The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: Amazing Women in STEM Project

I am so pleased to be sharing another awesome new children's book! The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin is a wonderful picture book describing the childhood of the world renowned animal scientist and speaker, Temple Grandin, and how she overcame being different to become a successful scientist and writer. It is one of two picture books in the new Amazing Scientists book series.

In addition to sharing this new book with you, I have included a free "Amazing Women in STEM Research" printable that will be perfect for science and language arts projects in the elementary classroom or with the kids at home. To get you started on your project, also included in this post is a list of inspiring women in STEM with accompanying children's book suggestions.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking a product link. Please see disclosures page for more details.

Temple Grandin, an Amazing Woman in STEM

I was very excited to receive my review copy of The Girl Who Thought in Pictures . I love so many  things about this book! I love that The Girl Who Thought in Pictures is written in rhyming text, it makes for a lovely read aloud. The illustrations and the way the text is laid out is visually appealing to children as well. The book does an excellent job of describing some tough topics, Dr. Grandin's childhood, her autism diagnosis and how through it all she found things she loved and ways to become successful.


I think it is so important for children to find relatable role models in the sciences and The Girl Who Thought in Pictures does such a great job of illustrating Temple Grandin's signature quotes: "Different, not less." and "The world needs all kinds of minds." I think that all kids most likely experience feeling like they don't fit in at some point in their life, and it is wonderful for them to hear the message that even when you are different, you are needed, you can find supportive people, you can learn what works for you, and you can find success.

As well as a great read-aloud story, the book includes a timeline of Temple Grandin's life, a letter from Temple Grandin, highlights from an interview and detailed biographical information. It could definitely be used as a resource in an elementary biography or research project.


Here is a sneak peek:



I also love that this is just one of two books depicting a strong female role model in the sciences. The second book in the new Amazing Scientists book series is The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath, a groundbreaking ophthalmologist. I'm excited to see future additions to this book series!

Amazing Women in STEM Research Printable

Use this free 2-page "Amazing Women in STEM Research" printable to get your students or kids at home started on a research or biography project featuring a notable women in a STEM field. The list of women and related children's books below will have you well on your way.

Women in STEM 

In addition to Temple Grandin and Patricia Bath, the following is a list of female scientists, mathematicians, computer coders, and engineers. No doubt you'll know some of these names, but others will most likely be new. They are all fascinating people! Accompanying each woman is a list of children's books about them. 

Mary Anning (1799-1847)

An English fossil hunter and paleontologist, discovered a fantastic source of sea fossils from the Jurassic period.

Learn more:

• Mary Anning's Curiosity
• Mary Anning: The Girl Who Cracked Open the World
• Stone Girl Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis
• The Fossil Girl

Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910)

The first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, and an advocate for future female doctors.

Learn more:

• Elizabeth Blackwell: Girl Doctor (Childhood of Famous Americans)
• Elizabeth Blackwell: America's First Woman Doctor
• Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell

Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941)

An American astronomer whose work cataloguing the stars led to the system of modern stellar classification.

Learn more:

• Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

Marine biologist, conservationist and writer, her influential book Silent Spring waned of the use of chemicals like DDT on the environment.

Learn more:

• Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World
• Who Was Rachel Carson?
• Rachel Carson: Pioneer of Ecology (Women of Our Time)

Eugenie Clark (1922-2015)

American ichthyologist known as "The Shark Lady", increased our knowledge of sharks and other fish, as well as worked to improve shark's negative reputation.

Learn more:

• Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist
• Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark
• Adventures of the Shark Lady: Eugenie Clark Around the World
• The Lady and the Sharks

Anna Botsford Comstock (1854-1930)

American conservationist, teacher and artist, was a pioneer in the nature study movement.

Learn more:

• Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Polish physicist and chemist who completed pioneering work in the field of radioactivity with her husband, Pierre. Won Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Physics.

Learn more:

• Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments
• Marie Curie (Little People, Big Dreams)
• Who Was Marie Curie?

Sylvia Earle (1935- )

American marine biologist, explorer, author, lecturer and National Geographic explorer-in-residence.

Learn more:

• Sylvia Earle: Ocean Explorer (Women in Conservation)
• Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle

 

Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)

Molecular biologist who was responsible for much of the research and understanding of the structure of DNA, despite the findings being published by James Watson and Francis Crick first.

Learn more:

• Rosalind Franklin (Scientists Who Changed the World)

Jane Goodall (1934- )

British primatologist, the world's leading expert on chimpanzees, ethologist, anthropologist and UN Messenger of Peace. Also the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots and Shoots program.

Learn more:

• I am Jane Goodall (Ordinary People Change the World)
• Who Is Jane Goodall
• The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps
• Me...Jane

Margaret Hamilton (1936- )

American computer scientist and systems engineer. As Director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory she helped develop software for the Apollo space missions.

Learn more:

• Space Engineer and Scientist Margaret Hamilton (STEM Trailblazer Bios)
• Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing

 

Grace Hopper (1906-1992)

Pioneer of computer programming, a computer scientist and United States Navy admiral.

Learn more:

• Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
• Mathematician and Computer Scientist Grace Hopper (STEM Trailblazer Bios)
• The Girl Who Could Talk to Computers - An Inspirational Tale about Grace Hopper (The Girls Who Could)

 

Mae Jemison (1956- )

NASA astronaut, engineer and physician. The first African-American woman to travel in space.

Learn more:

• Mae Jemison (Rookie Biographies)
• The Girl Who Could Dance in Outer Space: An Inspirational Tale About Mae Jemison (The Girls Who Could)
• Astronaut Mae Jemison (STEM Trailblazer Bios)

Katherine Johnson (1918- )

African-American mathematician, or human calculator, who was critical to early NASA missions, such as Project Mercury and Apollo 11.

Learn more:

• NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson (STEM Trailblazer Bios)
• Katherine Johnson (You Should Meet)
• Hidden Figures Young Readers Edition

Margaret E. Knight (1838-1914)

Called the "most famous 19th-century inventor" known for the flat-bottomed paper bag.

Learn more:

• Margaret Knight: Girl Inventor
• In the Bag!: Margaret Knight Wraps it Up (Great Idea Series)
• Marvelous Mattie

Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921)

American astronomer who discovered relationship between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variable stars. Although she didn't get much credit during her lifetime for her discovery, it helped future astronomers measure the distance between Earth and other galaxies.

Learn more:

• Look Up!: Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer
• Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe

 

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)

English mathematician and writer, known for being the first "computer programmer" as she created the first algorithm intended to be carried out by the first proposed computer.

Learn more:

• Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer
• Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer
• Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine
• Ada Lovelace (Little People, Big Dreams)

Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell (1965- )

World renowned elephant expert, instructor at Stanford University Medical School, scientific consultant, author and co-founder of Utopia Scientific.

Learn more:

• The Elephant Scientist (Scientists in the Field)

Maria Merian (1647-1717)

German naturalist, entomologist and scientific illustrator.

Learn more:

• The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
• Summer Birds: The Butterflies of Maria Merian
• Maria Merian's Butterflies

 

Sally Ride (1951-2012)

American physicist and astronaut, the first American woman in space!

Learn more:

• Sally Ride: A Photobiography of America's Pioneering Women in Science
• Who Was Sally Ride?
• When I Grow Up: Sally Ride (Scholastic Reader Level 3)
• Sally Ride: The First American Woman in Space

 

Marie Tharp (1920-2006)

American geologist and cartographer, who along with Bruce Hezeen, completed the first scientific map of the entire ocean floor.

Learn more:

• Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Maria Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor

Collections about Women in STEM

• Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science
• Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
• Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World 

Buy a Book and Help a Good Cause

You may not be aware of this, but when you purchase a book published by The Innovation Press, like The Girl Who Thought in Pictures, you are not only getting a great book for the children in your life, but also helping others. For every 10 books sold, The Innovation Press donates one book to First Book, getting books into the hands of kids and schools in need.

Roller Coasters and Outer Space: Gravity Activities for Kids

Some science concepts can be seem pretty big and difficult to grasp. Gravity and other forces that we cannot see can be tricky, particularly for elementary aged children. I love teaching with picture books, so the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science® Series has always been one of my favorites. Gravity is a Mystery by Franklyn M. Branley is a great example of one of these kid-friendly science books.

In this post we'll explore Gravity is a Mystery and the concept of gravity with a hands-on science and engineering investigation: marble roller coasters. You'll also find a free printable "Weight in Outer Space" worksheet and a list of further resources for teaching and learning about gravity. This post is part of the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science® Series hosted by My Joy-Filled Life blog.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking a product link. Please see disclosures page for more details.

Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science®: Gravity is a Mystery

If you haven't read a Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science book before, you are missing out. Written by many authors well versed in the fields of science and science for kids, they are books that are written in kid-friendly language, have engaging illustrations, and often include activity ideas and background information.

The books come in 2 stages, stage 1 stories are books about simple concepts appropriate for preschool and kindergarten, stage 2 books explore more difficult concepts for elementary aged kids.

Gravity is a Mystery is a stage 2 book. In it, a scientist and his dog explore the mysterious force of gravity. It answers interesting questions like: What would happen if you dug a hole through the center of the Earth and jumped in? How does gravity pull on you and other objects? How does gravity work? What does weight have to do with gravity? Why do we weigh different amounts on different planets?



Gravity is a Mystery is an excellent launching point for science activities about gravity. Read on to learn how to build a marble roller coaster and calculate your weight on other planets. If you are looking for even more activities about gravity and forces, check out these gravity lesson ideas.

Build a Marble Roller Coaster

Building and designing marble roller coasters is an engaging STEM activity for just about any age. I have done this activity in the classroom and during family science night programs and it is always a hit with kids and adults.

What do roller coasters have to do with gravity? Once a roller coaster is pulled up the "lift hill" by a motor and released, the rest of the ride is controlled by the force of gravity, and inertia, or the tendency of a moving object to maintain its forward velocity. Thanks to gravity and inertia, a roller coaster can stay on its tracks as it spins and flips.

You will need: 

• Marbles
• 3/8" Foam pipe insulation
• Utility knife
• Painter's tape (blue tape) 

Build the Roller Coaster

First, you'll need to prepare the foam insulation. Although you can build roller coasters out of many different types of material, I like this way best. Use the utility knife to carefully slice down the solid side of the pipe insulation.

The foam is flexible and can be used over and over again. It is already split down one side to fit around the pipe, so by simply slicing down the opposite side, you can make 2 troughs that a marble fits perfectly inside of.

Although you can use any type of tape, I suggest using painter's tape because it allows you to attach the roller coasters to most surfaces without damaging them. This way you can work across the wall, floor, tables and chairs. It also peels nicely off of the foam insulation, so you can re-use the pieces.

Start out by encouraging kids to build a simple design while they get the hang of how the marble will behave in the roller coaster. Expect to use a lot of tape during the design process!

Once they've experimented through trial and error, add some more complex elements to the coaster. Challenge them to include hills, a loop-the-loop, a spiral or some other spine-tingling roller coaster element.

Other Ways to Build a Marble Roller Coaster

If you want to continue exploring the idea of roller coasters, you can also build them with recycled materials like we did here for our Family STEAM Night event.

You also will want to check out this really neat set of marble tracks for home or the classroom. I love how it lends itself to open-ended exploration, it won a toy of the year award in 2016 and is reasonably priced. Learning through FUN is the best!


It would be super fun to have this on the refrigerator, wouldn't it? STEM and a snack!

Gravity and Weight in Space

The weight of an object is equivalent to how much the force of gravity is pulling the object towards the Earth. The strength of this force changes with mass and distance. The larger an object is, the greater the force of gravity. This is why the force of gravity from the Sun, which is enormous compared to the planets, can hold all the planets in orbit. Gravity is also stronger when the distance between the objects is smaller. This is why the planets are not pulled away from our Sun, toward another, further away massive star.

This relationship is also what would make us weigh different amounts on different planets. You've probably had some experience with this concept at a science museum or planetarium. You can calculate the weight of an object, or yourself, on a different planet. The closer the planet is in size to Earth, the closer your weight will be to your weight on Earth.

Use this free "Weight in Outer Space" printable worksheet to explore this concept with kids. It requires multiplication, so is best for upper elementary and above. Please note that I have chosen to use the weight of a pet dog rather than the student in this sheet. You certainly can also have students substitute in their own weight. I found in a middle school classroom setting some students were sensitive about their own weight, so this easily alleviated the issue.

Further Resources for Studying Gravity

Check out these lesson plan ideas and other learning resources for further study of gravity:

• Designing a Roller Coaster (PBS Learning Media) 
• What is Gravity? (NASA Space Place)  
• Gravity in Action (Teachers Try Science) 
• Pencil Balance: Center of Gravity Exploration (PBS ZoomSci)

I also recommend these children's books about gravity:

Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science® Blog Series

You won't want to miss the rest of the posts in the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science® series. Each includes a book and activities that complement the science concept. You'll find the entire series here.