primary junior science & technology

ada twist is a very curious girl who shows perseverance by asking questions and performing experiments to find things out and understand the world.

author and poet janay brown-wood's cumulative tale, similar to 'the house that jack built,' starts promisingly: 'here are the seeds that we will sow to help our garden grow.' but as time passes, the children quickly learn that things rarely go as planned in the garden. plants will droop without enough sun and wilt without enough water. suddenly, 'oh no!' becomes the children's repeated refrain. eventually, the pair come to see that nature itself provides everything a magnificent garden needs to flourish! this engaging read-aloud doubles as a child-friendly lesson on what plants need in order to grow. olivia amoah's vivid artwork brings the story to life, particularly on the spreads featuring the refrain ('oh no!'), where readers can look at the illustrations to try to figure out what went wrong in the garden. the story covers the key elements of what makes a healthy garden, such as soil, sun, bugs, water, mushrooms and worms - and shows how balance is necessary for plants to survive. the back matter includes brief explanations of each of these key elements. this picture book offers excellent life science curriculum connections to the needs of living things, growth and changes in plants and plant life cycles.

ever since he was a baby, iggy peck has built towers, bridges, and buildings, which comes in handy when his second grade class is stranded on an island during a picnic.

eva takes a walk with her mother and encounters a range of mysteries: from gravity, to life cycles, to the vastness of the universe.

a little girl has a wonderful idea. with the help of her canine assistant, she is going to make the most magnificent thing! she knows just how it will look. she knows just how it will work. but making the most magnificent thing turns out to be harder than she thinks.

the cat and company travel by hot air balloon up and into various weather phenomena including rain, snow, thunder, tornadoes, and (yikes!) even hurricanes! along the way they learn about thermometers, anemometers, wind vanes, cloud formations, humidity, fog, smog, weather folklore, and how to stay safe in lightning. written and illustrated in seussian style, this a great addition to the cat in the hat’s learning library!

a young aspiring engineer must first conquer her fear of failure.

engineers design bridges to help solve the challenges of  barriers that block the movement of people. young readers will learn about the steps in the engineering design process and see how different types of bridges suit different types of obstacles. they will also discover what materials are used in construction to make bridges stable. a link to interactive activities online plus an activity in the book allow readers to create bridges that stand up to the forces of extreme weather and natural disasters. 

gripping narrative non-fiction with stem and social justice themes that proves cities can be surprisingly wild places--and why understanding urban nature matters. what can city bees tell us about climate change? how are we changing coyote behavior? and what the heck is a science bike? featuring the work of a diverse group of eleven scientists--herself included!--dr. cylita guy shows how studying urban wildlife can help us make cities around the world healthier for all of their inhabitants. in the process, guy reveals how social injustices like racism can affect not only how scientists study city wildlife, but also where urban critters are likelier to thrive. sidebars include intriguing animal facts and the often-wacky tools used by urban ecologists, from a ratmobile to a bug vacuum. cornelia li's engaging illustrations bring the scientists' fieldwork adventures to life, while urban ecology challenges encourage readers to look for signs of wildlife in their own neighborhoods. *a junior library guild gold standard selection

get ready to learn all about inclined planes in this fascinating new book! see inclined planes at work in ramps and roller coasters, as well as their other applications and history. kids get a hands-on approach to inclined planes in the exercise section, making and using their own inclined planes.

levers play an important part in all our lives! without them we could not row a boat, move a wheelbarrow, or open a bottle. this book teaches children about the different kinds of levers. simple and easy-to-follow layouts and diagrams explain how levers lift turn, grip, and cut.

pulleys help make up some of the most complicated machinery, from car engines to cranes. see how pulleys lift and move heavy things, how pulleys work together, and the different kinds of pulleys. kids get to use their own pulleys in the fun with pulleys section.

a 2022 forest of reading: yellow cedar award nominee! an illustrated book about the digestive system and microbiome for young readers, from famous (and funny) scientist dr. jennifer gardy. everybody eats, and everybody poops. pretty ordinary stuff, right? but what happens in between is far from ordinary! that's where your digestive system--also known as your gut--works its magic.  it takes guts is an excellent, science-based resource for classroom learning and home-schooling for kids age 9 to 13, with information about:  the surprising role that food and digestion play in your mood and immune system. the amazing tools your body uses to break down food including acids, which do their thing without burning a hole in your stomach! the incredible truth that not all bacteria is bad! billions of "helpful bacteria" belong in your gut. and so much more. dr. jennifer gardy also takes stomach-turning detours to investigate the science behind burps, barfs, and farts, proving that learning about the wonderful world of your gut--takes guts!

a young girl and her cat watch a firefly glow, make shadows in the sun and learn all about how light works in this accessible, kid-friendly introduction to the science of light. where does light come from? how does it work? what is it made of? join a young girl and her cat on a journey of scientific discovery to find the answers to these questions and more. over the course of a summer vacation, the pair investigate the many fascinating aspects of light, including natural and artificial light; the many uses of light; how light can be absorbed, reflected and refracted; the meaning of opaque, translucent and transparent; how the eye sees light; and why some animals need less light to see than humans. from forest fires to traffic lights, this book also provides loads of examples of sources of light. beginning near the shore of a lake looking up at the stars on a summer night, and ending at the same shore enjoying a fireworks display, our guides offer readers an intriguing and lyrical introduction to light and all its mysteries. the second book in the delightfully informative science of how series, award-winning author susan hughes's engaging narrative gives young children an age-appropriate overview of the science of light. ellen rooney's friendly and inviting illustrations with their many shades of blue beckon readers to be a part of the characters' fun summertime exploration. presenting complex topics in a graphic, appealing and easy-to-digest format, this comprehensive one-of-a-kind book strongly supports the next generation science standards. the manuscript was carefully reviewed by an expert in the field. the book includes a glossary and instructions for a shadow puppet show.

each book in this series focuses on a specific part of a plant to help simplify their functions for young readers. using engaging, full-page photographs that connect to simple text and relevant sight words, early readers can learn about a specific part of a plant while also practicing their reading skills. every book also includes a page for caregivers and teachers that suggests guiding questions to help aid in reading comprehension. (from crabtreebooks.com)

this book describes the life cycle of plants, the parts of a plant, and plant reproduction.
contents plant life cycle - parts of a plant - flowers and seeds - might as well be walking - spores, clones, and cones - show what you know.

engineers design skyscrapers to help solve the challenge of making room for a large number of people on a small piece of land. young readers will learn about the steps in the engineering design process and see what shapes and materials are used in construction to make tall buildings stable. a link to interactive activities online plus an activity in the book allow readers to create skyscrapers that can withstand weight, weather, natural disasters--and time!

what is fog? why does it snow? what makes the wind blow? each book in the weather forecast series reveals for young readers what causes different kinds of weather. with engaging, full-page photographs alongside simple text and relevant sight words, each book explores a different kind of weather, while also building confidence in reading skills. every book in this series also includes a page for caregivers and teachers that suggests guiding questions to help aid in reading comprehension. (from crabtreebooks.com)

kids will enjoy learniing about the concept of sound waves in this entertaining book. readers will learn how sound waves are used for communication and be able to demonstrate this knowledge by creating their own sound devices.

herbivores eat plants, but they don't eat the same kinds of plants or plant parts. this captivating book looks at animals that eat grass, leaves, flowers, cacti, fruit, pollen and nectar, and wood. amazing photographs also feature animals, such as koalas and pandas which eat very specialized plant foods such as eucalyptus leaves and bamboo.

accessible text and vibrant design combine to provide readers with a solid introduction to this form of matter. readers will learn the unique properties of solids and the conditions under which they change state.