365 Science Activities by 
Ada Twist's Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists by
For curious young minds who ask why? how? what? when? and then why? again and again, the bestselling team behind Ada Twist, Scientist has developed a STEM project book based on the beloved character. Ada herself will take readers through the scientific method and introduce them to some of her favorite sciences, including chemistry, botany, astronomy, and environmental science. Budding scientists will solve everyday mysteries and come to think more critically about the world around them.
Crazy for Science with Carmelo the Science Fellow by
Designed to encourage children's natural love of science from an early age, this book promotes scientific observation, exploration and analysis in a way that little kids can get excited about - through do-it-yourself experiments! Each chapter introduces a different branch of science, including biology, chemistry and physics through kid-friendly experiments, all of which will helpfully fit in to school curriculums. Each experiment includes an introductory question, complete materials list, step-by-step instructions and Carmelo's characteristic kid-tested jokes .
The Everything STEM Handbook by
Projects and experiments to inspire and challenge your kids! Look inside for ideas and activities to stimulate your child's interest in these fascinating subjects, including: Racing juice cans, Setting up a circuit, Observing potato osmosis, Creating a Cartesian treasure map, Building a bridge, & Exploring food chemistry. With easy-to-understand examples, problem-solving tips, and hands-on projects your family can create together, this guide gives you the tools you need to help your kids excel and foster a lifetime love of learning.
How to Be a Scientist by
Why does mold grow? Why is the sea salty? What makes day and night? Kids can have all these questions--and more--answered in How to be a Scientist, as they learn how to think like a scientist and look at the world to figure out how science works. More than 40 simple activities have undetermined answers, encouraging curious young readers to find new ways to test ideas, and fun questions, games, and real-life scenarios make scientific concepts fun and relevant. The stories of the great scientists and their discoveries--and failures--are told in an entertaining way to provide even further inspiration for little budding scientists.
Make - Paper Inventions by
Paper is incredible stuff. It's easy to cut, but incredibly strong. It's disposable, but can last for centuries. It can stand as stiff as a board, pop up like a spring, or float like a leaf. And its invention changed the world forever. Perfect for kids, parents, and educators, Paper Inventions is a project-based book with full color illustrations, step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and templates that allow you to follow along with the book or devise something entirely new. Each chapter features new projects that will challenge and intrigue everyone, from beginning to experienced Makers. In this book, you'll learn to make: A light-up paper cat that shows how switches and sensors work An action origami robot worm Edible rice paper perfect for secret messages A space rover that moves thanks to paper machinery A paper generator that creates electricity when you tap or rub it Heat-activated paper models that fold themselves A geodesic dome big enough to crawl into--from newspaper!
Maker Lab by
Award-winner Maker Lab includes 28 kid-safe projects and crafts that will get young inventors' wheels turning and make science pure fun. Each step-by-step activity is appropriate for kids ages 8-12, and ranked easy, medium, or hard, with an estimated time frame for completion. Requiring only household materials, young makers can build an exploding volcano, race balloon rocket cars, construct a lemon battery, make sticky slime, and more. Photographs and facts carefully detail the "why" and "how" of each experiment using real-world examples to provide context so kids can gain a deeper understanding of the scientific principles applied.
Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers by
Embark on an adventure of personal creativity and invention with fan favorite Rosie Revere! This activity book features art from the picture book Rosie Revere, Engineer and will inspire young readers with activities of all kinds. Kids will have the chance to design a better bicycle, build a simple catapult, construct a solar oven, and more! This empowering activity book will teach problem-solving and creative-thinking skills crucial to STEM fields while also providing opportunities for its readers to try new things and, sometimes, to fail.
Video Channels to Inspire & Instruct
Weeding your collection is an important part of keeping your STEAM materials up-to-date, relevant, and engaging. Follow CREW & MUSTIE Guidelines to help you decide when to eliminate materials.
The MLS Professional Collection is located at our Marlborough office. You can search the professional collection via MassCat: http://masslibsystem.masscat.org/ If you find an item in the professional collection that you would like to borrow, place your request using these instructions: How to borrow items from the MLS Professional Collection [PDF] You will need to know your library’s BPL card number / ILLiad number in order to login and place your hold request.
Becoming a Media Mentor by
In a time of rapidly changing technologies, the role of the youth services librarian has expanded to include the realm of digital media. Supporting children's literacy now means serving as a media mentor. This book empowers youth services staff to confidently assist families and caregivers as they navigate the digital world, guiding them towards digital media experiences that will translate into positive and productive lifelong learning skills, regardless of format.
Bedtime Math: Fun Excuse to Stay up Late by
Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle--math that isn't just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing. With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school.
Bedtime Math: This Time It's Personal by
With over 100 math riddles on topics from pillow forts and and sneeze speeds to overfed pets and underwear, kids will find math isn't just fun, it can be found in their everyday lives. And with three different levels of challenge (Wee ones, Little kids, and Big kids), plus a brand-new Bonus question, there's something for everyone. Just as we all love stories before bedtime, families will find math is equally as fun and engaging.
Best STEM Resources for NextGen Scientists by
Intended to support the national initiative to strengthen learning in areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, this book helps librarians who work with youth in school and public libraries to build better collections and more effectively use these collections through readers' advisory and programming.
Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It! by
A valuable, one-stop guide to collection development and finding ideal subject-specific activities and projects for children and teens. * Provides an excellent resource for libraries considering creating makerspaces.
The Collection's at the Core by
Common Core standards, OER, STEM, and collection development--where to begin? This book investigates these critical topics together to give you the power to transform your collection and practice and put your school library at the center of STEM.
How to Stem by
How to STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education in Libraries is by and for libraries who are involved in contributing efforts into advancing these subjects. It is organized in 9 parts including funding, grant writing, community partnerships, outreach, research, and examples of specific programming activities. Authors are drawn from the professional staffs of educational institutions, libraries, and non-profit organizations such as science museums.
Library Robotics by
A dive-right-in, quick-start guide for busy library professionals who want to build literacy, STEAM, and other 21st-century skills using simple robots in a fun, collaborative environment. * Provides the only guidebook currently available about robotics written by a librarian, for librarians-a simple, practical guide that virtually any librarian can use, no prior tech experience necessary.
The Maker Cookbook by
The Maker Movement is hot, and librarians are eager to participate. Even if you feel restricted by budget, staff, or space, this step-by-step guide will help you turn your library into a creativity center.
Perfect Pairs by
Perfect Pairs, which marries fiction and nonfiction picture books focused on life science, helps educators think about and teach life science in a whole new way. Each of the twenty-two lessons in this book is built around a pair of books that introduces a critical life science concept and guides students through an inquiry-based investigative process to explore that idea--from animal/environment interactions to the role of structure in plant and animal survival, from inheritance of traits to variation of species.
Stem to Story by
Bring STEM to life for students with zombies, rockets, celebrities, and more. Lesson Plans for Grades 5-8 inspire learning through fun, engaging, and meaningful lesson plans that fuse hands-on discovery in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with creative writing.
Teen Girls and Technology by
How do we engage girls with technology and why is this important? Lesley Farmer examines how girls currently view and use technology, noting how uninformed they are as to technology's impact upon their futures. This dynamic book provides a framework that teachers, parents, and youth workers can use in motivating girls to both use and think about technology.
Teens, Technology, and Literacy; or, Why Bad Grammar Isn't Always Bad by
Expand your perspective on what defines literacy, and learn how you can maximize the learning that teens acquire in using new technologies by integrating technologies into your programs and services. A must-read for librarians, teachers, and anyone else who works with teens in grades 6 and up.