To kick off our first S.T.E.A.M. books of the month, we will be taking a closer look at the imagination behind every S.T.E.A.M. mind. With the help of these awesome books, students can begin to see themselves as more than just an elementary student and open their eyes to the possibility that they could be the next kid inventor to design an innovative product that make our lives easier!
Please be sure to check out the supplemental resources for teachers to use in conjunction with these texts. There are videos to serve as hooks/activators for the read aloud or to serve as background knowledge-building resources and/or inspiration for our Mableton Jaguar Inventors during their aligned STEAM Challenges. There are also additional fiction and informational texts listed you can check out as well as writing extensions available for each grade level.
Please be sure to check out the supplemental resources for teachers to use in conjunction with these texts. There are videos to serve as hooks/activators for the read aloud or to serve as background knowledge-building resources and/or inspiration for our Mableton Jaguar Inventors during their aligned STEAM Challenges. There are also additional fiction and informational texts listed you can check out as well as writing extensions available for each grade level.
Primary: “Imaginative Inventions” by Charise Mericle Harper Synopsis: The colorfully illustrated book will engage young children who want to know where common things came from, In all, 14 different inventions—ranging from potato chips to roller skates to the vacuum cleaner—each occupy a two-page spread in this book. Intermediate: “So You Want to Be an Inventor” by Judith St. George Synopsis: The reader is introduced to inventors and inventions, from automobiles to lightbulbs, to Velcro, in this whimsical and fun narrative. Using creative illustrations, the book suggests, “If you want to be an inventor, find a need and fill it.” The author then provides examples of inventors who took that advice and shared what they developed. |
Videos | Additional Books on Inventors |
| Fiction Books: “Dotty Inventions and Some Real Ones Too.” By Roger McGough “Cody’s Amazing Machines” by Danny Cohen “Ivan the Inventor” by Thomas Hendrickson Informational Books: “A Whimsical Tale of Invention” by Kara Guest (Great Illustrations) “The Kids’ Invention Book” by Arlene Erlbach “Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women” by Catherine Thimmesh |
STEM Challenges and Writing Response Prompts
Please see the shared Office 365 "Book of the Month Folder" to find the STEAM challenges and Writing extension activities for this month!