I don’t know about you guys, but I love the learning that happens during the summer months. With all three of my children home for the summer, we have the opportunity to learn together at a relaxed pace. We are able to explore a variety of topics, based on the children’s interests at the time. This summer, we lost ourselves in several unit studies. I’ve told you about our map-themed unit study already, but today I’d like to share another one: chemistry.
Yes, you read that correctly: chemistry. At 7, 5, and 4-years-old, my little poppies explored the world of atoms and electrons and neutrons and the periodic table of the elements.
It all started with the Theodore Gray book, Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe. If you are unfamiliar with the book, it’s brilliantly illustrated and oversized- perfect for piquing curiosity. Plus, we have the accompanying cards. But… the thing is… at 7, 5, and 4-years-old, they might love pouring over Gray’s books but much of the material flies over their little noggins.
And that’s where Eddie comes in.
*Disclosure: I received this book at no cost, and I was compensated for my time. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. I only agree to share products that I would use with my own family.
Science education through children’s books
When my children are having trouble grasping tough or abstract concepts, I whip out my library card and get to work. By strewing carefully selected books about your home, children cannot help but become immersed! Did you know that there are some fantastic science and STEM books for kids out there? And, today, I’m going to tell you about one!
Allow me to introduce you to Eddie:
Amberjack Publishing’s Eddie the Electron is a fun and engaging book that brings abstract chemistry concepts to life. Written by Dr. Melissa Rooney, Eddie the Electron tells the story of Eddie, an energetic electron, and his dull orbit-mate, Erwin.Â
What did the kids think?
My kids loved Eddie! They were fascinated by how small he is, and by how quickly he moves. At the same time, Eddie had them laughing! Learning plus laughter is a win in my book, folks!
This little book packed a punch, as it led to discussions on the speed of light, size and whether there is such a thing as infinite smallness, and noble gases. Who says you can’t learn chemistry at 7, 5, and 4-years-old??Â
What did mom think?
I love when a book inspires my children to learn more about a subject matter. Here are just a few of the reasons why this mom loves Eddie, too:
- I love that the book is written by a chemist.
- I am happy that my children are building a foundation in chemistry.
- This chemistry foundation will make learning the subject easier down the road.
- The book presents abstract concepts in a fun way, keeping kids interested and engaged.Â
- Before reading Eddie, my children had trouble understanding just how small atoms are, and therefore electrons were even more difficult to understand. This page was fascinating to my trio, and it helped them to understand how small electrons are:
- My 7-year-old is especially fascinated by the following image, which compares atoms to tiny solar systems. The other day, he poured over this page during breakfast, as evidenced by the oatmeal marks on the bottom of the pages!
If it ignites a passion in my children, it’s a winner in my eyes, and Eddie certainly sparked a love of chemistry in our home. Now, when my children spend time admiring those Theodore Gray cards, they talk about Eddie! Eddie has helped to make abstract concepts fun and easier to understand!
Where to purchase
I have two early readers in my home and I rely heavily on books like Eddie the Electron to drive home abstract and complicated concepts. By adding these supplemental books to your curriculum, you are expanding your child’s knowledge base and building a firm foundation for future learning! I am a huge fan of integrating STEM and STEAM books and resources into our homeschool, and Eddie is a fun new addition to our repertoire!
If you’d like to introduce your children to Eddie, too, you can purchase the book in several locations. From now through October 31st, 2015, you can purchase Eddie the Electron for 10% off through Amerjack’s website with the code ihomeschool10.Â
This looks like a great book! Thanks for sharing! We are big fans of Max Axiom also.
Oooh thank you for the rec!
What a fun way to get kids interested in chemistry! Thanks for sharing your review 😀
Thanks for reading, Jeanetta!