7 STEM
Books to Use With Novel Effect
I remember coming home from a conference a
year or so ago and introducing my young sons to this “new app”, Novel Effect. We added the app to my phone and looked for a
story to try. They immediately picked Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, a childhood
favorite. The boys loved hearing the beachy vibe and the waves in the
background. They were amazed at the sounds of the coconuts and the effects when
the alphabet letters climbed up and eventually falling down from the tree.
The app truly enhanced our reading experience
at home, prompting me to share it with the students in the schools that I
serve. With my passion for STEM education, I especially love the books in the
STEAM category within the Novel Effect app.
This post will share seven of my favorite read
aloud selections that can be used with the app. In addition, I share some
possible “after reading” activities that extend student thinking and give
learners the chance to engage in hands-on learning connected to great
literature.
Mae
Among the Stars by Rosa Ahmed
This is an inspirational story of an amazing woman in
STEM. Mae Jemison dreamed about being an astronaut. Her teacher tried to deter
her from pursuing this dream, but Mae didn’t give up. With great determination,
Mae continues to work towards achieving her dream. She gets support from her
parents, pushing her to reach her dream of seeing Earth from space.
After reading:
●
Design and construct their own spacecraft including
movement, lights, or sounds
●
Build a model of outer space using recyclables
The
Girl Who Thought in Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca
When Temple Grandin was diagnosed
with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become a well-respected
voice in science. She was a determined visual thinker transforming her ideas
into inventions. Temple felt in tune with animals, helping her invent
improvements for farms around the globe. Her unique perspective and innovative
thinking are shared in this story.
After reading:
●
Brainstorm ways you might help different kinds of
animals
●
Prototype an invention from an idea that you came up
with
We Are
Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
This is a story of a girl
and the important lesson that she learns from her grandmother. Students will
reflect on the importance of water in their lives. The Ojibwe people tell the
story of a black snake that will one day destroy their land and poison their
water. The girl discovers that this “black snake” has already come in the form
of an oil pipeline through their land. She takes action to protect their water
supply. Becoming a water protector means
doing whatever it takes for the sake of the environment and the people, plants,
and animals of the Earth.
After reading:
●
Create a digital poster telling about the importance
of water
●
Build a model showing a important source of water
where you live
The
Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
As a child Chris loved rockets and pretending he was a brave
astronaut. He didn’t feel so brave though, because was afraid of the dark.
After watching the moon landing on TV, he knew that he had to become an
astronaut one day. Chris goes on to be the first Canadian
to perform extravehicular activity in outer space. He flew in two Space Shuttle
missions and also served as commander of the International Space Station.
After reading:
●
Construct a rocket and a mechanism to launch it
●
Design an invention to help kids who are afraid of
the dark
How to
Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk
Pearl and her robot want to build a sandcastle before
summer vacation is over. They decide to do it using code. Breaking the problem
into smaller steps, Pearl uses conditionals and loops to tell Pascal what to
do. They find that building a sandcastle isn’t as easy as it sounds when lots
of things get in their way.
After reading:
●
Build a robot that can move through a maze (or use
your favorite robot like ozobots or Dot and Dash)
●
Try some unplugged coding
activities
Here We
Are by Oliver Jeffers
This book is meant to serve as a guide to life on Earth. The
author created it for his son as a lesson for how we should take care of our
world. Whether on land, in the oceans, or in outer space, it is our
responsibility to care for the plants and animals that live here. With a focus
on kindness, this is a great book for kids of all ages.
After reading:
●
Encourage your students to take action. Make a short
video to tell others about taking care of the Earth.
●
Design a new planet. What would it look like? What
special features would it have?
Over
and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
In this book, readers will discover the
plants and animals that make up the interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. The unique
illustrations of both under water and sky will interest young learners. With
minnows darting, beavers diving, and tadpoles growing, we can see different
creatures who make up this rich ecosystem.
After reading:
●
Research and create a model of a
different type of ecosystem
●
Design divided illustrations (like in the
book) where you can see over/under or inside/outside of different things
From coding to space travel to sustainability and the environment, there
are so many great STEM topics to share. Novel Effect has a library of books that keeps on
growing! They have books connected to all subject areas and many different
themes, perfect for the elementary classroom.
Pairing great books with STEM activities is a part of what I call
“remaking” our literacy practices. This approach offers hands-on strategies to
connect with children’s literature, helping students to engage more in reading,
writing, and vocabulary, but also activating their creative thinking. For more
ideas like these, check out the book Remaking Literacy:
Innovative Instructional Strategies for Maker Learning.
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