Tag: STEM Friday

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Captain Kidd’s Crew Experiments with Sinking and Floating

What a better way to get children excited about STEM than having pirates explain scientific concepts? Captain Kidd’s Crew Experiments with Sinking and Floating by Mark Weakland and illustrated by Troy Cummings is an enticing mix of science and pirate high jinx that will capture the most jaded reader (but hopefully not make them walk the plank).
Mark Weakland knows his stuff when it comes to sinking and floating. He deftly explains concepts like buoyancy and displacement in remarkably few words, but also making them both concrete and clear.

Illustrator Troy Cummings knows what sort of artwork appeals to children. His pirates are wacky enough to be appealing to the modern sophisticated child, adding to the fun while clarifying the concepts presented in the text.

Captain Kidd’s Crew Experiments with Sinking and Floating is perfect for reluctant readers and those who prefer fiction, but is also treats the topic in a fully scientific way that will please budding physicists as well. This book definitely floats to the top of the pile.

Reading level:  2-3, ages 5-8
Publisher: Picture Window Books -an imprint of Capstone(January 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1404872361
ISBN-13: 978-1404872363

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.

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Exploring Fall with a Book!

The air is changing just a bit, giving us a hint that fall might be coming. What better way to get into the mood for autumn than reading a beautiful nonfiction picture book like Exploring Fall by Terri DeGezelle?

Part of the Exploring the Seasons series, this book features full page color photographs and illustrations matched with simple, controlled text. The book answers all the questions about the upcoming season a child might ask, including when does it start, why does it happen, and what changes to expect. It even mentions why we might expect more hurricanes to occur in the fall!

Exploring Fall by Terri DeGezelle is an obvious choice for a fall theme collection. Consider it for units on seasons and weather as well.

Activity:
Inspired by A Tree Grower’s Diary: Take a photograph or draw a picture of the same tree once or twice a week from the same position and see how the colors change. (For adults and older children to share with younger children).

 

Reading Level K-1
Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Capstone Press (January 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1429679085
ISBN-13: 978-1429679084

More books by Terri DeGezelle

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.

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We’re Hosting STEM Friday

We at Wrapped in Foil are excited to be hosting STEM Friday this week.

STEM Friday is the meme that highlights Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books for children. The weekly round-up can found each Friday at the  STEM Friday blog. It is a great resource if you are looking for the newest and best in STEM books for kids.

If you have any blog posts to add about STEM Books for children, be sure to stop by over that the STEM Friday blog and leave a comment so we can add them to the list.

 

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Technology: A Byte-Size World

The Basher Science series has a new addition released this month: Technology: A byte-size world! by Dan Green and illustrator/author Simon Basher. This installment tackles machines, from simple to complex, and the materials that are used to create them.

You are probably already familiar with the Basher Science series, but if not, each topic generally consists of a two-page spread with illustrator/author Simon Basher’s unique cartoon illustrations that have the flavor of Japanese chibi on the right side and the text discussion on the left side. The text follows a formula of three bullet factoids, a paragraph or two of kicky first-person narrative about the topic with a few groan-worthy puns thrown in, and then three more bullet points.

As you might expect, this brief-and-flashy formula works better for some topics than others. Still, the kid-friendly tone of the characters and lack of density of the text entices struggling or jaded readers to give it a try, which is the book’s -and the series’- real strength. Once readers are drawn in, they will likely want more information on inventions such as such as a 3-D printer or a particle accelerator. Even though the brevity sometimes is frustrating, I have to admit that I often learn something new from these books. Did you know that rockets need to carry oxygen with them in order to fire in space? How about that rack-and-pinion steering was not patented until 1975?

Technology: A byte-size world is a byte-size introduction to the world of invention. For readers looking for something unique and refreshing, it will be a treat.

Note: This version comes with a detachable poster.

Other Basher book reviews:
Punctuation: The Write Stuff
Oceans: Making Waves!
Chemistry: Getting a Big Reaction!

For more information, be sure to visit the Basher Books website.

Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Kingfisher (July 17, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0753468204
ISBN-13: 978-0753468203

More books from the Basher series:

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The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Come visit the STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.