are other groups of people who have historically faced huge obstacles to achieving things like college degrees and scientific discoveries. Often, discoveries made by women and minorities were attributed to others.

Explore some of the underrepresented people who have made great discoveries related to chemistry.

Each student could explore a different scientist and incorporate it into the timeline from above.

February is Black History Month. Here are a few lists of scientists to explore (there is some overlap between the lists):

March is Women’s History Month. Here are some lists of women scientists to explore:

Janet Slingerland has written over 2 dozen books for young readers, including Werewolves and States of Matter and Explore Atoms and Molecules! (with 25 Great Projects). To find out more about Janet and her books, check out her website: http://janetsbooks.com

STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — Writing Tips & Resources

By STEM Tuesday on January 20, 2026 / Forests/Temperate Trees, STEM Tuesday

Hello, and welcome back to STEM Tuesday’s Writing Tips and Resources. I’m Stephanie.

The intersection of trees and writing is a well-traversed one. I’ve been meaning to write about it for years, to really analyze the motif across children’s literature. Trees are symbolic of many nouns… people, places, things, and ideas. At least for me, trees invoke feelings of magic, wonder, stability, and safety. I feel confident in surmising the same is true of others; otherwise, why are they so prevalent in these writings?

As an English major, Sigmund Freud captured my attention because of his essay The Interpretation of Dreams which in my humble opinion—along with The Uncanny—remains his most relevant work informing literary analysis. In the former essay, he explored the significance of dream-elements in proportion to each other. In terms of story (the supposed dream), and in service of the writing craft, how could his insights become writing exercises? That is, if Freud gave writing prompts about symbolism and metaphors, what would they look like?

Writing Exercise 1:

Freud wrote, “What is clearly the essence of the dream-thoughts need not be represented in the dream at all” (322). For this prompt, write a story about a tree without using the word tree. You may use any other tree-related words (branch, roots, etc), but nothing including the letters T-R-E-E in that order. After making a solid effort for at least 15 minutes, what did you find about the exercise? After pushing past the initial frustration of the task, what then? How did avoiding the word “tree” lead to a deeper exploration of it?

Writing Exercise 2:

Freud also wrote, “What appears in dreams, we might suppose, is not what is important in the dream-thoughts but what occurs in them several times over.” To reiterate more simply, not everything in the dream (or story, in our case) is of equal importance. The symbols that recur frequently or intensely are of higher significance. If you’ve never tried a controlling metaphor, one that lasts an entire story, now’s your chance. What does your tree represent? Take your tree story and look for places to reinforce your meanings. Meaning-making requires the discarding of the unlike qualities in favor of parallel groupings, so only bring up details that reinforce, not contradict, your metaphor.

Now if you’ve made it through my Freud-inspired prompts, you’re a trooper. This next one comes from a much more kidlit-friendly source: Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine.

There’s an old saying about forests and trees—that it’s easy to lose sight of one when focused on the other. To me, this is exactly the trick of storytelling: coordinating details and plot, scene and summary, moments and eons. As writers, it’s easy to get caught up in the metaphorical branches of line editing. But losing sight of the canopy is a consequential mistake. A story made entirely of descriptions of leaves isn’t going to cut it, but neither is a story full of faraway woodlands. To write well is to control pacing and distance.

Writing Exercise 3:

(Revision.) Take a passage of at least four consecutive sentences—any volunteer sentences will do—and revise it two ways. First, slow the pacing to a leaf-level, microscopic exploration of a moment. In painfully minute detail, describe everything. Try to triple or quadruple the number of sentences. Next, speed up the pacing while still retaining some semblance of the details from the original, but building the story out with explanation or context. You can be equally verbose, but the pacing must be quicker.

So, what did you think of today’s prompts? For more writing tips and tricks, check STEM Tuesday’s archives and/or visit me at StephanieWritesforKids.com.

Best,

Stephanie Jackson

With published work in Cricket magazine and the online poetry journal Dirigible Balloon, Stephanie Jackson writes everything kidlit: poems, articles, and board books through YA. In addition to holding an English degree, she regularly attends writing retreats and bookish events including Storymakers, WIFYR, and the Books For Young Readers Conference. She’s been a member of 12×12, Inked Voices, and other such mentoring groups. Current professional affiliations include SCBWI, The Author’s Guild, and NCTE. Personally, her hobbies include genealogy research and teacherly things. She’s a stay-at-home parent of four kids ages 5-14, and plans to teach ELA in secondary schools.

STEM Tuesday– Forests/Temperate Trees — In the Classroom

By STEM Tuesday on January 13, 2026 / Forests/Temperate Trees, STEM Tuesday

Trees are some of nature’s most amazing creations! Around the world, trees of all sizes and shapes are the heart of forest ecosystems. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, stabilize soil, and serve as essential habitat and food sources for countless species. In these books, readers can take a walk through a number of different forests across the globe and join scientists and naturalists as they discover many amazing secrets of some remarkable trees. They make a great starting point for classroom discussions and activities!

Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Trees

by Patricia Daniels

Introductory pages include “what is a tree?” and provide lessons for recognizing leaves. Each tree entry includes a photo of the entire tree and a close-up of the leaves or needles, flowers, nuts, cones, or fruit. Special features and “fun facts” make this more than just an ordinary field guide.

Classroom Activity – Tree Detective

What types of trees grow where you live? Explain to students that they will act as “tree detectives.” Using observational skills, they will identify different types of trees in their neighborhood. Students should examine features such as leaf shape, size, and edges, as well as bark texture, seeds, and the tree’s overall shape. Using a simple tree identification chart or field guide, they can compare their observations to determine the tree’s species or group, such as deciduous or evergreen. As they work, students should record detailed observations of the trees they find and explain which characteristics helped them identify them. Students can share their findings with the class or create a local tree guidebook for the classroom.

Forests in Danger (A True Book: The Earth at Risk)

by Jasmine Ting

From the tropics to the poles, this book looks at three forest biomes and what makes each unique. A fourth chapter examines threats to forests, from invasive species and deforestation to fires, and shares ways kids can help with forest conservation. There’s also a great explainer about carbon capture.

Forest Ecosystems (Earth’s Ecosystems)

by Tammy Gagne

Divided into 12 sections, this book takes a close look at different kinds of forests around the world and the animals that live in them. The final two sections outline human impacts on forests and how people care for forests.

Classroom Activity – Forest Threats

Forests around the world are threatened by human activities, such as deforestation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. Divide students into small groups and have each group investigate one of the threats facing the world’s forests. In their research, students should answer the following questions:

What is the threat facing forests?
How have humans caused/contributed to this threat?
What damage has this threat caused?
What types of forests have been impacted?
What is the impact on the greater forest ecosystem?
What conservation efforts are being made to restore/repair forests?
How can students help with conservation?

Students can create a presentation to share what they have learned with their classmates.

Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest

by Peter Wohlleben

This book is a walk through the woods in seven chapters. Forest explorers learn how trees work, how they grow, animals that live in and around them, and more. Each spread examines a single question: How do trees drink? Do trees make babies? Can they talk? “Look” sidebars invite readers to notice something, and “Try This” activities provide hands-on STEM activities to explore the forest around you.

The Magic and Mystery of Trees (The Magic and Mystery of the Natural World)

by Jen Green

This browsable book opens with a map showing where trees live in the world. Five sections explore what a tree is, its flowers, fruits, and seeds, tree habitats, its partnerships with other species, and the complexities of human-tree relationships.

Classroom Activity – Trees in Earth’s Carbon Cycle

Trees play an important role in Earth’s carbon cycle, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis. Students can illustrate their role by creating a forest carbon cycle diagram that shows how carbon moves through a forest ecosystem. Consider how to answer/illustrate the following questions in the diagram:

Where do trees get the carbon dioxide they use for photosynthesis?
Where do they store carbon?
How does the carbon move from trees into animals and soil?
What is the role of decomposers?
How does carbon return to the atmosphere?
Why are forests an important carbon sink?

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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. Visit her at www.carlamooney.com.