A-maze-ing Tunnels

A-maze-ing Tunnels

The underground city of Derinkuyu was made of a series of tunnels and caves, which could fit about 20,000 people! The city had stables, cellars, storage rooms, and chapels, just like an aboveground city. You can make your own tunnel city.
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Magnetic Field Viewer

Magnetic Field Viewer

From Electricity

You can see magnetic fields in action with this easy-to-make viewer.

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Build a Craft Stick Catapult

Build a Craft Stick Catapult

From Engines!

Ancient armies used catapults in battle. But the catapult has been used as recently as World War I. In that war, soldiers used catapults to toss hand grenades at the enemy. Today, catapults are used to launch planes off the decks of huge ships called aircraft carriers. Because the runway is short on an aircraft carrier, the catapult helps get the plane into the air quickly. Try making your own!

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The STEM in Your Closet

The STEM in Your Closet

From The Science of Fashion

Have you ever really thought about what kind of science, engineering, and technology actually go into making your clothes? Now is your chance! The zipper on your jacket was at one time an engineering miracle. The shirt that has built-in protection from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a scientific innovation that helps to keep you healthy. There is a world of science and engineering in your closet. Just open the door.

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Build the Eiffel Tower

Build the Eiffel Tower

From The Science and Technology of Marie Curie

Built in 1889 for the World Exposition, the Eiffel Tower honored the French Revolution. It also showcased national engineering and design expertise to an audience of global visitors. Originally intended as a temporary monument, it remains one of the world’s most visited landmarks. The structure of the tower itself is actually quite simple! To understand how its rivets and beams join, build a model of your own.

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Reviews

School Library Connection
“This is a good nonfiction STEM-based book that provides a collection of activities perfect for enthusiastic readers or to combine with a makerspace. . . .If you are looking for new engineering books for upper elementary school students this book would be a good choice. Recommended

Ming Lu, Professor of Construction Engineering & Management, University of Alberta
Tunnels! provides a fascinating account of history, evolution, and current state of tunnel engineering. Complex engineering fundamentals are explained in straightforward language and fun illustrations. Kudos to the publisher and author on a job well done to decipher the code of tunnel design and construction while engaging the curious mind of a young reader in engineering.”

 

Detailed Book Description

Moles, beavers, rabbits . . . these animals burrow tunnels in the ground every day! What other kind of creature makes tunnels? Humans!

In Tunnels! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, children ages 7 to 10 explore the fascinating world of passageways beneath the ground, dug deep within the earth through soil and rock. But why dig through rock to make a tunnel? Tunnels give people a way to travel and transport goods from one place to another. Readers learn about the engineering and construction that go into every tunnel made, whether it's being dug under roads, under oceans, or under cities. Links to primary sources for kids offer a unique, interactive learning experience, while fun facts, engaging illustrations, timeline, glossary, and lots of resources keep kids wanting to learn more about the engineering design process.

Try these hands-on STEM activities!

  • Create a tunnel maze
  • Design a series of tunnels on graph paper
  • Experiment with beam strength
Available In:
Hardcover, $19.95
9781619306486
Paperback, $14.95
9781619306509
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Maps | Glossary | Resources | Index | Metric Conversions Chart
Specs: 8 x 10 size | 4-color interior | 96 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Engineering & Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
Let’s Explore Tunnels

Chapter 1
Why Do We Build Tunnels?

Chapter 2
Engineers and Designs

Chapter 3
Tools, Machines, and More!

Chapter 4
Types of Tunnels

Chapter 5
Famous Tunnels and Future Tunnels

Glossary
Metric Conversions Resources
Essential Questions
Index