Books published by publisher Nomad Press

Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration offers a fascinating look at the explorers and their voyages during the Age of Exploration and Discovery. Readers ages 9–12 can delve into the expeditions of Vasco da Gama, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, John Cabot, Hernán Cortés, and more. Using common household items and minimal supervision, kids enjoy 22 hands-on activities to help them learn about these legendary explorers and their voyages. Discover how the adventures of a few people 500 years ago changed world history.Projects include creating and using a compass, learning to tie a sailor’s knot, and baking and eating sea biscuits. Along with detailed, step-by-step instructions for each project, Explorers of the New World includes biographical sidebars, engaging illustrations, interesting facts, and vocabulary words that allow kids to experience this era in a fun, interactive way.

Most people have heard of Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg, but how about Daniel Hale Williams, Mae Jemison, and Mary Anderson? The world owes a lot to the unsung heroes of innovation, people who used their ideas to make the world a better place through advances in health, technology, food science, and discovery! In Innovators: The Stories Behind the People Who Shaped the World, readers ages 9 to 12 learn about many inventions, products, processes, and improvements people have made to create the reality in which we live.For example, in 1938, Ruth Wakefield added bits of chocolate to her cookies and invented Toll House chocolate chip cookies. In 2012, at the age of just 15, Jack Andraka developed a speedy and cheap method to detect pancreatic cancer. Being innovative means thinking creatively and critically to solve problems and find improvements―all it takes is an open mind, curiosity, and a desire to come up with ideas! Hands-on activities use the engineering design process and include creating a homemade version of Silly Putty and figuring out how to make a solar-powered oven. Links to primary sources, videos, and relevant websites offer a digital experience for deeper, independent learning and inspiration.Nomad Press books in the Build It Yourself series integrate content with participation. Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and STEM Education all place project-based learning as key building blocks in education. 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.

What was it like to be an American pioneer during the 1800s? Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself introduces readers ages 9 and up to the settling of the great American frontier with over 25 hands-on building projects and activities. Young learners build replica sod houses, log cabins, and covered wagons and create their own printing presses and maps. Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself provides detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and templates for creating each project. Historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and fascinating trivia support the fun projects and teach readers about the American pioneers’ relentless push westward. Together they give kids a first-hand look at daily life on the trail and on the frontier. Great Pioneer Projects You Can Build Yourself brings the American Pioneer experience to life.

Kids love stories about underdogs, and the American Revolution is among the most famous of these tales. Desperate to be an independent country free from Britain, the rebel colonists relied on their cunning wit and visionary leadership to win an impossible war. And then they faced the real hardship—creating a country out of a victorious but chaotic society.Using engaging text, hands-on activities, and links to primary sources, The American Revolution: Experience the Battle for Independence shows readers how rebel soldiers fought in horrific conditions while their families faced their own hardships for the sake of freedom. Students examine wartime propaganda to discover the truth about events leading up to the war, and engage in vibrant debate, strategic planning, and literary deconstruction to understand the official documents upon which America is founded. Building a marshmallow cannon and creating real colonial food are some of the projects that engage readers’ design skills. Essential questions require readers to activate their critical thinking skills to discover the truth about the most important moment in American history. The American Revolution meets Common Core State Standards for literacy in history and social studies; Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.

Energy: Physical Science for Kids from the Picture Book Science series gets kids excited about science!Do you have a lot of energy? What else has energy? Just about everything that moves!When you feel like running, leaping, and singing, people might say you have a lot of energy. And you’re not the only one! Energy is the stuff that makes everything live and move. People, animals, plants—we all need energy to live!In Energy: Physical Science for Kids, young readers discover different forms of energy, including heat, light, and chemical energy, that keep the world working and moving. In this nonfiction picture book, children are introduced to physical science through detailed illustrations paired with a compelling narrative that uses fun language to convey familiar examples of real-world science connections. By recognizing this basic physics concept and identifying the different ways it is demonstrated in real life, kids develop a fundamental understanding of physical science and are impressed with the idea that science is a constant part of our lives and not limited to classrooms and laboratories. Simple vocabulary, detailed illustrations, easy science experiments, and a glossary all support exciting learning for kids ages 5 to 8. Perfect for beginner readers or as a read aloud nonfiction picture book!Part of a set of four books in a series called Picture Book Science that tackles different kinds of physical science (waves, forces, energy, and matter), Energy: Physical Science for Kids pairs beautiful illustrations with simple observations and explanations. Quick STEM activities such as transferring energy from your hands to a ball help readers cross the bridge from conceptual to experiential learning and provide a foundation of knowledge that will prove invaluable as kids progress in their science education.Perfect for children who love to ask, “Why?” about the world around them, Energy satisfies curiosity while encouraging continual student-led learning.Picture Book Science presents real-world examples of physical science and engineering topics kids find fascinating! These nonfiction picture books consist of engaging narratives paired with brightly colored, whimsical illustrations drawn by an accomplished scientist. With these books, readers ages 5 to 8 are encouraged to expand their definitions of the words “force,” “matter,” “energy,” and “wave.” Elementary-aged children are equipped to recognize basic science concepts and identify the different ways they are demonstrated in real life, while being impressed with the idea that science is a constant part of our lives and not limited to classrooms and laboratories. Titles in the series include: Waves; Forces; Matter; and Energy.

Who were the artists of the Renaissance? Why do we still learn from Renaissance art? "This is a wonderfully enticing introduction to the Renaissance via the lives of five artists: Michelangelo, da Vinci, Titian, Botticelli, and Raphael." - Booklist Starred ReviewThe Renaissance Artists with History Projects for Kids introduces readers ages 10 through 15 to the Italian Renaissance as it was experienced by five of the world’s most renowned artists: Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian. Kids learn about the biographies of these Renaissance artists through the perspective of three to four major works of art that not only defined that artist’s career but also created a cultural legacy that still resonates in the world today.Renaissance artists were not working and living in a vacuum! Instead, their work was informed by the cultural, historical, and political contexts of their time. Renaissance artists were required to serve lengthy apprenticeships in the busy studios of master artists, learning to make brushes, grind pigments, make fresh plaster, and draw. Plus, they had to maintain membership in guilds and keep in mind the pleasures and opinions of the wealthy patrons who funded their art. Being an artist involved much more than making art!Using an inquiry-based approach to learning, each chapter of The Renaissance Artists includes hands-on activities and open-ended assignments that challenge readers to think critically and creatively about the political and social forces in the time of the Renaissance and today. Get a hands-on experience of the tools of the trade of a Renaissance artist and draw with charcoal, make egg tempera, paint on a ceiling (under a table lined with paper!), experiment with linear perspective, make oil paints, try your hand at portraiture, and more. Fun facts, primary source illustrations, and links to online resources spark an interest in the Renaissance. Even without a time machine, learners can experience the Renaissance The Renaissance Artists with History Projects for Kids 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.

Everything moves! Kids run around the playground, cars drive on the road, and balls fly through the air. What causes all this motion? Physics! Forces and motion rule the way everything moves through space.In Explore Forces and Motion! With 25 Great Projects, readers ages 7 through 10 discover that the push and pull of every object on the planet and in space depends on how a force acts upon it. Things float because of a force called buoyancy, we stick to the ground because of a force called gravity, and we make footprints in sand because of a force called pressure.Physics becomes accessible and interactive through activities such as a experimenting with a water cup drop, building a bridge, and spotting magnetic field lines. Simple machines such as levers, pulleys, and wedges are used as vehicles for discovery and comprehension of the foundational concepts of physical science. Using a theme familiar to everyone—motion—this book captures the imagination and encourages young readers to push, pull, twist, turn, and spin their way to learning about forces and motion.

In Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects You Can Build Yourself, kids ages 9 and up will experiment with kitchen materials to discover chemistry. Readers will learn about atoms, molecules, solids, liquids, gases, polymers, the periodic table, the important history of science, and much more. Along the way, they'll make goop, cause chemical reactions, and create delicious treats, and all of it will illustrate important chemistry concepts. Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects is a fun and exciting way for young readers to learn all about chemistry and become scientists right in the kitchen.

A full-color picture book biography about Dorothy Vaughan, one of NASA’s first African American managers and one of the groundbreakers on the front line of electronic computing—includes hands-on STEM activities for an introduction to coding.Dorothy Vaughan loved things that made sense—especially numbers! InComputer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist, elementary-aged children follow Dorothy’s journey from math teacher to human computer and beyond, a journey made difficult because she was an African American woman working during a time of segregation. Dorothy worked incredibly hard to meet the challenges that greeted her at every turn and rose to the level of supervisor, the first black supervisor in the history of her company! But another challenge awaited when a mechanical computer threatened to replace the teams of human computers. How will Dorothy figure out this problem?• In the Picture Book Biography series, children encounter real-life characters who are thrilled to learn and experiment, eager to make a difference, and excited about collaborating with team members.• Age-appropriate vocabulary, detailed illustrations, a timeline, simple STEM projects, such as coding a name on a bracelet, and a glossary all support foundational learning for kids ages 5 to 8.• Perfect for beginner readers or as a read aloud nonfiction picture bookAbout Picture Book Biography books and Nomad PressComputer Decoder is part of a set of four books in thePicture Book Biography series that introduces pioneers of science to young children and makes career connections in different STEM fields. The other titles in this series includeFossil Huntress: Mary Leakey, Paleontologist;Human Computer: Mary Jackson, Engineer; andSpace Adventurer: Bonnie Dunbar, Astronaut.Nomad Press books in thePicture Book Biography series bring real-world figures to life through fun, engaging narratives paired with dynamic, brightly colored illustrations and quick activities that reinforce foundational learning. Elementary-aged children are encouraged to expand their perceptions of the roles of scientist, artist, explorer, and innovator by meeting women, people of color, and other minorities in the profession. 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.

Have you ever wondered what makes up everything in the world around you? Or what exactly is the difference between solids, liquids, and gases? Have you wanted to know what causes two substances to react or change?Chemistry: Investigate the Matter that Makes Up Your World introduces readers 12 through 15 to the fascinating world of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Learn how these molecules combine to form ordinary objects such as the chair you’re sitting on, the water in your glass, even you! Through hands-on, investigative projects, readers delve into the world of chemical reactions and changing matter, learning how these principles are used in many areas of science, from biochemistry to nuclear science.Combining hands-on science inquiry with chemistry, mathematics, and biology, projects include building models of molecules and bonds, identifying acids and bases, investigating the effect of temperature on reaction rate, and observing how a chemical reaction from vinegar, water, and bleach can accelerate the rusting of steel. Chemistry offers entertaining illustrations and fascinating sidebars to illuminate the topic and engage readers further, plus integrates a digital learning component by providing links to primary sources, videos, and other relevant websites.

Timekeeping: Explore the History and Science of Telling Time travels through the past and into the future to explore how humans have measured the passage of time. From ancient civilization’s earliest calendars and shadow clocks to GPS and the atomic clocks of today, kids will track the evolution of timekeeping devices, meet the inventors of calendars and clocks, and learn interesting facts and trivia. Hands-on projects and activities include making a shadow clock, using a protractor to create a sundial, measuring time using water, and creating your own calendar. Kids will understand how civilization’s vague abilities to track days and months has transformed over the centuries into a sophisticated ability to keep time to the millionth of a second.

An exciting book about the chain reaction world of Rube Goldberg for middle schoolers, including 25 engineering design projects that get middle schoolers applying the laws of physics to their own inventions as they learn the scientific principles behind the actions and reactions they create. Why use a simple hand motion to wipe your mouth when you can build a machine to do it for you? Toppling dominoes, rolling marbles, racing balloon cars, springing catapults, and whizzing zip-lines are all elements used to build Rube Goldberg machines in Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel with Hands-On Engineering Activities. The book introduces kids ages 9-12 (and beyond!) to the wacky machines designed by Goldberg, which were based on complicated chain reactions used to accomplish very simple, sometimes ridiculous, tasks. • Through contraptions, the book discusses the basics of physics, including force, motion, and work. Each chapter introduces one of the six simple machines and how they can be used in Rube Goldberg contraptions―inclined planes, levers, wheels and axles, wedges, screws, and pulleys. • Kids are challenged to design, build, and evaluate dozens of increasingly complex contraptions that do things like unscrew a lid, turn the page of a book, and pop a balloon. • Projects use materials already in most homes―reimagining and repurposing everyday items, as well as mining the recycling! • Contraption hints, essential questions, short sidebars, and links to online primary resources help readers learn the basics of force, work, motion, and simple machines, while exploring their creativity as they design and build their own crazy contraptions. About the Build It Engineering set and Nomad PressCrazy Contraptions is part of a set of two Build It Engineering books that explore the engineering technology behind our daily lives. The other titles in this series is Bots! Robotic Engineering with Hands-On Makerspace Activities.Nomad Press books in the Build It series integrate content with participation. 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 Next Generation Science Standards. All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.