BURNS, Loree Griffin. Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard. photos by Ellen Harasimowicz. Holt. 2012. ISBN 9780805090628. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Just as not every scientist works in a lab, not every scientist is a science professional. Contributions to science often come from ordinary people―citizen scientists. Even children participate in these studies, such as tagging monarch butterflies, counting frogs, and recording the number of birds in an area. In 2008 more than 60,000 ordinary citizens participated in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. The Lost Ladybug Project, with input from citizen scientists, recorded 96 different species of ladybugs, including three species previously thought extinct.

Divided into four chapters, readers will learn about specific ways in which to participate in these projects. From the fascinating story of migrating butterflies to how to count frogs from the sounds they make, Burns writes a fascinating, narrative nonfiction account of how science works in our everyday lives. Kids will identify with the children highlighted in the story. Resources, a glossary, and an index for each type of creature complete this “must-have” selection.

FRYDENBORG, Kay. Wild Horse Scientists. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547518312. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Already a Booklist Editors’ Choice Book for Youth, it’s no surprise that another book in the “Scientist in the Field” series makes the list of science notables. Known for introducing older elementary readers to real scientists and their work, this series continues to win awards. This title tells the story of scientists who study wild horses in their natural habitats and learn how to manage the population without disturbing their environment.

Dr. Ron Keiper, an ethologist, and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick, a wildlife reproductive physiologist, spent their entire careers studying the wild horses of Wyoming and those that live on Assateague Island. Their challenge was to find a way to control the horse population through birth control. Assisting in the balance of nature without relocating, their success continues today. In both places, an annual injection maintains a reasonable number of horses who are able to live in their natural environment. An extensive glossary, resource list, and index give readers additional support and information they might need in using this work as a reference material.

LOURIE, Peter. The Polar Bear Scientists. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547283050. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

On the North Slope of Alaska, polar bear scientists gather data to aid in the search to save the polar bear which was listed as endangered in 2008. A team of scientists and researchers annually hunt, sedate, and collect data for each bear. Tracking collars placed on the animals assist the team in following their movement long after they are released and alert.

Scientists believe that global warming is impacting the ice that allows the polar bear to hunt. If there is less ice, it will not be able to eat enough to survive. Collecting data and recapturing bears allows them to compile and compare information. Lourie takes the reader through the process of the hunt to gather the information on each bear. Great care is taken not to harm them, including staying close by as the animals recover from sedation.

Lourie includes a generous number of photographs to punctuate the narrative. An enormous amount of thought and work goes into this research project. Samples must be processed daily. Equipment must be cleaned and dried. Weather and environment conditions must be taken into account. An extensive appendix completes another fascinating book in the “Scientist in the Field” series.

NIVOLA, Claire A. Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Farrar/Frances Foster Bks. 2012. ISBN 9780374380687. JLG Level: BE : Biography Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Sylvia Earle loved the world around her even at an early age. When her family moved from a farm where she filled pages with her observations to her new Florida home, the girl “lost her heart to the water.” She found life in every “spoonful” of water and read everything she could find about sea life. At sixteen, Sylvia used diving gear for the first time and dove thirty feet to the bottom of a river. She joined a research expedition in the Indian Ocean and was the only woman among seventy men. Earle designed a spherical bubble that dove 3,000 feet to the ocean floor. She spent two weeks under water in a deep-sea station learning about its environment. That project changed her life forever and inspired her mantra. “Learn everything I can…do everything I can…You can’t care if you don’t know.”

Through the beautiful illustrations of the picture book format, readers become immersed in the life of this important oceanographer. A concluding author’s note includes her testimony before Congress regarding the impact of oil spills on ocean life. A selected bibliography rounds out this informative biography.

Person, Stephen. Saving Animals from Oil Spills. Bearport, 2012. ISBN  9781617722882. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Part of the “Rescuing Animals from Danger” series, Person tells how animals are impacted by oil spills. Using large font in text boxes, readers will learn about the scientists and everyday heroes who work to save the innocent victims’ lives. In the recent spill in the Gulf of Mexico, veterinarians used 300 gallons of water on each pelican covered in oil. The damaging substance causes a bird’s feathers to stick together, allowing cold water and air to reach its skin, which can result in hypothermia. Other animals ingest the oil from the water and become sick. Predators eat sick prey also fall ill. In the Gulf disaster, sea turtle eggs were dug up and relocated. More than 360 adult sea turtles were cleaned and later released back to the water.

Scientists have learned with each disaster how to help the animals, but research continues as effects take years to be seen.

Providing numerous facts in a magazine-type format, Oil Spills will work well with older readers who are reading below grade level. Features such as sidebars, large photographs with captions, and supportive back matter complete this short nonfiction book that provides more information than you would expect in just 32 pages.

RUSCH, Elizabeth. The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity.  Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547478814. JLG Level: B : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Another “Scientist in the Field” book, The Mighty Mars Rovers’ content leans to the engineering side of science. Perfect for STEM curriculum, readers will learn about the Mars Rovers’ stories―from conception to development, and to the final mission. In 1976 Steve Squyres was a junior at Cornell University when he had the opportunity to talk to members of the Viking science team. “Suddenly, I was talking to people who actually did space exploration, Steve said. “ I thought, Wait a minute, maybe this is something I can do.” And do it, he did. For the next thirty years, Steve worked on his dream to explore Mars.

In 2000, NASA contacted him about building not one, but two Mars Exploration Rovers. (They had been turning down his proposals for years.) However, he’d have less than three years to design, build, and test them. With a team of 179 scientists and hundreds of engineers, they were able to complete their mission.

Rusch tells the story of the team’s setbacks, determination to solve problems that arose, and even the members’ sense of humor. When Spirit began rebooting herself, the team was forced to do a hard shutdown of her system. “The command, SHUTDOWN_DAMMIT” had never failed them before. It’s a story not just about the successes of the mission―finding evidence of water on Mars and the incredible longevity of the robots, for example. It’s a story of teamwork and hard work. It’s the story of people who asked questions and found ways to answer them. It’s the story of how every person’s job is important and leads to the success of the big picture. A lesson our students can all benefit from learning.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

ARNOLD, Caroline. A Warmer World: From Polar Bears to Butterflies, How Climate Change Affects Wildlife. illus. by Jamie Hogan. Charlesbridge. 2012. ISBN 9781580892667. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

The average annual temperature is warmer by just over one degree. Though it sounds very small, just a small rise in the temperature impacts the way nature adapts and survives. Arnold informs readers that with rising temperatures, ice melts. If it melts, then polar bears have less time to build up fat that helps them survive the winter, resulting in fewer cubs being born. Higher temperatures mean lower male loggerhead turtle eggs, making it more difficult for females to find a mate.

Using a color palette in collage and facts on note paper, Hogan and Arnold provide interesting details on important ecological factors without being alarmists. This nonfiction text also includes a glossary and bibliography of books and websites for further research.

FERN, Tracey. Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World. illus. by Boris Kulikov. Farrar. 2012. ISBN 9780374305161. JLG Level: I+ : Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

From his early years on his family’s farm, Barnum had a knack for fossil finding. His training as a paleontologist and his work for the American Museum of Natural History (along with great determination) lead to the most exciting dinosaur discovery of our time―the tyrannosaurus rex. Often clothed in a beaverskin coat, Barnum’s archaeological digs take him into Montana where his team finds a partial skeleton. It will be years later before the full specimen is completed. Fern’s narrative brings this dedicated, eccentric scientist to life while Kulikov’s illustrations provide an excellent backdrop and support for the storytelling of this informative, entertaining picture book biography.

There can never be enough dinosaur books in an elementary school library, and this must-have title won’t remain on the shelf for long.

KAMKWAMBA, William and Bryan Mealer. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. illus. by Elizabeth Zunon. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803735118. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

In 2001, Malawi experienced a drought, which resulted in a famine. With fewer crops to sell, children dropped out instead of paying fees to attend high school. To conserve their food, families ate once a day. Just as they began to despair, one teen boy went to the library and read about an invention that could solve his town’s problems: a windmill. Using junk from the scrapyard, William and his friends built a windmill that would bring water to his mother’s garden, allowing it to grow all year. Another windmill brought well water for his father’s crops. “Magesti a mphepo―electric wind―can feed my country, William thought. And that’s the strongest magic of all.”

William Kamkwamba’s powerful picture book biography is beautifully told through collage illustrations and lyrical text. African phrases punctuate the story. An inspiring author’s note shares further details on “this boy who harnessed the wind,” and saved his village.

JENKINS, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547680842. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

“Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth and one of every four will be a beetle.” Jenkins produces another winner in his latest solo science book about beetles of all shapes, and sizes. Cut-paper collage illustrations are often enlarged to allow readers the opportunity to see the details in their structure. Though beetles come in many different forms, they all have the same basic structure―two antennae, six legs, and three main body parts. Jenkins shares amazing facts: the fire beetle has heat-sensing spots that can feel a fire from more than 20 miles away, the six-spotted green tiger beetle hunts down its prey and tears it to pieces; the Fijian long-horn beetle is seven inches long, and squeezes air from beneath its wings to make a hissing noise.

Readers will pore over the gorgeous illustrations and spout facts just like an entomologist.

JENKINS, Steve and Robin Page. My First Day: What Animals Do on Day One. Houghton Harcourt. Jan. 2013. ISBN 9780547738512. JLG Level: NEK : Nonfiction Early Elementary (Grades K-2)

From the team that brought us What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? (Houghton Harcourt, 2003) comes another award-winning science title. Lifelike collage illustrations and a large font create a beautiful book that’s accessible to younger readers. Told in the voice of the babies themselves, readers will learn about the variety of ways newly born creatures adapt to their environment. Golden snub-nosed monkeys and sifakas cling to their mothers for safety. Leatherback turtles are on their own from the day they are born. They race to the water for safety upon birth. Darwin’s frog babies hop out of their father’s mouth, as they are raised in a special pouch from the tadpole stage. Covering a variety of animals, the text expands in an author’s note at the back of the book.

Educators might use this book as a starting place for research. After reading the brief information, kids will surely be interested in knowing more. With 22 different creatures, they can work alone or in pairs to complete their research.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. These new informational texts are scary, bizarre, but grossly enlightening.

ALBRIGHT, Rosie. Detection Rats. PowerKids Pr. 2012. ISBN 9781448861491. JLG Level: CK2: Series Nonfiction: Science K-2 (Grades K-2)

Detection Rats introduces primary readers to African pouched rats in this volume of the Animal Detectives series. With a large font and controlled vocabulary, kids learn that these large rats can be trained to use their sense of smell to locate land mines. They are also taught to decipher diseases. Includes an index, words to know, and links to websites.

FRANCHINO, Vicky. Tarantulas. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780531209080. JLG Level: C35: Series Nonfiction: Science 3-5 (Grades 3-5)

Fondly known in elementary school libraries as “those blue animal books,” Tarantulas is part of the “Nature’s Children” series, and is filled with full-page photographs that will have your students quoting facts as if they were the scientists who discovered them. Some of those tidbits include: Tarantulas have eight eyes but their vision isn’t very good; they don’t have teeth, so they liquefy their victims in order to digest them; their stomach muscle acts like a straw and draws the liquid in. From fun facts to vanishing habitats, this “blue book” is sure pique interest and fly off the shelf.

JENKINS, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547680842. JLG Level: SCE: Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

“Line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth…and one of every four will be a beetle.” With gorgeous torn paper illustrations, Jenkins again delivers fascinating research about more than 75 beetles. The poison in an iron cross blister beetle can kill a horse. When a deathwatch beetle bores into the walls of a house, its taps are loud enough for a person to hear. A female firefly may use her light to attract a mate and then eat him. Full size illustrations and highlighted enlargements strengthen the text.

Consider using the concluding list of beetles for your students to use in their research. What other amazing facts can your students discover?

JOHNSON, Rebecca L. Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead. Millbrook Pr. 2012. ISBN 9780761386339. JLG Level: SCE: Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Easily the most memorable, information-rich, and intriguing book in this list, Zombie Makers will send shivers up your spine. A jewel wasp locates a particular place in the brain of a cockroach and causes it to become a zombie. It lays its eggs in the body where they remain until they hatch and eat the roach (which is still alive). Scientists learned about zombie ants and the fungus that claimed them when they discovered that the ants were nearly all found in cool places about 10 feet from the ground. They observed zombie crickets drowning themselves in a pool. When they pulled them away from the water, the crickets walked right back into it. Nearly all of the crickets had the same fungus.

Horrific and amazing, these gross facts will have you reading aloud―and leaving the light on at night. You may never look at flies, roaches, wasps, and worms the same way―ever again.

WOOLF, Alex. Killer Crocodiles. Arcturus. 2012. ISBN 9781848379473. JLG Level: C35: Series Nonfiction: Science 3-5 (Grades 3-5 )

Magazinelike in layout, this volume from the “Animal Attack” series, explores the world of the crocodilian. It is the family of aquatic reptiles that includes alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials. Punctuated by sidebars, the two-page spread highlights a topic with facts while drawing in reluctant readers with “Snack on This!” American crocodiles regurgitate their food to use as bait to attract their next meal. Crocodilians cannot chew, so they bite their food into pieces and throw their heads back to help it go down their throats. Full glossary and index complete the text and make it an excellent choice for your nonfiction fans.

And the shape of wombat poop? Unusual Creatures by Michael Hearst spills the facts― wombat’s feces is a six-sided cube. Why? You’ll have to read it to find out.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

Replica of first transistor invented in Bell Labs in 1947.

By a lucky coincidence, I happen to be reading a set of books that looks at the same moment in history from three different angles. Taken together, the three titles offer a more comprehensive picture of a time of invention and discovery than we’d typically get from an individual book: one title focuses on a remarkable genius; another on a breakthrough invention; and the third title, which explores a transforming theory, is really best seen as a moment in which circumstance, individuals, and technology converge to make change possible. The genius, the invention, and the theory are no less crucial, no less thrilling, but seen in three-dimensions as part of a moment in time, they give us a broader sense of why they came along when they did—which also can help us to understand the here and now.

This particular column, then, offers both a bit of history and hopeful speculation about the present. The history? My men’s nonfiction reading group is tackling Jon Gertner’s The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation (Penguin, 2012), an engaging and clear history of the Bell Labs. On my own, I’ve been working my way through George Dyson’s Turing’s Cathedral: The Origins of the Digital Universe (Pantheon, 2012), a fascinating though rather overwritten history of Princeton University’s Institute for Advanced Study. The two titles overlap in tracing the key developments of the theory, inventions, and designs that created computers and ultimately led to the digital revolution—the entire tweeting, networked, world that we currently live in.

Marching in the two books through the 1940s—a decade that saw advances in radar, cryptography, and on calculating the impacts of the A and then H bombs; the invention of the transistor, which would replace vacuum tubes in computers; and the insights of Bell Lab’s Claude Shannon, who, seemingly out of nowhere, mapped out information theory and thus the entire concept of bits flowing through channels (bits that could be text, sound, image, or you aunt Matilda’s famous apple pie recipe)—for the first time, I understood how today’s digital world came about. Indeed, Bill Gates has said that if he could travel back in time, the first place he’d visit would be the Bell Labs in 1947—in the midst of this moment when ideas that were purely theoretical in the ’30s became the machines, the first real computers, of the late ’40s. The two books beautifully capture how, through applied science, the most advanced and abstract ideas eventually became the physical tools we all use.

Sitting atop the Gertner and Dyson books on my pile is Mark Peterson’s Galileo’s Muse: Renaissance Mathematics and the Arts (Harvard University Press, 2011), an intellectually stimulating though certainly academic book that argues that in Europe between the time of the Greeks and the 16th century, math, and in particular, geometry, had become an abstraction, a part of theology (think of the world of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” [Knopf] trilogy). Peterson demonstrates that through poetry (Dante’s vision of heaven); music (polyphony); art (perspective); science (astronomy); and architecture (I haven’t read that part yet), geometry once again became a tool for measuring and understanding the physical world. Just as in the 1940s, technology, funding, need, and brilliance converged to create the digital world, in the 1500s and 1600s, art and science merged through math to fundamentally shift how people in the West created, built, invented, and, indeed, thought.

What’s possible today? What does the overlap of our needs and resources give us the chance to accomplish that was obscure, or even invisible, just a decade ago? The grand turning of the academic wheel toward nonfiction, evidence, and argument, which is central to our nation’s new Common Core standards, is, at its best, like the applied science of the 1940s and the practical geometry of the Renaissance. It’s not that we turn K–12 education into vocational training, nor do we neglect ideas, psychology, philosophy, or literary subtly. But we bring into schools the creative friction with the demands of society, which has proven so fruitful in the past. You might say we’re creating applied education—so that we can answer that frustrated student who asks, “Why do I need to know this?” Indeed, we are building an elaborate educational structure to respond to precisely that question. And there’s more.

As I wrote in my last column, our shift to the Common Core is being matched by related shifts in other countries (such as Barcelona), where the focus is less on national history and experience and more on global connections and innovation. I ask all of you, why do fourth graders study their state’s history? How is that in any way meaningful? Nowadays, parents work anywhere and everywhere, so there’s a good chance those fourth graders will move on themselves. Why do we repeat American history, and treat that history as if it was about events within our borders, and not one that always involved people, ideas, and events throughout the globe? (I can’t wait to read Professor P. J. Marshall’s new book, Remaking the British Atlantic, The United States and the British Empire After American Independence [Oxford University Press, 2012], which claims we get U.S. history wrong by not recognizing how entangled in the world of British empire, stretching as far as India, we remained long after the Revolution). Why do we look at websites to learn about cities and sites overseas, instead of asking students there to exchange photo and video essays with our kids?

Our moment of convergence may be that as we reexamine how we teach, as we build common goals across states so that we can share best practices, as we connect the tasks in our classrooms with students’ future needs, as global connections become expected, not unusual, we create linked educational experiences for young people everywhere. Who knows what geniuses, inventions, and ideas might arise from that?

This article is the second in a two-part series covering recent books on scientists. For a look at additional titles that explore the topic, see A Lifetime of Study | On Site with Scientists.

Biographies and introductions to scientists can introduce young readers and listeners to the excitement that inspires a lifetime of study. They can also encourage students to consider such pursuits themselves—now and in the future. From Galileo to Barnum Brown, the titles recommended here range from gorgeously illustrated picture books to exciting stories of phenomenal discoveries supported by clear color photos, generous lists of additional resources, detailed author notes, and website updates.

Uncovering the Past

While some natural scientists explore the world around them, others dig beneath their feet to discover remains of animals from long ago. Tracy Fern introduces readers to Barnum Brown, whose fascination with fossils led him to search for dinosaurs. Barnum’s Bones (Farrar, 2012; Gr 1-4) included the world’s first skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex.

In a suit and tie, and polished boots and bowler hat, Brown looked like a gent setting out for afternoon tea, rather than a man venturing into the desert to unearth prehistoric bones. His knowledge of geology and cartography, plus his keen observational skills and instinct, helped him uncover thousands of specimens, which he shipped back to Henry Fairfield Osborn at the American Museum of Natural History. The book’s endpapers include correspondence between “My Dear Professor Osborn” and Brown.

Boris Kulikov’s whimsical illustrations incorporate dinosaur bones in the portrayals of Brown’s journeys. Dinosaur ribs help him steer a raft along a Canadian river; skeletons burst through a map of Wyoming and float underwater as he prepares to dive off Cuba. A photo of Brown and the T. rex he discovered accompanies an author’s note.

Some students will want to linger over Kulikov’s humorous illustrations, while others may want to create a map designating locations of Brown’s birthplace, expedition sites, and the museums mentioned in the text. For readers eager to learn more about the paleontologist’s expeditions, Fern supplies a link to the museum archive where digitized versions of his field letters, notebooks, and photograph can be viewed.

Accounts of the lives and work of scientists from the past may give readers the impression that all the important discoveries have already occurred. That’s how it seemed to Lee Berger until his nine-year-old son, Matthew, spotted a fossil from a previously unknown species. The boy’s find—a part of one of the hominin skeletons recently unearthed in South Africa—has generated new ways of thinking about human evolution. In The Skull in the Rock (National Geographic, November 2012; Gr 3-7), Marc Aronson captures the combination of derring-do, knowledge, and luck that has propelled driven Berger since childhood. Successful explorations in 1991 were followed by years of fruitless searching, until 2007, when he used a new tool to view areas that he had explored many times: Google Earth. Among potential sites Berger identified was the one where his son discovered the sediba fossil.

Striking photos and clear captions explain how field scientists look for fossils and how specimens progress from site to lab. A timeline of major finds on the African continent follows a chapter describing the methods used to date these finds. The sophisticated labs and advanced technologies of today contrast dramatically with Brown’s fossil hunting a century ago.

Aronson shares both his writing process and his view on Berger and his discoveries. Reading these notes with students will help them understand the choices nonfiction writers make about the selection and the presentation of information. Readers are invited to join the those studying sediba by logging onto a website where updates to the book will be posted.

Tracking Animals

Threats posed to one species of amphibian and the efforts of scientists to save them are documented in Sandra Markle’s The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs (Millbrook, 2012; Gr 4-6). At the heart of the effort is Karen Lips, who has been working to discover why Panamanian golden frogs are dying in record numbers.

As word of her search for causes of the golden frogs’ death spread, scientists from around the world contacted Lips with similar stories. Lips considered and rejected various hypotheses that might have offered an explanation. The investigation intensified when a research team identified the microscopic fungi, Bd, in the amphibians’ skin. New questions quickly followed. How was Bd spread? Why was it killing frogs so quickly? Could the destruction be halted?

An international team of volunteers and scientists gathered in Panama to study and treat the animals, removing them from the wild when necessary. Numerous photos document their work. At the time of the book’s publication, the only healthy Panamanian golden frogs found now live in zoos and aquariums. Until scientists can determine how Bd can be removed from the environment, other amphibians remain at risk.

Have your students identify the various hypotheses Lips considered and why each one was rejected. Outline the difficulties faced by researchers in the field as they tried to stop the spread of Bd. Note that despite massive efforts, scientists can’t always protect species.

Kathryn Lasky documents another search for an elusive Latin American creature in Silk & Venom (Candlewick, 2011; Gr 4-7). Arachnologist Greta Binford grew up on an Indiana farm, but her passion for studying the brown recluse developed during an expedition to Peru.

Lasky integrates general information about spiders into the story of Binford’s specialized research on how variations in spider venom may have evolved over millions of years. Diagrams of alignments of ancient continents and shifting tectonic plates plus a “family tree” of arachnids help explain the basis of her hypothesis about spider migration. Photos by Christopher Knight track Binford’s work in field and in the laboratory, and offer intriguing, close-up views of these creatures.

Have readers select a spider in the book’s visual glossary and locate it on one of the referenced pages. Depending on the season and availability of identification resources, students can head outdoors for some first-hand observations or connect to the suggested websites to learn more about these arachnids and Binford’s research.

Exploring the Universe

Scientific research can lead to controversy. Bonnie Christensen allows one of history’s most influential stargazers to present his own story in I, Galileo (Knopf, 2012; Gr 3-5). Imprisoned for his claims that the Earth moves around the sun, an aged Galileo directly addresses readers as he recalls his life. His own inventions, such as a complex compass, were overshadowed by improvements he made to a Dutch device for viewing distant objects: the telescope. But once Galileo could view the moon and planets, he found evidence to support Copernicus’s theory that the sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe. Daring to propose this heretical idea kept him in conflict with the Catholic Church for his entire life. The volume’s illustrations, particularly the representations of the solar system, recall images from the manuscripts and books of the period.

Christensen’s brief preface and afterword explain ideas about the universe prevalent in 1564, the year Galileo was born, and how the man’s work continued to shape scientific thought for centuries. A chronology places significant dates from his life in a broader context by noting events such as the Pilgrims’ landing at Plymouth and William Shakespeare’s birth. The text and documentation also reference other scientists and inventors. Students can list these individuals and add notes about each person’s work and relationship to Galileo’s. The project will help them recognize that scientists build on the advances of others, sometimes by challenging existing ideas, and at other times by extending previous advances.

The last entry in Christensen’s chronology is the 1995 landing of NASA’s spacecraft Galileo on Jupiter. Despite the many hours he spent studying the solar system, it is unlikely Galileo ever dreamed of the discoveries that would be made by The Mighty Mars Rovers (Houghton, Gr 5-9). Although Elizabeth Rusch concentrates on the vision and drive of astronomy professor Steve Squyres, who spearheaded the mission, the story—like the project—expands to encompass hundreds of individuals. Rusch deftly presents the challenges of designing and building the two small robots, Spirit and Opportunity. Which instruments should be included, and how much could they weigh? What solar panel design would optimize energy production to keep the rovers functioning?

The problem solving and testing culminate in the scientists’ anxious wait for the rovers’ descent to Mars and transmission of images. As the robots explore the Martian surface, readers will share the excitement of their success, and the dismay of the scientists when the machines encounter unexpected obstacles.

Numerous images from Mars offer intriguing views of the planet, but the photos of the scientists and engineers are equally affecting. Their emotional and intellectual investment in the enterprise is apparent as they continue to experiment to explore ways in which Spirit and Opportunity can venture farther and function longer. With the landing of a new rover, Curiosity, this past August, Mars exploration is once again in the news. Rusch ends with a note about this newest robot along with a link to the NASA website so readers can follow the recent developments. The author’s lively presentation of science in action and meticulous documentation make this title an outstanding entry in the consistently fine “Scientists in the Field” series.

Activities suggested above reference the following Common Core State Standards:

RI. 1.9 Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic.

SL. 1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud.

RI. 4.7  Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively . .  . and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

W. 4.3  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W. 4.8  Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

RI. 4.8  Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

RI. 4.1  Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inference from the text.

L. 5.5a  Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.

RI. 3.6  Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.

RI. 4.3  Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI. 4.5  Describe the overall structure . . . of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

RI. 5.8  Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI 3.5  Use text features and search tools to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

RI. 5.3  Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

W. 5.7  Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

BONNER, Hannah. When Dinos Dawned, Mammals Got Munched, and Pterosaurs Took Flight: A Cartoon Pre-History of Life in the Triassic. illus. by author. National Geographic Kids. 2012. ISBN 9781426308635. JLG Level SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Borrowing from the “Magic School Bus”-style, fun cartoons punctuate this look into the Triassic period. Fact-filled sidebars, maps, charts, and graphs deliver a plethora of information about the evolution of creatures large and small. Knowing that there are never enough dinosaur books may be cause for selection alone, but this title is note-worthy due to its supportive material, which includes a glossary, index, and bibliography. Humor and the voice of the author make a complicated subject more accessible and certainly more than a picture book of dinosaurs.

CHIN, Jason. Island: The Story of the Galapagos. illus. by author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Bk. 2012. ISBN 9781596437166. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

The perfect book to follow or precede When Dinos Dawned, Island is another new story about the evolution of animals. The Galapagos Islands were formed as lava spewed from a volcano. As years passed, seeds fell, birds flew over, and marine animals swam to this archipelago six hundred miles from the mainland. As they aged, they slowly began to sink. As the millions of years passed, animals that lived on the Galapagos adapted to their surroundings. Snails got thinner shells, beaks became larger, and wings became smaller. The island continued to sink. Plants and animals continued to adapt.

Back matter provided by the author explains Darwin’s theory of natural selection, the Galapagos Islands and how many of the plants and animals that survive there are endemic- they exist nowhere else in the world. It’s a fascinating story for your science nonfiction collection, beautifully illustrated by the author.

HAGUE, Bradley. Alien Deep: Exploring the Mysterious World of Hydrothermal Vents. National Geographic Kids. 2012. ISBN 9781426310683. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Before 1977, scientists thought that there was no life in the deep ocean. However, scientists on the Knorr found vents on the ocean floor which bubbled boiling water.  Around the vents was life. Giant clams the size of dinner plates. Red-headed tubeworms as tall as men. Since the first discovery of the vents, a new deep-ocean species has been discovered about every ten days. In 2011, a team of scientists, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, set out to explore the same hydrothermal grounds of the Galapagos Rift.

Content focuses on the work of the scientists and crew of the Okeanos Explorer and their expedition along the Galapagos Rift in the Pacific. Supporting STEM curriculum and in collaboration with National Geographic’s television series of the same name, Alien Deep explores the work of an oceanographer. Amazing photographs compliment the appropriately sized font. Glossary bubbles on each page help the reader decode the text. It’s National Geographic for Kids at its finest.

HEARST, Michael. Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth’s Strangest Animals. Chronicle. 2012.  ISBN 9781452104676. JLG Level: SCE : Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

With a good sense of humor, and a great deal of research, Michael Hearst delivers two-page spreads on fifty unusual creatures. From the depths of the sea to birds that fly, readers will read just enough information on these uncommon animals and insects to make them want more. Hagfish produce enough slime in a few minutes to fill five one gallon jugs. Saddleback caterpillars have stinging hairs that can cause swelling, rashes and nausea. The Texas Horned Lizard spurts blood from the corners of its eyes. Snakes in Asia leap out of trees and puff out their chests to fly. Try keeping this book to yourself and reading a section or two at the beginning of each class. You’ll have silence the second they see it in your hands.

JUDGE, Lita. Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why. Flash Point. 2012. ISBN 9781596436466. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Have you ever heard birds outside your window and wondered what they’re saying? Maybe you’ve been at the zoo and seen some dancing and prancing and wondered what that’s all about. Then Bird Talk is the book for you. Lita Judge, granddaughter of ornithologists, has written about her love of birds and what they do to communicate.

This fascinating look into bird behavior will have you spouting off facts to anyone who will listen. Indian Sarus Cranes mate for life. They do a wonderful ballet on the surface of the water, bowing and leaping. Western Grebes also dance on the water’s surface with their mates. The Blue Bird of Paradise hangs upside down to attract his partner. Lita finishes her informational picture book by giving more facts about each profiled bird.

SPINNER, Stephanie. Alex the Parrot: No Ordinary Bird. Knopf. 2012. ISBN 9780375868467. JLG Level: NE : Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)

As further proof that animals communicate, this fall Stephanie Spinner releases the story of Alex, who was not an ordinary bird. In 1977 a graduate student named Irene Pepperberg bought an African grey parrot at a pet store. She believed that birds were intelligent. As a scientist, she was determined to prove it. Pepperberg taught Alex to speak and count during the ten years that she had to work with him. In a time when the world thought that the size of your brain coincided with how much you could learn, Alex the Parrot revolutionized what scientists believed about animal communication. Videos online abound, so be sure to show one of these when you introduce this story.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

What do scientists do in their laboratories and on their research expeditions?  How do they become interested in the subjects they pursue?  Biographies and introductions to professionals in the field can introduce young readers and listeners to the excitement that motivates a lifetime of study. They can also encourage students to consider such pursuits themselves—now and in the future.

Consider two well-known picture book biographies of Jane Goodall published in 2011. In addition to including scenes from the primatologist’s childhood these titles reveal how authors who start with the same source material might write very different accounts about an individual. In The Watcher (Random; K-Gr 3), Jeanette Winter emphasizes Goodall’s observation of the natural world throughout her life. Images from the books she read and her dreams of jungles break through boundaries of boxed illustrations of her early years in England. Once Goodall arrives in Africa, hills and forests fill the pages. Dozens of eyes peer through leaves as the human watcher becomes the one observed by resident chimpanzees. Patrick McDonnell’s Me . . . Jane (Little, Brown; PreS-Gr 2) focuses on Goodall’s childhood as “a magical world full of joy and wonder.” Lush ink-and-watercolor illustrations add animals from her imaginings (elephants and giraffes) to the English countryside where she spends her days.

Both books include some of the same incidents, such as Goodall’s wait in a chicken coop to observe a hen laying an egg, and comment on her stuffed monkey companion. Both authors also make use of the scientist’s work: Winter quotes from her autobiographies while McDonnell incorporates some of her the drawings and photos into his visual presentation. After hearing both books read aloud, students can help create a chart noting such similarities and differences.  They can also talk about which illustrations they prefer and point out specific pages that support their choice.

Studying Oceans
Like Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle has devoted her life to observing animals and advocating for preservation of their environment. Claire Nivola traces the oceanographer’s fascination with Life in the Ocean (Farrar, 2012; Gr 1-4) from her childhood investigations through her adult achievements. After Earle’s family moved near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida when she was 12, Earle discovered her passion for underwater exploration. Nivola uses a series of small illustrations and brief explanations to document her dives to ever greater ocean depths, in equipment she helped design.

Larger images illustrate Earle’s own words that the author incorporates into the text. A humpback whale stares with “grapefruit-size” eyes at the tiny diver. Fish in a kaleidoscope of shapes and color surround her while she explores a coral reef. A breathtaking panorama pulses with hundreds of small lights against a deep blue background, creating the wonder the oceanographer experienced 3000 feet below the surface, like “diving into a galaxy.” An extensive author’s note provides additional information about Earle’s work and the degradation of the ocean that has occurred in her lifetime. Citations for interviews with and books by the scientist included in the bibliography provide additional resources for students who want to learn more about the ocean and her work.

Sophie Webb takes readers with her as she journeys Far From Shore (Houghton, 2011; Gr 4-6) with a research team studying seabirds and marine mammals. Her first-person account describes her work as one of a group of 37 people on a four-month voyage in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Detailed drawings provide glimpses of Webb’s life and work onboard.

The author’s conversational style allows her to incorporate information about various birds and animals as she notes how scientists conduct their research. Numerous charts and graphs provide additional information about topics such as water temperature and changes in animal populations. Webb doesn’t minimize the hardships that come with inclement weather or the grind of daily work shifts. She also includes the joys of small celebrations and the rest periods in port while the ship resupplies and refuels. Webb’s passion for her work is evident—even her onshore breaks include time spent bird watching.

The author/illustrator also carefully distinguishes between her observational paintings and those that depict what she imagined below the ocean surface. Have students identify which images fall into each category and talk about why the distinction is important in information resources. Webb includes a small map of the entire study area at the opening of the book, and then provides longitude and latitude positions for each journal entry. Using these coordinates, make a large classroom map to pinpoint locations where specific events occurred. Based on Webb’s account, have students write a journal entry by someone else on the ship, perhaps another scientist, a cook, or a crew member.

Saving Birds
Laurie Lawlor introduces another woman who observed life in the ocean and the birds that fly overhead in Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World (Holiday House, 2012; Gr 2-4).  Like Earle and Goodall, Carson spent hours outdoors as a child. Her plans to become a writer changed when a professor encourage her to pursue career in science. Studying marine biology ignited Carson’s interest in the ocean, but scientific curiosity clashed with economic reality.  Having to support her mother, sister, and nieces during the Great Depression, Carson left her studies to search for a job. When she was offered a chance to revise radio scripts about sea life, she accepted.  Her success on the project led to a more permanent position as a biologist, but she also continued to write for lay readers. Her bestselling book, The Sea Around Us, introduced thousands to the importance of ocean life in our ecosystem.

Carson’s growing concern about the devastating effects of DDT on bird populations resulted in her most influential work, Silent Spring.  Laura Beingessner’s paintings provide historical context as readers move through Carson’s life: a model-T Ford, lines at soup kitchens, an upright typewriter, DDT canisters on pickup trucks. An epilogue provides more information about Silent Spring’s publication, its importance in preserving bird populations, and its continued influence in the environmental movement. Have students identify Carson’s quotations in the text.  Help them find the source notes at the end and talk about resources Lawlor used, including letters, books, and magazine articles.

Roger Tory Peterson also called attention to the harmful effects of DDT because of his concern For the Birds (Boyds Mills, 2012: Gr 3-5).  Peggy Thomas includes incidents from his boyhood that reveal his lifelong passion for nature. When Peterson needed to study moths after dark, he persuaded the police chief to issue a special permit so he could stay out after curfew. While tramping his early morning paper route, he hauled a sack of sunflower seeds to fill his birdfeeders along the way. He couldn’t afford to attend college, but when two of his paintings were accepted for an exhibition, Peterson met renowned bird artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes.  Bolstered by Fuertes’ encouragement, Peterson moved to New York, where he attended art school and joined a birding club.

Peterson’s passion for birds inspired him to develop a new type of field guide for campers and the students in his natural history classes. Using brief, clear descriptions and simple paintings, he created an easy-to-carry pocket resource that met with immediate popularity. Laura Jacques based some of her illustrations on that guide. The glorious double-page image of a flicker lets readers share Peterson’s boyhood excitement when he saw the bird burst into flight. Peterson’s identification system is used in more than 50 field guides.  Many libraries will have at least one to use in the classroom.  Have students analyze the essential components of his system such as size, color, and shape.  Using Peterson’s guide or other sources, take the class outside for some bird watching.  Thomas frequently uses bird imagery in her text.  Have students identify some of the images and talk about the effectiveness of the comparisons.

Below find a sampling of the Common Core State Standards referenced in the above texts and activities.

RI. 1.9 Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic.

SL. 1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud.

RI. 4.7  Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively. .  . and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

W. 4.3  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

W. 4.8  Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

RI. 4.8  Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

RI. 4.1  Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inference from the text.

L. 5.5a  Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.

RI. 3.6  Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.

RI. 4.3  Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI. 4.5  Describe the overall structure . . . of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

RI. 5.8  Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI 3.5  Use text features and search tools to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

RI. 5.3  Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

W. 5.7  Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

Eds. note: This is part one of a two-part article. The second part of A Lifetime of Study will appear in the October, 2012 issue of  Curriculum Connections.

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

Theoretical physicist and Nobel Prizewinner Richard Feynmann once defined “science” to a group of teachers as “the belief in the ignorance of experts.” Frustrating as that attitude may be to the aforesaid experts, it has fueled most advances in science and so is well worth encouraging in children.

The plethora of projects and experiments suggested in this handful of recent books offer just such inspiration. Rather than simply providing one bare recipe after another, the collections below combine tested sets of ingredients and clearly described procedures with specific explanations of the physical or chemical principles, relevant historical background, probing questions about results, and tantalizing suggestions for further, more challenging experiments. This approach is designed to give children both a stronger grasp on how the natural world works and a systematic method for reaching out to conduct enquiries of their own. More importantly, all the titles convey an enthusiasm for science that requires no intervention from parents or educators to prove contagious.

Reilly, Kathleen M. Explore Life Cycles! illus. by Bryan Stone. Nomad Press, 2011.

Gr 2-3-Covering stages and cycles of life in detail (yes, including death) these 25 interest-seizing activities and experiments range from making an underwater viewer from a can and plastic wrap to inventing classification schemes using various screws and other small hardware. The line and wash drawings are as simple and understandable as the directions, and each project comes with background explanations, vocabulary words and side facts. A fine selection of print and Web resources provides avenues for further investigation.

McGowan, Chris. Dinosaur Discovery: Everything You Need to Become a Paleontologist. illus. by Erica Lyn Schmidt. S&S, 2011.

Gr 2-5-Though his subtitle overstates the case considerably, McGowan does give dino fans hands-on experiences making “fossil” feathers, tooth impressions, and other style evidence, as well as a way to examine raptor-style claws (“For this activity you’ll need a friendly cat.”), and to demonstrate the strength of various skeletal structures. The 25-plus activities are illustrated with color photos of the easy-to-find supplies. Budding paleontologists will also appreciate spreads featuring live dinosaurs in dramatic poses with labels and notes highlighting selected physical features. The unusual approach will rouse passive browsers into exploring their prehistoric interests in a more active way.

Reilly, Kathleen. Food: 25 Amazing Projects: Investigate the History and Science of What We Eat. illus. by Farah Rizvi. Nomad, 2010.

Gr 3-5-Anchored by food-related activities—from making “ancient” hot chocolate to organizing blind taste tests of commercial and locally grown fruits and veggies—this delicious survey offers an unusual amount of background information about how food is produced, prepared, and preserved, food customs through time and around the world, nutrition, and marketing. The author doesn’t push a particular diet, but urges readers to consider their food choices as they create catalogs of nutritious alternatives to unhealthy snacks. Frequent side boxes add further historical and cultural notes.

Young, Karen Romano. Bug Science: 20 Projects and Experiments About Arthropods: Insects, Arachnids, Algae, Worms, and Other Small Creatures. illus. by David Goldin. National Geographic, 2009.

Gr 3-5-Presented as 20 “workshops” rather than individual projects, these hands-on invitations to explore the buggy world offer guidance (in the form of time frames, relevant science concepts, general purposes, useful materials, and savvy advice for the effective presentation of results) and enough background information for context, but leave it to young scientists to design their own experiments and to figure out how to construct necessary cages or other apparatus. A winning, well-organized springboard for serious science, with comical cartoon insects, arachnids, earthworms, and other creepy crawlies on every page adding lighthearted visual notes.

Brown, Jordan D. Crazy Concoctions: A Mad Scientist’s Guide to Messy Mixtures. illus. by Anthony Owlsley. Charlesbridge, 2012.

Gr 3-6-With alter-ego “Dr. Viskus von Fickleschmutz,” Brown presents instructions for about two dozen slime-tastic creations, from “Bogus Boogers” to homemade dill pickles. Some require trips to the drugstore and/or help from an adult “minion,” but not only are the end results guaranteed crowd pleasers, young experimenters will be exposed to hefty doses of scientific methods and principles, as well as historical background information. Better yet, the author(s) include a set of value added challenges at the end, such as making the stinkiest possible dip for chips. Cartoon illustrations supply both helpful hints and additional silliness.

Mercer, Bobby. The Flying Machine Book: Build and Launch 35 Rockets, Gliders, Helicopters, Boomerangs, and More. Chicago Review Press, 2012.

Gr 4-6-In a riveting book for budding inventors who love to fool around on their own, Mercer offers three dozen fliers, gliders, and launchers made from drinking straws, cardboard, rubber bands, empty soda bottles, and the like. Presented in a mix of step-by-step photos and written directions and hedged about with both discussions of aerodynamic principles and safety warnings, the models range from hands-on Frisbees to a “foot-on” stomped rocket launcher. Hours of strictly educational fun!

Cobb, Vicki. See For Yourself: More Than 100 Amazing Experiments for Science Fairs and School Projects, 2nd ed. illus. by Dave Klug. Skyhorse, 2010.

Gr 4-7-With the avowed intent of kindling a lifelong love of science, Cobb tucks in stimulating questions and observations to animate a broad array of easy-to-create projects from testing the strength of hair to creating photographic film. This redesigned version of the 2001 edition is charged with color illustrations and (some) new content but retains both its high-voltage energy and the subject, discipline, and difficulty indexes at the back.

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta. Nature Science Experiments: What’s Hopping in a Dust Bunny? illus. by Edward Miller. Sterling, 2010.

Gr 5-8-Besides being well supplied with wonderfully gross-out background information (“scientists estimate that twenty percent of a pillow’s weight is actually dust mites and their excrement.” Ewww.), these 13 projects and experiments are easier to create than they seem at first glance. Though the author invites young naturalists to build their own devices (e.g., a “Winogradsky column” and a “Berlese-Tullgren Apparatus,”), all use common materials—with the exception of a Venus flytrap in the final experiment. Some of the cartoon illustrations are more decorative than helpful, but directions are clear and specific, and each project offers both background and explanatory narratives.

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta. Kitchen Science Experiments: How Does Your Mold Garden Grow? illus. by Edward Miller. Sterling, 2010.

Gr 5-8-Along with “gardens” of mold and bacteria, the projects in this collection include mummifying a dead fish, observing marshmallows in a microwave, and making the classic “rubber egg.” Some projects require a microscope, multiple agar plates, or other not-exactly-household supplies, but all come with both introductory background and post-experiment explanations.

Caduto, Michael. Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun: 22 Super-Charged Science Projects for Kids. Storey, 2011.

Gr 5-8-Aimed at creating and inspiring young eco-activists, these projects all use or demonstrate recyclable energy sources. Ranging in complexity from making “sun tea” to constructing a power generating miniature windmill, each is accompanied by a list of materials, step-by-step instructions enhanced by color photos of young people at work, explanations of relevant environmental issues and scientific principles, and a “Bigger Picture” section of suggestions and ideas to ruminate over. Extensive lists of resources for students and teachers cap this well-designed, strongly focused outing.

Spangler, Steve. Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes: Unforgettable Experiments That Make Science Fun. Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2010.

Gr 5-8-Illustrated with photos of messy kitchen chemistry in action, these 29 demonstrations from celebrity science teacher Spangler are gathered into evocatively titled chapters like “Gooey Wonders” and “Don’t Try This at Home…Try it at a Friend’s Home!” Along with ingredients lists and clear step directions, the author provides both “What’s Going On Here?” explanations and suggestions for how to “Take It Further.” Most—notably the closing Mentos-and-soda bottle geyser—are likely not science fair fodder, but all offer experiences as exciting as they are educational.

Dobson, Clive. Wind Power: 20 Projects to Make with Paper. Firefly, 2010.

Gr 6-8-After a lengthy discussion on the history and physical principles of wind turbines, Dobson offers instructions for making more than two dozen models from paper or cardboard from a single piece two-blade pinwheel to a vertical axis “Squirrel Cage.” Rather than using step diagrams, he combines all of the measuring, cutting and creasing into one, sometimes dizzying, line drawing per project. However, the narrative instructions are helpful, as are the photos of finished models. This informative guide concludes with a generous list of print and online resources.

Gabrielson, Curt. Kinetic Contraptions: Build a Hovercraft, Airboat, and More with a Hobby Motor. Chicago Review Press, 2010.

Gr 6-9-Of particular interest to fledgling engineers and inveterate tinkerers, these 20-plus fliers, rollers, spinners, and pumps are made with recycled hardware or bric-a-brac and a small electric hobby motor. Gabrielson begins with a basic motor and battery on a stick and proceeds to switches, circuits, and an array of gizmos from a motorized soda bottle to a wave machine. All look distinctly ad hoc in the murky photos, but the author has plainly made them all successfully, and he offers troubleshooting tips to help motivated readers do the same. Some of these constructions require soldering or hot glue; all are battery driven.

And one (actually six) more:

Ebner, Aviva, ed. Earth Science Experiments.

—-. Engineering Science Experiments.

—-. Environmental Science Experiments.

—-. Forensic Science Experiments.

—-. Health Science Experiments.

—-. Physical Science Experiments. (Experiments for Future Scientists) Chelsea House, 2011.

Gr 5-8-Despite the pedestrian design, the content of these volumes will give parents and educators plenty of rewarding projects to share with students—from a mini volcano to an edible model of the phases of the Moon that uses split Oreo cookies. Each title in the series offers step instructions for 20 activities, with clear if utilitarian illustrations, leading questions about results, and expected outcomes in a section at the back. To encourage further study, some projects are open ended, and all conclude with reading lists. Back matter in each volume also includes matchups with National Science Content Standards and other educator-friendly resources.

Quoting Feynman once more (it’s hard to stop): “I don’t know anything, but I do know that everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough.” How much easier it is to understand and retain knowledge when the “going” is fun, hands-on, and a little (or a lot) messy too!

The books and the activities above reference a number of Common Core State Standards. The list below is a sampling.

RI3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., keywords, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

W.5.7 Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RI.7.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

Related TeachingBooks.net resources »»»

That sounds nice, but fairly innocuous. It’s what we tell our students to do with research assignments—build on what you know, and when you’re uncertain, look for more evidence while acknowledging your sources and the limits of your knowledge. But in this case, the author is talking about the venerable Bede, a monk and historian who lived in the seventh and eighth centuries. And, as the essay goes on to say, “he is sure about the all-embracing character of the biblical story and about living in the last days of the world.” For Bede, the bible is unquestionably true—it’s a factual account of historical actions by people he needs to track down. Now consider us and our students: What are the unquestioned truths of their lives, which they begin with, before they start their research?

See the problem? In teaching students how to be historians, we need to train them to question their own assumptions as well as the topics they’re investigating. Yes, like Bede, they need to look for evidence in areas they are unsure of. But unlike Bede, they also need to question what they have not previously questioned: the assumptions behind what they are “sure” is true.

For example, is it really true that a young person who’s the same age and gender but lives in another time and place is “just like me”? Is it true that a slave holder who claims to be fighting for democracy is a hypocrite? Is it true that their idea of “normal” is normative throughout this country, throughout the world? The challenge of being a historian is that you have to keep examining yourself as well as your evidence—where are you biased, where do you jump to conclusions, where do you believe ideas because they match your preconceptions, where does “rooting” for someone you like or a cause you support cause you to blur, ignore, or dismiss counterevidence?

Science uses the principle of the repeatable experiment as one test. If I claim doing X under Y conditions will bring Z result, you can test that by following the same steps and comparing the answers. By changing variables and observing outcomes we narrow the possible causes. But with history, that’s harder to do. The events are in the past, so we can’t perform tests on them. But we can do something similar by being fair and open. So long as the next guy can see exactly how I arrived at a particular judgment, he can check my sources. OK, that’s fine for sources, but what about assumptions? What makes me believe someone a thousand years ago would “obviously” have thought this, felt that, or been ready to fight for something else?

Rowan Williams’s essay on Bede explores how the monk poured the details he had gathered about British history into the biblical narrative he was certain was true. And that meant he told a story of a chosen people living out the example of the Jews, only this time it was the Christians on their island in the far north who carried that sacred mission, against their enemies—the parallel to the Philistines who opposed the biblical Jews. Of course, it’s exactly that narrative that the Puritans brought with them to North America, and has remained part of our own national mythology—sometimes in explicitly Christian terms, sometimes in a more generalized image of the United States as the leader of the Free World, the standard-bearer of Democracy bringing the benefits of freedom to the entire planet.

The United States did bring a new form of democracy to the world; we have indeed fought wars against dictators and tyrants. But does that make us exceptional? Different? Are we sure of that? Are we as sure of our truths as Bede was of his biblical truth? This is how history can help us—by holding up an unsparing mirror. What others didn’t see in themselves, we have the chance to observe in ourselves—that’s their gift to us. But we have to remember to teach our students to look at themselves as they look back on former times—that’s the true glory of history.

JENKINS, Steve. The Beetle Book. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. ISBN 9780547680842. JLG Level: SCE: Science Nonfiction Elementary (Grades 2-6)
What makes beetles so special? On his website, Jenkins supplies the answer to this question: line up every kind of plant and animal on Earth, and one in every four will be a beetle. The artwork in this book is fantastic, and the beetle facts are fascinating. More info in the back matter makes this a great choice for report writers.

MCKENZIE, Precious. Water World. Rourke. 2012. ISBN 9781617417696. JLG Level: Nonfiction Early Elementary (Grades K-2)

This title, along with many others in the Green Earth Discovery Library series, provides a great introduction on “green” living to the youngest listeners and readers. Great photographs and easy to follow page layouts contribute the browser-friendly nature of the series. Index, glossary, and resource list are included.

BRAUN, Eric. Joe-Joe the Wizard Brews Up Solids, Liquids, and Gases. illus. by Robin Boyden. (In the Science Lab Series). Picture Window. 2012. ISBN 9781404871472. JLG Level: CK2: Series Nonfiction: Science K-2 (Grades K-2)
Humor and familiar situations carry the science to the reader in this series. Joe-Joe’s spell to turn homework into chocolate bars doesn’t really work out, so he needs to learn more about how solids, liquids, and gases are formed. The fun and slightly manic illustrations beg for this book to be put on display.

BREDESON, Carmen. Weird But True Rocks. Enslow. 2011. ISBN 9780766038646. JLG Level: CK2: Series Nonfiction: Science K-2 (Grades K-2)
Lava bombs, moon rocks, and hoodoos-all weird, but all real types of rocks—are just a few of the fascinating subjects examined in this title from the Weird But True series. Brief text (with a pronunciation guide) is paired with excellent photographs to create an engaging experience for budding geologists. Back matter includes further reading, a glossary, index, and a list of websites.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

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