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Books in Smithsonian Readers series

  • The Science of Gems

    Samantha Challogan

    Perfect Paperback (Teacher Created Materials, May 15, 2019)
    Colorful gems sparkle and shine. Where do these precious stones come from? Learn about gemology, the science and study of gems, with this informative book created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution. It features a hands-on STEAM challenge that is perfect for makerspaces and that guides students step-by-step through the engineering design process. Make STEAM career connections with career advice from Smithsonian employees working in STEAM fields. Ideal for school reports and projects, this informational text will appeal to reluctant readers and ages 6-8. Ignite a curiosity about STEAM topics with this high-interest text!
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  • Exploring Volcanic Activity

    Nick Cimarusti

    Perfect Paperback (Teacher Created Materials -, Oct. 1, 2018)
    Volcanologists are scientists who study Volcanoes. Learn about this fascinating steam career and the tools of their trade with this high-interest book that uses real-world examples to teach how the engineering design process is used to solve problems.
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  • Hurricanes

    Seymour Simon

    Hardcover (HarperCollins, June 26, 2007)
    Takes young readers on an in-depth exploration of one of the most awe-inspiring and devastating events in nature: hurricanes. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.This dramatic nonfiction picture book is intensified through arresting full-color photographs and satellite images. Award-winning science writer Seymour Simon explains what hurricanes are and how they develop; what storm surges are; and the basics of forecasting and precautions that families should take.Booklist commented: "This is unsurpassed for kindling interest in a scientific subject and communicating an understanding of its scope and significance."
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  • Digging Up Dinosaurs

    Curtis Slepian

    Paperback (Teacher Created Materials, Dec. 3, 2018)
    Learn how scientists and museum curators bring Dinosaur Fossils from the ground into museum exhibits for all to see! created in partnership with smithsonian, this high-interest steam reader builds literacy skills and features a hands-on steam challenge.
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  • Mapping the Milky Way

    Nicole Sipe

    Perfect Paperback (Teacher Created Materials -, July 2, 2018)
    When it comes to mapping the Milky Way, scientists know one thing for sure. They know that there is still a lot that they do not know! Discover how they study the Milky Way, and learn about the galaxy that we call home. Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, this Smithsonian Informational Text builds students' reading skills while engaging their curiosity about STEAM topics through real-world examples. It features a hands-on STEAM challenge that guides students through every step of the engineering design process and is perfect for makerspace activities. It makes STEAM career connections by providing a glimpse into the lives of real-life Smithsonian employees currently working in STEAM fields. Discover engineering innovations that solve real-world problems with this book that touches on all aspects of STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math!
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  • Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster

    Mary M. Cerullo

    Library Binding (Capstone Press, Jan. 1, 2012)
    This sea monster is real. It lurks in the freezing black depths of underwater canyons. Nearly 50 feet long, it hunts with its long arms and tentacles. Its powerful suckers leave giant round scars on those that live through a battle with it. But this enormous beast, with its huge, strange eyes, remains hidden from humans. We rarely see it and know little of its ways. What is this monster? The giant squid. This famed member of the cephalopod group has a history of frightening fishermen, starring in fictional adventure tales, and keeping scientists guessing. What is the story of this mythic creature? Why is it so hard to study? What secrets does it keep? Clyde Roper, ocean scientist and squid expert, has been seeking this secretive creature for decades. Come along as he and other researchers unravel its mysteries.
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  • The Buzz on Insects

    Gina Shaw

    Hardcover (Penguin Young Readers, March 1, 2016)
    The world of insects is buzzing all around us! Learn more in this new easy Level 3 Smithsonian reader. We share our world with all kinds of flying, crawling, buzzing, even biting insects--in fact there are more of them than us! Drawing on material from the Smithonian's Insect Zoo, with its live insect exhibits, this lively, accessible reader uses exciting photographs and reader-friendly text to explore insect life all around us.
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  • Snakes

    Seymour Simon

    Hardcover (Collins, March 13, 2007)
    Exceptional nonfiction for children from two of the most trusted names in science education: Seymour Simon and the Smithsonian Institution.
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  • Thomas Edison: Lighting a Revolution

    Nick Cimarusti

    Perfect Paperback (Teacher Created Materials, Dec. 3, 2018)
    Learn about Thomas edison's inspiring life with this high-interest smithsonian steam reader that touches on all aspects of steam. Students will build their literacy skills and develop higher-order thinking skills through a hands-on steam challenge.
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  • Creative Machines

    Dona Herweck Rice

    Perfect Paperback (Teacher Created Materials, May 15, 2019)
    A Rube Goldberg machine is designed to perform a simple task through a series of elaborate steps. These simple machines are named after Reuben ""Rube"" Goldberg, an American cartoonist, engineer, and inventor. Learn how these fun machines work and ignite a curiosity about STEAM topics! Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, this informational text features a hands-on STEAM challenge that is perfect for makerspaces. Make STEAM career connections with career advice from Smithsonian employees working in STEAM fields. Ideal for school reports and projects, this STEAM book will appeal to reluctant readers and ages 6-8.
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  • Blast Off! Doodle Book: All Kinds of Do-It-Yourself Fun!

    Karen Romano Young, Pau Morgan

    Paperback (Grosset & Dunlap, June 23, 2015)
    Doodle Fun That's Out of This World!A variety of doodle-book activities, mazes, puzzles, and centered on images and objects from the National Air & Space Museum, with fun, informational captions and templates/guides for making paper airplanes and rockets, solar system mobiles and star charts, and your own comic book of alien encounters.
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  • Seven Wonders of the Milky Way

    David A. Aguilar

    Hardcover (Viking Books for Young Readers, Dec. 11, 2018)
    Witness the wonders of the Milky Way in this stunningly illustrated book that will make you feel like an astronaut!Blast off to the oldest star in our galaxy, zoom around planetary nebulae dubbed "the butterflies of space," circle past humongous, ringed exoplanets, and close in on newly discovered orbs that just might support alien life. David Aguilar, former Director of Science Information at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and creator of Cosmic Catastrophes and Seven Wonders of the Solar System, takes us on a unique space journey through the Milky Way. His beautifully rendered, painterly images are based on the latest scientific findings about our galaxy and are supported by lively, factual text about celestial wonders such as Omega Centauri, the Great Nebula in Orion, UY Scuti, the Hourglass Nebula, and headlining-making discoveries about planet J1407b, Tabby's Star, and the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system.
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