The ability to make and use tools in order to solve problems is an important characteristic that distinguishes humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. The following titles explore that ability and encourage students to develop their own great ideas.

EARLY IDEAS

Manning, Mick, and Brita Granstrom. The Secrets of Stonehenge. Frances Lincoln, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-84780-346-7; 32p., Gr. 2-5.

The inhabitants of Stone-Age Britain quarried massive stones, moved them to Salisbury Plain, and pulled them into upright positions to construct Stonehenge, this megalithic monument. The authors explore the latest thinking about Stonehenge’s construction and purpose in this book.

Kuhlmann, Torben. Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse. North South Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-7358-4167-3; 96p., Gr. 3-6.

When a resourceful mouse notices his friends have all disappeared (following the introduction of mousetraps), he determines he will flee to America and designs an airplane to get him there. Kuhlmann’s rich artwork is the star of this fictional tale that emphasizes the process of invention. An appended history of aviation rounds out this impressive debut.

MacLeod, Elizabeth, and Frieda Wishinsky. A History of Just About Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That Changed the World. Illus. by Qin Leng. Kids Can, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-55453-775-4; 124p., Gr. 3-6.

This comprehensive overview of human history emphasizes technology and invention as well as politics and war. Useful sidebars, called “Ripples,” connect featured ideas to other innovations.

Samuels, Charlie. Technology in the Ancient Americas. Technology in the Ancient World series. Gareth Stevens, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4339-9620-7; 48p., Gr. 4-6.

Generously illustrated, double-paged-spread chapters detail farming practices, architecture, transportation, science, technology, warfare, and the arts as found in North and South America prior to 1600. Other series titles introduce China, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Mesopotamia.

Dillon, Patrick. The Story of Buildings: From the Pyramids to the Sydney Opera House and Beyond. Illus. by Stephen Biesty. Candlewick, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-7636-6990-4; 96p., Gr. 5-12.

This beautifully illustrated architectural history discusses building materials, styles, and techniques beginning with the Pyramid of Djoser (2650 BCE) and continuing through the energy-efficient Straw Bale House (2001). Meticulously captioned fold-out illustrations provide detailed, cutaway views; it is appended with a comprehensive time line.

CONNECT & INVESTIGATE:

Compare and contrast the timelines used by Manning, MacLeod, Samuels, and Dillon. What features are shared? How do they differ? Ask students to construct their own timeline, using one of these styles, noting innovations developed during their lifetimes. (RI: 2-12.7; RI: 2-12.9)

Kuhlmann’s text is fiction, yet this story and its art convey much information about the history of flight. Ask students to cite flight-related details from the text and determine which are factual. What traits and work habits does this mouse share with human inventors? (RI: 3-6.1; RI: 3-6.7)

Dillon’s text emphasizes how technological advances and period aesthetics contribute to great architecture. How does Biesty’s artwork build upon the text? How are these drawings more suited to the text than photographs? (RI: 5-12.7)

IDEAS FROM NATURE

Castaldo, Nancy F. Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-544-08893-1; 154p., Gr. 3-6.

Canine noses are extremely sensitive. Castaldo explains how dogs are employed to work with firefighters, soldiers, scientists, and others to help humans. Illustrated with crisp, full-color photos and appended with generous back matter, this is sure to please both browsers and researchers.

Becker, Helaine. Zoobots: Wild Robots Inspired by Real Animals. Illus. by Alex Ries. Kids Can, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-55453-971-0; 32p., Gr. 4-6.

Becker introduces twelve zoobots—robo-animals designed to solve particular problems or perform specific tasks. For each she identifies its animal inspiration, describes the robot’s special skills, and shares applications for use. It is illustrated in full color, with notes on the robot developers.

Heos, Bridget. Stronger than Steel: Spider Silk DNA and the Quest for Better Bulletproof Vests, Sutures, and Parachute Rope. Scientists in the Field series. Illus. by Andy Comins. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. ISBN: 978-0547-68126-9; 80p., Gr. 5-9.

Scientist Randy Lewis’s efforts to mass-produce spider silk have led him to transplant spider genes into goats, silkworms, and alfalfa, with the hope that eventually this silk can be used to produce lightweight bulletproof vests, sturdier parachute ropes, and more durable automobile airbags. Superb photos and generous back matter accompany this engaging text.

Rusch, Elizabeth. The Next Wave: The Quest to Harness the Power of the Oceans. Scientists in the Field series. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-544-09999-9; 80p., Gr. 5-9.

Harnessing the power of ocean waves has the potential to become a vast source of renewable energy. Rusch introduces scientists who are tackling this problem and describes the research and development underway that will help humans to utilize this resource. Numerous color photographs and generous source notes are included.

INVESTIGATE & WONDER:

What characteristics do animals demonstrate that make them interesting to scientists? How are dogs utilized to help humans? Why are some animals (like dogs) used directly, while other animals (the zoo-bot prototypes and spiders) are used more indirectly? Predict what future innovations may result based on the attributes of animals or plants. What are the advantages to humans in harnessing the power of ocean waves? What prototypes of wave machines are currently being tested? What challenges have wave engineers encountered? (RI: 3-9.1; RI: 3-9.2; RI: 3-9.3)

CUTTING EDGE IDEAS

Furstinger, Nancy. Helper Robots. Robots Everywhere! series. Lerner, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-4677-4053-1; 32p., Gr. K-3.

This succinct introduction focuses on using robots in hazardous situations: rescuing people from disasters, fighting fires, and exploring unsafe sites such as under Arctic ice or inside volcanoes. Crisp color photographs and generous back matter enhance this presentation.

Hardyman, Robyn. How a Solar-Powered Home Works. Ecoworks series. Gareth Stevens, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4339-9548-4; 32p., Gr. 3-5.

How can solar energy be used in today’s home? Answers include heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, electricity, and more. Succinct text, clear graphics, and frequent sidebars detail this timely topic.

Gray, Leon. How Does Cloud Computing Work? High-Tech Science series. Gareth Stevens, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4824-0391-6; 48p., Gr. 4-6.

Gray explains cloud computing and the Internet—from its beginnings as ARPANET through Netflix, private clouds, social networks, and music storage. He also touches on security and privacy concerns. Succinct text, informative graphics, and numerous sidebars round out this offering.

Pääbo, Svante. Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes. Basic Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-0-465-02083-6; 275p., Gr. 10-12.

Swedish geneticist Pääbo recounts his ultimately successful efforts to sequence Neanderthal DNA. He emphasizes the nature of scientific inquiry, the technology required to make this work possible, and the knowledge of human history that this genome reveals. It is written for adults, but accessible to older teens.

CONNECT & CONSTRUCT:

Create subject specific word walls for the books by Furstinger, Hardyman, or Gray. How does the inclusion of a glossary help with this task? What other resources might be useful when a book does not include a glossary? (RI: K-6.4)

Compare and contrast the texts of Heos and Pääbo regarding the ethics of genetic research. What points of view do these authors espouse? Do they consider alternative perspectives? Are the authors’ reasons valid and their evidence relevant and sufficient? (RI: 10-12.6; RI: 10-12.8; RI: 10-12.9)

DUBIOUS IDEAS

Goldsmith, Connie. Bombs Over Bikini: The World's First Nuclear Disaster. Twenty-First Century, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4677-1612-3; 88p., Gr 7-10.

After World War II, the inhabitants of Bikini Island were persuaded to move to another island (only 125 miles away) so that the U.S. could test nuclear weapons on Bikini. At the time, no one realized that fallout from these weapons would contaminate over half the area of the Marshall Islands for the foreseeable future.

Wittenstein, Vicki Oransky. For the Good of Mankind? The Shameful History of Human Medical Experimentation. Twenty-First Century, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4677-0659-9; 96p., Gr. 8-12.

Do the needs of science ever supersede the ethics of using human subjects as guinea pigs? Wittenstein’s balanced account details some of history’s most famous medical experiments and offers critical questions for analysis. Extensive notes and sources distinguish this thoughtful work.

INVESTIGATE & REFLECT:

Goldsmith and Wittenstein describe scientific projects that led to unexpected consequences. Identify the unintended results of nuclear testing and medical experimentation described in these texts. What are the authors’ points of view about these experiments? Reflect on the authors’ reasoning in claiming that these activities were improper. What situations, if any, do the authors think might justify this kind of research? Do students agree? (RI: 7-12.1; RI: 7-12.6; RI: 7-12.8)

IDEA MAKERS

Rosenstock, Barb. Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention. Illus. by S. D. Schindler. Calkins Creek, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-62091-446-5; 32p., Gr. K-4.

As an eleven-year-old, Ben Franklin invented wooden swim fins and paddles to help him move through the water more quickly. This narrative, based on a 1773 letter from Franklin to a fellow scientist, emphasizes Ben’s creativity and the scientific method. It includes intriguing artwork, alliterative language, and generous back matter.

Sisson, Stephanie Roth. Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos. Roaring Brook, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-59643-960-3; 32p., Gr. K-3.

This picture book biography of astronomer Carl Sagan emphasizes his childhood inquisitiveness, his work developing spacecraft for NASA, and his efforts to share his knowledge of the cosmos through his television series. It is concluded with notes and sources.

Whelan, Gloria. Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine. Illus. by Nancy Carpenter. Simon & Schuster, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4169-2753-2; 32p., Gr. K-3.

Queen Victoria loved swimming, but modesty forbade entering the water if her subjects could see her bathing suit. Luckily her clever consort, Prince Albert, invented a bathing machine for her—allowing her to swim with complete discretion. The book includes notes and a photograph of the actual device.

Eamer, Claire. Before the World Was Ready: Stories of Daring Genius in Science. Illus. by Sa Boothroyd. Annick Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-55451-536-3; 126p., Gr. 4-6.

Eamer profiles eight trailblazers (including Copernicus, Darwin, the Wright Brothers, Tesla, and Rachel Carson) whose ideas were not well accepted at first. She also introduces others who piggybacked on these ideas, developing their own technologies. Conversational text and humorous cartoon illustrations add to the appeal.

INVESTIGATE & EXPRESS:

Rosenstock, Sisson, and Whelan all use traditional chronological frameworks for their biographies, but their writing styles differ. Note Rosenstock’s vivid, alliterative verbs, Whelan’s rhyming text, and Sisson’s use of varied visual perspectives. What effect do these style choices have on these presentations? Do they detract from or enhance the information provided? (RI: K-4.5)

Eamer profiles eight innovators whose ideas were not appreciated during their lifetimes. Ask students to choose one trailbreaker from the list on pages 114-115 for further research. Then generate a class chart listing scientist/inventor names, descriptions of their great ideas, and notes on public reception. (RI: 4-6.3)