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STEM/STEAM fun
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Adventure Girls! STEM Crafts
by Megan Olivia HallInspire girls to build and create with fun, hands-on STEM crafts for ages 6 to 12 The world needs adventurous girls to lead the way to a brighter future! Help them discover new things about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with this collection of engaging crafts for girls. As they learn and have fun with each project, they'll boost their critical-thinking skills, creativity, and self-confidence, too. What sets this book of STEM crafts apart: No parents required!—Encourage independence with arts & crafts that can be made with basic household materials and include kid-friendly, step-by-step instructions. Skill-building projects—Every project, from creating a Newton's cradle to knitting a DNA garland, incorporates basic STEM principles to help curious girls learn more about the world around them. Adventure girl challenges—Bonus activities and fun facts sprinkled throughout the book will inspire girls to dive deeper into the concepts and skills they're learning. Help girls have a blast discovering the secrets of the STEM universe through educational crafts for kids.
A Bend in the Stars
by Rachel BarenbaumFor fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Women in the Castle comes a riveting literary novel that is at once an epic love story and a heart-pounding journey across WWI-era Russia, about an ambitious young doctor and her scientist brother in a race against Einstein to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.In Russia, in the summer of 1914, as war with Germany looms and the Czar's army tightens its grip on the local Jewish community, Miri Abramov and her brilliant physicist brother, Vanya, are facing an impossible decision. Since their parents drowned fleeing to America, Miri and Vanya have been raised by their babushka, a famous matchmaker who has taught them to protect themselves at all costs: to fight, to kill if necessary, and always to have an escape plan. But now, with fierce, headstrong Miri on the verge of becoming one of Russia's only female surgeons, and Vanya hoping to solve the final puzzles of Einstein's elusive theory of relativity, can they bear to leave the homeland that has given them so much? Before they have time to make their choice, war is declared and Vanya goes missing, along with Miri's fiancé. Miri braves the firing squad to go looking for them both. As the eclipse that will change history darkens skies across Russia, not only the safety of Miri's own family but the future of science itself hangs in the balance. Grounded in real history -- and inspired by the solar eclipse of 1914 -- A Bend in the Stars offers a heartstopping account of modern science's greatest race amidst the chaos of World War I, and a love story as epic as the railways crossing Russia.
Bill Nye's Great Big World Of Science
by Bill Nye and Gregory MoneScience educator, TV host, and New York Times-bestselling author Bill Nye is on a mission to help kids understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Featuring a range of subjects--physics, chemistry, geology, biology, astronomy, global warming, and more--this profusely illustrated book covers the basic principles of each science, key discoveries, recent revolutionary advances, and the problems that science still needs to solve for our Earth. Nye and coauthor Gregory Mone present the most difficult theories and facts in an easy-to-comprehend, humorous way. They interviewed numerous specialists from around the world, in each of the fields discussed, whose insights are included throughout. Also included are experiments kids can do themselves to bring science to life! Features photographs, illustrations, diagrams, glossary, bibliography, and index.
Bird Detectives
by Kristine RiversBirds and planes don’t always get along. What can we do to help? Enter the world of forensic ornithology in this investigative nonfiction title created with the Smithsonian Institution and the Division of Birds at the National Museum of Natural History. Discover the fascinating work of leading ornithologists—"bird detectives” who use science and technology to solve bird strikes and other bird mysteries. They examine evidence from clues like feathers and snarge—pilot slang for what’s left behind after a bird strike—and create solutions to save our feathered friends and protect people and planes in flight. Discover how the study of birds shapes our world, from inspiring aviation and airfield design to increasing safety in the skies. Full of photos, case studies, fun facts, and interactive elements, this STEM exploration reveals a fascinating field of science to kids.
Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
by Janna LevinThe authoritative story of the headline-making discovery of gravitational waves—by an eminent theoretical astrophysicist and award-winning writer.From the author of How the Universe Got Its Spots and A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines, the epic story of the scientific campaign to record the soundtrack of our universe. Black holes are dark. That is their essence. When black holes collide, they will do so unilluminated. Yet the black hole collision is an event more powerful than any since the origin of the universe. The profusion of energy will emanate as waves in the shape of spacetime: gravitational waves. No telescope will ever record the event; instead, the only evidence would be the sound of spacetime ringing. In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, his top priority after he proposed his theory of curved spacetime. One century later, we are recording the first sounds from space, the soundtrack to accompany astronomy’s silent movie. In Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space, Janna Levin recounts the fascinating story of the obsessions, the aspirations, and the trials of the scientists who embarked on an arduous, fifty-year endeavor to capture these elusive waves. An experimental ambition that began as an amusing thought experiment, a mad idea, became the object of fixation for the original architects—Rai Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Ron Drever. Striving to make the ambition a reality, the original three gradually accumulated an international team of hundreds. As this book was written, two massive instruments of remarkably delicate sensitivity were brought to advanced capability. As the book draws to a close, five decades after the experimental ambition began, the team races to intercept a wisp of a sound with two colossal machines, hoping to succeed in time for the centenary of Einstein’s most radical idea. Janna Levin’s absorbing account of the surprises, disappointments, achievements, and risks in this unfolding story offers a portrait of modern science that is unlike anything we’ve seen before.From the Hardcover edition.
Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
by Janna LevinThe authoritative story of the headline-making discovery of gravitational waves--by an eminent theoretical astrophysicist and award-winning writer.From the author of How the Universe Got Its Spots and A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines, the epic story of the scientific campaign to record the soundtrack of our universe. Black holes are dark. That is their essence. When black holes collide, they will do so unilluminated. Yet the black hole collision is an event more powerful than any since the origin of the universe. The profusion of energy will emanate as waves in the shape of spacetime: gravitational waves. No telescope will ever record the event; instead, the only evidence would be the sound of spacetime ringing. In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, his top priority after he proposed his theory of curved spacetime. One century later, we are recording the first sounds from space, the soundtrack to accompany astronomy's silent movie. In Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space, Janna Levin recounts the fascinating story of the obsessions, the aspirations, and the trials of the scientists who embarked on an arduous, fifty-year endeavor to capture these elusive waves. An experimental ambition that began as an amusing thought experiment, a mad idea, became the object of fixation for the original architects--Rai Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Ron Drever. Striving to make the ambition a reality, the original three gradually accumulated an international team of hundreds. As this book was written, two massive instruments of remarkably delicate sensitivity were brought to advanced capability. As the book draws to a close, five decades after the experimental ambition began, the team races to intercept a wisp of a sound with two colossal machines, hoping to succeed in time for the centenary of Einstein's most radical idea. Janna Levin's absorbing account of the surprises, disappointments, achievements, and risks in this unfolding story offers a portrait of modern science that is unlike anything we've seen before.From the Hardcover edition.
The Botany of Desire Young Readers Edition
by Michael PollanBy the bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, this is Michael Pollan's ingenious companion book about the surprising and close relationship between people and plants.In this entertaining young readers edition of the environmental studies classic, Michael Pollan demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a reciprocal relationship. He links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, energy, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, coffee, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind&’s most basic yearnings. And just as we&’ve benefited from these plants, we have also helped them to thrive.The Botany of Desire is perfect for STEM-focused young readers who want to learn more about:human history, biology, and environmentalismclimate change and its impact on our relationship with plantsgardening and the human-plant relationship
Brains On! Presents...Road Trip Earth
by Molly Bloom and Marc Sanchez and Sanden TottenThe creators of the award-winning science podcast for kids, Brains On!, take readers on a humorous, highly illustrated, fact- and fun-filled journey through Earth—from the core, to the outer atmosphere, and everywhere in between. Perfect for STEM enthusiasts!Did you ever wonder why volcanoes erupt? Or why the ocean is salty? How about why no two snowflakes are the same?Embark on an epic road trip to find the answers to these burning questions and more! The Brains On! team is traveling from deep inside the earth, through the oceans, the land, the clouds, and even into the outer atmosphere in their high-tech ride—to uncover the coolest facts, strangest mysteries, and most incredible marvels of our planet.Packed with scientific research, mind-boggling trivia, and laugh-out-loud jokes, this highly illustrated fact-filled exploration of the earth promises a brain-bending, jaw-dropping, belly-laughing good time that curious kids and budding scientists won&’t be able to resist.Turn your BRAINS ON! with more books and check out:Brains On! Presents...It's AliveBrains On! Presents...Earth Friend Forever
Discovering Nature's Laws
by Laura Purdie SalasSir Isaac Newton changed the world with his many discoveries and inventions about mathematics, science, optics, and physics. Although he was brilliant, Newton felt no need to publish his ideas or to inform his fellow scientists of the amazing discoveries he made. Because of this, his discoveries were often disputed. Despite the controversy that often surrounded him, Newton made astounding advances in his efforts to understand how nature worked. His legacy lives on through inventions such as microscopes, eyeglasses, telescopes, and cameras.
Diving Deep
by Michelle CusolitoFrom snorkeling to freediving, scuba, submarines, and Challenger Deep, discover the different technologies scientists use to explore the ocean in this deep-sea STEM picture book.How does ocean exploration work? What kinds of machines and equipment help researchers under the sea? How deep can we dive to find out more about the plants and animals that live in the ocean? For fans of Alvin from Flying Deep, Diving Deep introduces all the ways humans have figured out how to engage with, explore, and learn from the oceans.
Edwin Hubble
by G.E ChrisitansonEdwin Hubble: Mariner of the Nebulae is both the biography of an extraordinary human being and the story of the greatest quest in the history of astronomy since the Copernican revolution. The book is a revealing portrait of scientific genius, an incisive engaging history of ideas, and a shimmering evocation of what we see when gazing at the stars.Born in 1889 and reared in the village of Marshfield, Missouri, Edwin Powell Hubble-star athlete, Rhodes Scholar, military officer, and astronomer- became one of the towering figures in twentieth-century science. Hubble worked with the great 100-inch Hooker telescope at California's Mount Wilson Observatory and made a series of discoveries that revolutionized humanity's vision of the cosmos. In 1923 he was able to confirm the existence of other nebulae (now known to be galaxies) beyond our own Milky Way. By the end of the decade, Hubble had proven that the universe is expanding, thus laying the very cornerstone of the big bang theory of creation. It was Hubble who developed the elegant scheme by which the galaxies are classified as ellipticals and spirals, and it was Hubble who first provided reliable evidence that the universe is homogeneous, the same in all directions as far as the telescope can see.An incurable Anglophile with a penchant for tweed jackets and English briars, Hubble, together with his brilliant and witty wife, Grace Burke, became a fixture in Hollywood society in the 1930s and 40s. They counted among their friends Charlie Chaplin, the Marx brothers, Anita Loos, Aldous and Maria Huxley, Walt Disney, Helen Hayes, and William Randolph Hearst. Albert Einstein, a frequent visitor to Southern California, called Hubble's work "beautiful" and modified his equations on relativity to account for the discovery that the cosmos is expanding.
Get Messy with Science!
by Elsie OlsonDo you like to get messy? These hands-on, not-so-ordinary science projects are for you! Create slippery slimes and frothy foams. Have a blast making colorful chalk explosions. Then, learn the science behind each marvelous mess! Simple step-by-step instructions supported by clear photos make it easy to start experimenting and discover just how fun STEM can be.
Get Moving with Science!
by Elsie OlsonDo you like to be on the move? These hands-on, not-so-ordinary science projects are for you! Build speedy motorboats and buzzing bots. Take off with zooming, high-flying rockets. Then, learn the science behind each amazingly mobile creation! Simple step-by-step instructions supported by clear photos make it easy to start experimenting and discover just how fun STEM can be.
Get Noisy with Science!
by Elsie OlsonReady to make some noise? These hands-on, not-so-ordinary science projects are for you! Design melodic musical instruments and squawking noisemakers. Turn up the bass with activities that let you see sound. Then, learn the science behind each rocking racket! Simple step-by-step instructions supported by clear photos make it easy to start experimenting and discover just how fun STEM can be.
Get Smelly with Science!
by Elsie OlsonReady to make a stink? These hands-on, not-so-ordinary science projects are for you! Mix up reeking stink bombs and sweet-smelling bubbles. Create artistic masterpieces with DIY scratch-and-sniff paint. Then, learn the science behind each outrageous odor! Simple step-by-step instructions supported by helpful photos make it easy to start experimenting and discover just how fun STEM can be.
How to Hear the Universe
by Patricia ValdezDiscover new realms of outer space in this picture book biography of scientist Gabriela Gonzalez, who immigrated to America and became a ground-breaking scientist. Written by a molecular biologist and illustrated by an award-winning artist, this stunning picture book explores science, space, and history.In 1916, Albert Einstein had a theory. He thought that somewhere out in the universe, there were collisions in space. These collisions could cause little sound waves in the fabric of space-time that might carry many secrets of the distant universe. But it was only a theory. He could not prove it in his lifetime.Many years later, an immigrant scientist named Gabriela Gonzalez asked the same questions. Armed with modern technology, she joined a team of physicists who set out to prove Einstein's theory. At first, there was nothing. But then... they heard a sound. Gabriela and her team examined, and measured, and re-measured until they were sure. Completing the work that Albert Einstein had begun 100 years earlier, Gonzalez broke ground for new space-time research. In a fascinating picture book that covers 100 years, 2 pioneering scientists, and 1 trailblazing discovery, Patricia Valdez sheds light on a little known but extraordinary story.
Indigenous Ingenuity
by Edward Kay and Deidre HavrelockCelebrate Indigenous thinkers and inventions with this beautifully designed, award-winning interactive nonfiction book—perfect for fans of Braiding Sweetgrass. Corn. Chocolate. Fishing hooks. Boats that float. Insulated double-walled construction. Recorded history and folklore. Life-saving disinfectant. Forest fire management. Our lives would be unrecognizable without these, and countless other, scientific discoveries and technological inventions from Indigenous North Americans. Spanning topics from transportation to civil engineering, hunting technologies, astronomy, brain surgery, architecture, and agriculture, Indigenous Ingenuity is a wide-ranging STEM offering that answers the call for Indigenous nonfiction by reappropriating hidden history. The book includes fun, simple activities and experiments that kids can do to better understand and enjoy the principles used by Indigenous inventors. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate traditional North American Indigenous innovation, and to embrace the mindset of reciprocity, environmental responsibility, and the interconnectedness of all life. ★ "This book will amaze readers and teachers. Completely unique and important." —SLJ, starred review ★ "Engaging and informative." —Booklist, starred review" Essential for kids and adults. We need this book." —Candace Fleming, award-winning author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh and The Family Romanov NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY School Library Journal • Shelf Awareness • National Education Society • American Association of Geography • Canadian Children&’s Book Centre • Nerdy Book Club • NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Awards • The Green Earth Book Award
Jo Bright and the Seven Bots
by Deborah Underwood and Meg HuntA bot-building princess engineers her own happy ending in this futuristic fairytale, a follow-up to the acclaimed Interstellar Cinderella. Once upon a planetoidsurrounded by her friends,a girl, Jo Bright, loved building botsfrom scraps and odds and ends! Snow White gets a stellar upgrade in this clever retelling with a truly inventive heroine. With wit, bravery, and some spare circuit boards, Jo will foil the queen, befriend a dragon, and build herself a celestially happy ending of her own. From the team that created the acclaimed Interstellar Cinderella and Reading Beauty comes another funny and empowering fairytale that's out of this world. A STELLAR ROLE MODEL FOR GIRLS: This uniquely feminist retelling of Snow White, in which the princess is an engineer and inventor, encourages girls to see themselves as the heroines of their own stories. STEM FOR THE WIN: It's more important than ever to support young girls who are interested in STEM activities. This picture book makes tinkering, inventing, and engineering accessible and inviting! SO MUCH FUN TO READ ALOUD: An enchanting rhyme and gorgeous color-drenched illustrations combine to make this engaging book a wonderful choice for story-times—one that little readers will want to pore over again and again. DON'T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS: This fractured fairytale is a smart and funny follow-up to the acclaimed Interstellar Cinderella and Reading Beauty. Perfect for:Parents and grandparentsGift-giversTeachers and librarians
Keep It Simple, Rapunzel!
by Thomas Kingsley TroupeEscaping from a tall tower using one's hair is SO fairy-tale old school. THIS STEM-smart Rapunzel uses the brain beneath her hair to educate her prince (and readers) on the ways the science of simple machines can save the day. A glossary and critical thinking questions reinforce the story's key physics concepts.
Libby Loves Science: States of Matter
by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. JohannesLibby loves science! In this STEM-themed Level 3 I Can Read! title, Libby and her friends learn about solids, liquids, and gases. A great choice for aspiring scientists, new readers, and fans of Andrea Beaty’s Ada Twist, Scientist. Includes activities, a glossary, and a fun science experiment to do at home.Libby loves science—and experimenting! In this Level 3 I Can Read! title, Libby and her classmates are excited to welcome a new student into their classroom. When the ice cream for the welcome party melts, Libby is curious to see how the three states of matter can save the celebration. Experiment with Libby and find out!The Loves Science books introduce readers to girls who love science, as well as basic concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math. This Level 3 I Can Read! explores how solids, liquids, and gases are all around us, and includes two experiments to try at home or school, as well as a glossary. A great pick for newly independent readers and an ideal companion to Cece Loves Science: Push and Pull, Libby Loves Science: Mix and Measure, Vivi Loves Science: Sink or Float, and Vivi Loves Science: Wind and Water.
Newton's Laws
by Sarah AllenSarah Allen is a fantasy novelist and professional math and physics tutor. In her Fairy Tale Physics series, Sarah has combined her talents into something you’ve never seen before.
Each Fairy Tale Physics book is a delightful illustrated story that introduces and explores physics concepts in a way that anyone can understand.
In Newton’s Laws: A Fairy Tale, you’ll read about young Kip, whose only inheritance from his father is a single apple. Always the optimist, Kip strikes out into the world to seek his fortune, and meets a wizard with mysterious plans…
Kip’s adventure is packed with situations that introduce us to some of the foundations of physics: Newton’s laws of motion. But not only will you learn physics alongside Kip – there’s a bonus section on problem solving at the end, with over 30 exercises that tie the lessons of the story concretely to what you might learn in a physics class in high school or college. Also included are links to Sarah’s favorite physics resources: videos, articles, and online simulations that you can play with to learn more.
Newton’s Laws: A Fairy Tale is for you if:
You are curious about physics.
You are a parent looking to introduce physics concepts to your child.
You are taking your first AP or college physics course.
You are intrigued by a fairy tale that holds something unique and special!
This is book one in the Fairy Tale Physics Series. It covers Newton's Three Laws, Free Body Diagrams, Net Force, Acceleration, and Forces. Enjoy!
Patient Zero
by Marilee PetersEngrossing true stories of the pioneers of epidemiology who risked their lives to find the source of deadly diseases. Throughout history, more people have died in disease epidemics than in wars or other disasters. The courageous, trail-blazing defenders against these diseases faced a terrifying personal gamble. Often they were ignored, laughed at, or even fired from their jobs. But they kept hunting for answers, putting the pieces of the epidemic puzzle together. As they looked for clues to the origin of a disease, scientists searched for the unknown “patient zero”—the first person to have contracted it. Patient Zero brilliantly brings to life the main characters and events to tell the gripping tale of how each of seven diseases spread. The result is spine-chilling as Peters follows the scientists who solved the intricate mystery of the killer epidemics. Patient Zero reminds us that millions of people owe their lives to the work of these pioneer epidemiologists, work that continues to this day.
Que Llenara Canasta? / What Will Fit?
by Grace LinNow in Spanish bilingual editions--Caldecott Honor winner Grace Lin celebrates math for every kid in this board book series.Take a trip to the farmers market in this playful story about spatial sense. Olivia is searching for something just the right size to fill her basket. The apple is so small that it rolls around. The zucchini is so long that it sticks out. What will fit just right? The Storytelling Math series shows that all children can be mathematical thinkers. Each book includes ideas for exploring math at home with your children, developed in collaboration with math experts at STEM education nonprofit TERC Inc., under a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Rooting for Plants
by Janice N. HarringtonMeet Charles S. Parker, an unsung yet trailblazing Black scientist who made major contributions to the fields of botany (the study of plants) and mycology (the study of fungi) in this inspiring STEM/STEAM picture book biography.In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles&’s passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined to follow his dreams, whatever the difficulties, and to have a career making things grow, not destroying them.As a botanist and teacher, Charles traveled the United States, searching for new species of plants and fungi. After discovering the source of the disease killing peach and apricot trees, Charles was offered a job at Howard University, the famed historically Black college where he taught the next generation of Black scientists—men and women—to love plants and fungi as much as he did.
Science Comics
by Jon ChadStep out of your element with Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements, the latest volume of First Second's nonfiction graphic novel series!A book of fun chemistry experiments has fallen into the wrong hands. Only Mel can use her knowledge of the periodic table to put an end to a maniacal madman's evil schemes.
The periodic table helps us quickly understand the 118 elements, those tiny substances that make up everything in the world. By using the periodic table, we can recognize how these building blocks behave, find trends and patterns in the universe, and make predictions about elements that haven’t been discovered yet. Join us in learning about the periodic table, and maybe the next big discovery will be yours!
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.