The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci

Welcome to the Renaissance, a time of discovery, wonder, and exploration! During the Renaissance, inventors and other creative thinkers designed and constructed many new things. And one of the people on the forefront of that awakening was Leonardo da Vinci. In The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci, readers ages 9 through 12 explore the life of one of the world’s most amazing minds. They ponder the same kinds of questions that drove Leonardo...

The Science and Technology of Ben Franklin

Inventor. Scientist. Diplomat. Printer. Benjamin Franklin was a very curious person, which led to lots of different roles during his lifetime. In The Science and Technology of Benjamin Franklin, readers ages 9 through 12 explore the life of one of Colonial America’s most fascinating citizens. They discover what it might have been like to be a young person in the early eighteenth century, when work and entertainment looked much different from today. Kids confront the...

Reconstruction

The Rebuilding of the United States after the Civil War

How does a country rebuild the infrastructure, government, and economy of a huge region while taking steps to resolve the status of 4 million newly freed slaves? In Reconstruction: The Rebuilding of the United States After the Civil War, middle schoolers examine the era from 1865 to 1877, a time when the United States wrestled with questions that still plague the country today: Who should get access to citizenship and voting rights? How should the...

World War I

The Great War to End All Wars

World War I sustained these staggering casualties: 9 million dead soldiers, 12 million or more civilian lives lost, millions more wounded. But those numbers only hint at the devastation, both political and personal, that lies at the heart of the Great War. World War I: The Great War to End All Wars brings to light the key details of this critical juncture in history, which marks the transition to a modern era in which mass destruction...

Kitchen Chemistry

Cool Crystals, Rockin’ Reactions, and Magical Mixtures with Hands-On Science Activities

A new edition offers more science fun with updated activities and links to great chemistry videos! In Kitchen Chemistry: Cool Crystals, Rockin’ Reactions, and Magical Mixtures with Hands-On Science Activities, readers ages 9 to 12 discover that the cooking, mixing, and measuring you do in the kitchen all has its roots deep in science—chemistry to be exact! Starting with an exploration of atoms and molecules and how they make up the world, Kitchen Chemistry goes on to...

Fairground Physics

Motion, Momentum, and Magnets with Hands-On Science Activities

Where can you experience the laws of motion, the fun of physics, and the chemistry of cotton candy? The fair! In Fairground Physics: Motion, Momentum, and Magnets with Hands-On Science Activities, readers ages 9 to 12 learn about the forces that rule our world and everything in it by examining the rides, games, and even food you might find at a county fair. Ride the carousel and discover centripetal force. Listen to the music and learn...

Crazy Contraptions

Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel with Hands-On Engineering Activities

Why use a simple hand motion to wipe your mouth when you can build a machine to do it for you? Toppling dominoes, rolling marbles, racing balloon cars, springing catapults, and whizzing zip-lines are all elements used to build Rube Goldberg machines in Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel with Hands-On Engineering Activities. The book introduces kids ages 9-12 (and beyond!) to the wacky machines designed by Goldberg, which...