The STEM in Your Closet

The STEM in Your Closet

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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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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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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Make Your Own Zibaldone

Make Your Own Zibaldone

From The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci

A zibaldone is the Italian word for “a heap of things.” This is what Leonardo’s notebook was called. He collected a heap of ideas, observations, questions, and experiments on the pages of his notebooks, putting everything he saw or thought into the same book, instead of having different notebooks for different topics. And he used every corner and both sides of every page. In the 1400s, books and paper were more plentiful than they had...

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Reviews

“One of the best ways to get kids excited about STEM is to show them how every aspect of daily life is intrinsically connected to science and technology. The reliable Inquire and Investigate series takes on this task by offering titles brimming with information...”
-Booklist Series Nonfiction Showcase

"After reading this three volume set from Nomad Press I understand how the scarecrow felt after getting his brain. I’m a lot smarter and it was fun getting there!"
-Greg Pattridge, Always in the Middle

Detailed Book Description

What kind of sneakers are you wearing right now? What material is your shirt made out of? And how did all of these clothes and accessories get made and arrive at a store for you to try on and buy?

In The Science of Fashion, learn how science, technology, and engineering make the entire fashion industry possible! Most people tend to think of fashion designers and scientists as occupying two completely different worlds, but the truth is, the fashion business is completely dependent on and intertwined with science and engineering. The computer technology used in fashion design, the science behind dyes and special treatments such as waterproofing, and the engineering innovations in manufacturing of fast fashion are just a few of the ways the fashion world and the science and engineering world meet.

Hands-on engineering projects, links to online resources, career connections, and essential questions get kids engaged with the science of what they wear!

Try these hands-on science projects!

  • Create your own natural dyes
  • Deconstruct the sewing robot
  • Explore the psychology of color

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Available In:
Hardcover, $22.95
9781647410278
Paperback, $17.95
9781647410308
Includes: Table of Contents | Timeline | Charts | Glossary | Resources | Index | Metric Conversions Chart
Specs: 8 x 10 size | 4-color interior | 128 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Engineering & Technology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Timeline

Introduction
Fashion Through History

Chapter 1
Textiles and Technology: From Fiber to Fabric

Chapter 2
The Chemistry of Color

Chapter 3
Design

Chapter 4
The Latest Must-Have Accessories

Chapter 5
Simply Sensational Sneakers

Chapter 6
Fashion: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Selected Bibliography
Index