Books with author Alicia Z. Klepeis

Why was the Renaissance such an important period of time in Western history? Who were the innovators who thought of the inventions we still use today? In The Renaissance Inventors with History Projects for Kids, readers 10 through 15 explore the period of European history from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries while focusing on the biographies of five inventors from that time and the creations they brought to the world. The lives of Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Leon Battista Alberti, Johannes Gutenberg, and Gerardus Mercator are brought to life as kids discover the challenges these men faced and the discoveries they made using their critical and creative thinking skills combined with their passion for science and engineering. Imagine a world without inventors and scientists. How would people understand the environment around them? What new technologies would improve people's lives? During the Renaissance, inventors and other creative thinkers designed and constructed many new things, including a more accurate map that showed the spherical Earth on a flat paper, a printing press that brought books beyond just the realm of the rich, and a machine that measured the speed of the wind. In The Renaissance Inventors, readers learn about what it is to be an inventor, both now and in the past. They also discover how brainstorming and tinkering with everyday materials can lead to the development of great problem-solving skills, not to mention the creation of new inventions. With 10 hands-on projects that use the engineer design process, kids create their own versions of many amazing inventions from the Renaissance. Activities such as making a parachute and creating a globe from an orange let middle schoolers stretch their inventive wings and learn what it’s like to be an inventor. Fun facts, primary source illustrations, fun STEAM activities, and links to online resources all spark an interest in the Renaissance. Even without a time machine, learners can experience the Renaissance! The Renaissance Inventors is one of a set of four books in the Renaissance for Kids series. Books in the Renaissance for Kids series invite readers ages 10 to 15 to learn about the inventors, artists, explorers, philosophers, scientists, and politicians who lived in Europe and around the world during the Renaissance and who made contributions to the wealth of human knowledge and experience that have lasted far into the future. Primary sources, color photography, relevant quotes, and hands-on STEAM activities that promote the scientific method or engineering design process keep even the most curious kids satisfied! Titles in this series include The Renaissance Thinkers: With History Projects for Kids; The Renaissance Inventors: With History Projects for Kids; The Renaissance Artists: With History Projects for Kids; and The Renaissance Explorers: With History Projects for Kids.

This title introduces young dog lovers to the sports of sled dog racing, covering everything from the history of the sport to conditioning, training, and competing. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a photo diagram, and a glossary. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Hands-on space science projects help launch kids ages 8 to 11 into learning about fearless female astronauts who broke barriers across space and gender in this full-color book full of real-world connections! Do you dream of going into space? Do you wonder what it’s like on the moon? In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Astronauts with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 through 11 explore the lives of some of the world’s most amazing female astronauts, including Bonnie Dunbar, Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Sunita Williams, and Serena Auñón-Chancellor―all pioneers in the field of space exploration. Their hard work and dedication to science and experimentation gave the world much new knowledge about space, biology, and more. These brave women took risks and pushed the limits of what we know about life in space. • Through hands-on STEM projects such as designing and building space rovers, rockets, and even a model of the International Space Station using inexpensive and easy-to-find supplies, kids gain critical thinking skills just like the ones necessary to succeed in space. • Essential questions, cool facts about female scientists, and links to online resources all reinforce high-level learning. • Using a fun narrative style, engaging illustrations combined with photography, fascinating facts, essential questions, and hands-on projects, this book deepens readers’ creative thinking skills. About the Gutsy Girls Go for Science set and Nomad Press Astronauts is part of a set of four Gutsy Girls Go for Science books that explore career connections for young scientists. The other titles in this series include Paleontologists, Engineers, and Programmers. Nomad Press books in the Gutsy Girls Go for Science series integrate content with participation, encouraging readers to engage in student-directed learning. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers. All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.

From Seattle to Sydney, people around the globe experience weather every day, but what is weather, really? How is the sun connected to whether it's hot and dry or cool and rainy outside? The brightly colored pages of this book explain the science behind weather on Earth, from our atmosphere to seasons to winds. Filled with incredible photographs, fun facts, and hands-on activities influenced by the Next Generation Science Standards, readers gain an understanding of the role that the sun plays in everyday weather.

El Salvador is a small country in Central America that will excite and intrigue young readers. There are beautiful beaches, volcanoes, and rain forests, as well as growing, lively cities. In each chapter, kids will discover a different aspect of life in El Salvador, including the language, government, economy, music, sports, and food. Vibrant photographs, fun sidebars, and quick facts keep readers engaged and curious about what it's like to live in El Salvador.

Who were the Renaissance explorers? How did they change the world?Being a Renaissance explorer was both exciting and rewarding. But it sure wasn’t easy! Explorers in the Age of Exploration faced many challenges and dangers as their ships sailed into new and unfamiliar lands. Some explorers caught diseases, while others battled with native peoples over control of the territory. Without the efforts of the Renaissance explorers, the world as we know it might have been very different! Brave men such as Ferdinand Magellan and Niccolò de Conti ventured into uncharted territory around the globe and learned much about what lay beyond Europe and brought back an incredible wealth of information about this “new world .” In The Renaissance Explorers with History Projects for Kids, readers ages 10 to 15 find out more about what it meant to be an explorer and follow the biographies of five famous Renaissance explorers, including Niccolò de Conti, Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, Pêro da Covilhã, and Ferdinand Magellan, from their childhoods until their exhilarating days of scouting new-to-them lands. In addition to diving deep into the biographies of five Renaissance explorers, readers discover the skills and tools essential for these brave men as they crossed vast oceans and interacted with very different civilizations during the course of their journeys. Kids also find out more about the science and navigational techniques that made the Renaissance one of the most important periods for the discovery of new lands, peoples, and animals.Using the engineering design process, kids develop critical and creative thinking skills with 10 STEAM activities, such making a compass that works and building a beacon like the ones used by Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama on their journeys. Fun facts, primary source illustrations, and links to online resources spark an interest in the Renaissance that goes beyond the boundaries of Europe. Even without a time machine, learners can experience the Renaissance!The Renaissance Explorers is one of a set of four books in the Renaissance for Kids series. Books in the Renaissance for Kids series invite readers ages 10 to 15 to learn about the inventors, artists, explorers, philosophers, scientists, and politicians who lived in Europe and around the world during the Renaissance and who made contributions to the wealth of human knowledge and experience that have lasted far into the future. Primary sources, color photography, relevant quotes, and hands-on STEAM activities that promote the scientific method or engineering design process keep even the most curious kids satisfied! Titles in this series include The Renaissance Thinkers: With History Projects for Kids; The Renaissance Inventors: With History Projects for Kids; The Renaissance Artists: With History Projects for Kids; and The Renaissance Explorers: With History Projects for Kids.