STEM | Page 6 of 6 | Daddy Mojo

Backward Science bridges the past and present for ages 9 and up

Backward Science is reverse engineering’s brother, the two of them live at that house down the road with all of the car parts that are just outside of where you can see them. That way they can avoid the HOA penalties. That phrase also sound like something your parent might say after you create something. “That’s some backward science there”, dad would say as he’s trying to compliment you, but really wants the end product or creation thereof to be more polished. In this instance, Backward Science is the perfect name for a book that takes a look brief look back at how we lived, made stuff or got around before things were as modern as they are today.

Stealth learning and overt fun for upper elementary and up

Week 2 of Camp Warner Bros. brings the Crystal Gem Candy

It’s week number 2 of our at-home summer with Camp Warner Bros. This week’s activity is one that the kids could really get behind-making candy! The craft was rather simple and corresponded to the movie of one of the best shows in recent memory on Cartoon Network. The title of the candy surely gave it away for fans of the show. The film that ties into the craft is Steven Universe: The Movie.

Candy, make yr own STEM-rific Crystal Gem Candy

The Boreal Forest is a perfect mid-grade biome book

In theory, I know where the Boreal Forest is. For us it’s similar to The Isle of Man; both of which are such perfectly named places that they’d only exist in some middle earth novel or on the outskirts of my geography knowledge. In this case, The Boreal Forest, A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome is a children’s illustrated book that effortlessly blends art and entertainment into a book that nature kids will relish and casual kidlit readers will enjoy.

The illustrated book as educational tool is a great thing

Red Rover, Curiosity on Mars, illustrated Mars magic for 3-7

Is that real? Does it really exist? Those are the qualifiers for anything that our second grader is reading now. It’s the exact opposite of his brother who was more into madcap humor, science-fiction and Captain Underpants. Nay, his younger brother is mainly attracted to non-fiction. When he read Red Rover, Curiosity on Mars for the first time he peppered me with all sorts of questions about Mars, if people lived there, if water existed there and how the probe was getting its power.

STEM-tastic space exploration with great illustrations is Red Rover, send it on over

Creepy and True, Mummies Exposed!, superb, non-fiction, mummy funny

Mummies are something that we’ve had a keen interest in for decades. When I was single and childless I would plan my vacations around places where mummies could be seen. On one particular excursion I was near Siwa, Egypt and visited a series of tombs that the locals were talking about.* Sure enough, there were mummies there, just chilling out in a series of enclaves that were cut into the side of a mountain. I never disturbed any of the remains-or took anything from the burial site. I’ve seen The Brady Bunch Hawaii episode, I know that taking things from sacred locations never, ever ends well.

Creepy and True, Mummies Exposed! is such a fun, non-fiction read that any middle school kid with degree in STEM interest or curiosity will love it.

If you’re a middle grade student and want mummies-you got em. You will really dig this.