Tag: Curriculum Science: Non-Fiction Readers

SCIENCE: One Step Further: My Story of Math, the Moon, and a Lifelong Mission Description From Publisher This inspirational picture book reveals what is was like for Katherine Johnson, a young black mother of three, to navigate the difficult world of the 1950s and 60s and to succeed in an unwelcoming industry to become one of the now legendary “hidden figures” of NASA computing and space research. Johnson’s own empowering narrative is complemented by the recollections of her two daughters about their mother’s work and insights about how she illuminated their paths, including one daughter’s fight for civil rights and…

SCIENCE: Katherine Johnson (You Should Meet) Description From Publisher Get to know the woman who made many of NASA’s early missions possible in this fascinating, nonfiction Level 3 Ready-to-Read, part of a series of biographies about people “you should meet!” Meet Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician who worked at NASA in the early 1950s until retiring in 1986. Katherine’s unparalleled calculations (done by hand) helped plan the trajectories for NASA’s Mercury and Apollo missions (including the Apollo 11 moon landing). She is said to be one of the greatest American minds of all time. A special section at the back…

SCIENCE: Have You Thanked a Kidventor Today? – Patrice McLaurin Description From Publisher “Have You Thanked a KidVentor Today?” is the follow up book to the Microsoft acclaimed STEM read “Have You Thanked an Inventor Today?“.  It is an informational picture book that was written for grade levels K-5, but can be enjoyed by children of all ages.  The book is sure to spark any child’s natural curiosity and encourage them to consider how they too can contribute to the world’s scientific landscape, as each inventor highlighted is in fact a kid!  This fosters an important text to self connection and makes…

SCIENCE: Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? – Patrice McLaurin Description From Publisher Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? is a journey into the often forgotten contributions of African-American inventors, that contributed to the American landscape. It chronicles the school day of a little boy, highlighting different inventions that he uses throughout the day, all of which were invented by African-Americans.  The book comes complete with brief biographies about each inventor as well as fun activities to promote and encourage reading comprehension.  “Have You Thanked an Inventor Today?” was selected by Microsoft as a book that inspires STEM and also received…

SCIENCE: The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (Amazing Scientists) Description From Publisher NSTA Best STEM Books for K-12 SelectionNSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books SelectionDolly Gray Children’s Literature Award RecipientA Mighty Girl Book of the Year If you’ve ever felt different, if you’ve ever been low, if you don’t quite fit in, there’s a name you should know…  Meet Dr. Temple Grandin―one of the world’s quirkiest science heroes! When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined…

SCIENCE: The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath (Amazing Scientists) Description From Publisher Chicago Public Library Best of the Best SelectionNSTA Best STEM Books for K-12 SelectionA Mighty Girl Book of the Year If you like to think big, but some say you’re too small,or they say you’re too young or too slow or too tall… Meet Dr. Bath―the scientist who never lost sight of her dreams! As a girl coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement, Patricia Bath made it her mission to become a doctor. When obstacles like racism, poverty, and…

SCIENCE: Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions Description From Publisher A cool idea with a big splash You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy. A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity began early in Lonnie Johnson’s life. Growing up in a house full of brothers and sisters, persistence and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstone…

SCIENCE: Mae Jemison: A Kid’s Book About Reaching Your Dreams Description From Publisher As a child, I dreamed of going into space… In the new Mini Movers and Shakers children’s book series comes a cast of characters who have failed, yet succeeded despite overwhelming obstacles. In the fourth volume, we meet Mae Jemison. Find out what happens in this kids book about reaching your dreams.  Sometimes, we are faced with challenges that seem insurmountable. But with grit and hard work, one can achieve great things! Mini Movers and Shakers was developed to inspire children to dream big and work hard….

SCIENCE: Mae Among the Stars Description From Publisher A beautiful picture book for sharing and marking special occasions such as graduation, inspired by the life of the first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison. An Amazon Best Book of the Month! A great classroom and bedtime read-aloud, Mae Among the Stars is the perfect book for young readers who have big dreams and even bigger hearts. When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering. She wanted to be an astronaut. Her mom told her,…

SCIENCE: The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague (Amazing Scientists) Description From Publisher NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book 2019 SelectionNSTA Best STEM Trade Books for Students K-12 2019 Selection2019 Amelia Bloomer List Selection2019 Mathical Honor BookMeet Raye Montague―the hidden mastermind who made waves in the U.S. Navy! After touring a German submarine in the early 1940s, young Raye set her sights on becoming an engineer. Little did she know sexism and racial inequality would challenge that dream every step of the way, even keeping her greatest career accomplishment a secret for decades. Through it all,…

SCIENCE: Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner Description From Publisher Can spiders learn? How do ants find their way home? Can bugs see color? All of these questions buzzed endlessly in Charles Henry Turner’s mind. As the first Black entomologist, he was fascinated by plants and animals and bugs. And even when he faced racial prejudice, Turner did not stop wondering. He constantly read, researched, and experimented.   Author Janice Harrington and artist Theodore Taylor III capture the life of this scientist and educator in this nonfiction picture book, highlighting Turner’s unstoppable curiosity and his passion…

SCIENCE: A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon Description From Publisher The inspiring true story of mathematician Katherine Johnson–made famous by the award-winning film Hidden Figures–who counted and computed her way to NASA and helped put a man on the moon! Katherine knew it was wrong that African Americans didn’t have the same rights as others–as wrong as 5+5=12. She knew it was wrong that people thought women could only be teachers or nurses–as wrong as 10-5=3. And she proved everyone wrong by zooming ahead of her classmates, starting college at fifteen, and eventually joining NASA, where…

SCIENCE: Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 Description From Publisher The bold story of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician who worked for NASA during the space race and was depicted in the film Hidden Figures. You’ve likely heard of the historic Apollo 13 moon landing. But do you know about the mathematical genius who made sure that Apollo 13 returned safely home? As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count. She counted the steps on the road, the number of dishes and spoons she washed in the kitchen sink, everything! Boundless, curious, and excited by calculations, young Katherine…

SCIENCE: Computer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist (Picture Book Biography) Description From Publisher A full-color picture book biography about Dorothy Vaughan, one of NASA’s first African American managers and one of the groundbreakers on the front line of electronic computing―includes hands-on STEM activities for an introduction to coding. Dorothy Vaughan loved things that made sense―especially numbers! In Computer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist, elementary-aged children follow Dorothy’s journey from math teacher to human computer and beyond, a journey made difficult because she was an African American woman working during a time of segregation. Dorothy worked incredibly hard to meet the challenges…

SCIENCE: Space Adventurer: Bonnie Dunbar, Astronaut (Picture Book Biography) Description From Publisher A full-color picture book biography about Bonnie Dunbar, a young girl who made her dream of going to space a reality through hard work and determination―includes several hands-on science experiments for real-world learning connections. When Bonnie Dunbar spotted Sputnik traveling across the sky from where she stood on her family’s farm, she knew that’s what she wanted to do when she got older. In Space Adventurer: Bonnie Dunbar, Astronaut, readers ages 5 to 8 learn about the hard work Bonnie tackled throughout her life to make it aboard NASA’s…

SCIENCE: Human Computer: Mary Jackson, Engineer (Picture Book Biography) Description From Publisher A full-color picture book biography about Mary Jackson, who became the first female African American engineer at NASA―includes several STEM activities for some real-world learning connections! When Mary Jackson was growing up, she thought being an engineer was impossible for her. Why? After all, she was fantastic at math and science. She worked really hard to learn all she could in school. Why did this smart little girl think she couldn’t be an engineer? In Human Computer: Mary Jackson, Engineer, readers ages 5 to 8 explore the life of…

SCIENCE: Fossil Huntress: Mary Leakey, Paleontologist (Picture Book Biography) Description From Publisher A fascinating picture book biography about Mary Leakey, a paleontologist who worked long hours in the fields of Tanzania―includes STEM activities for real-world learning! What was the world like millions of years ago? Did early humans walk on all fours? Did giant sloths lie in trees? Did dinosaurs have feathers? Even as a young girl, Mary Leakey was fascinated by questions like these! In Fossil Huntress: Mary Leakey, Paleontologist, readers ages 5 to 8 meet Mary as a girl growing up in France and visiting the site of archeological…

SCIENCE: Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race Description From Publisher Based on the New York Times bestselling book and the Academy Award–nominated movie, author Margot Lee Shetterly and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner Laura Freeman bring the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to picture book readers! Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did…

SCIENCE: Black Women in Science: A Black History Book for Kids Description From Publisher Learn about amazing Black women in science―15 fascinating biographies for kids 9 to 12 Throughout history, Black women have blazed trails across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Black Women in Science brings something special to black history books for kids, celebrating incredible Black women in STEM who have used their brains, bravery, and ambition to beat the odds. Black Women in Science stands out amongst other Black history books for kids―featuring 15 powerful stories of fearless female scientists that advanced their STEM fields and fought to…