Copycat Science by Mike Barfield - ADVISABLE

 Copycat Science by Mike Barfield, 96 pages. NON-FICTION. QED Publishing, 2020. $16. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Ten categories of STEM topics are explored through the example and examination of what many famous scientists, engineers, and mathematicians have already done throughout history to discover the way things work. Illustrated as a comic strip, each historic figure is described with a brief biography, followed by a companion page that depicts step-by-step directions to explore one of their experiments on your own. The content of this book is both engaging and educational. The wording is clear, and the experiments are all feasible for young (and old) scientists alike. Even if one were not to try any of the experiments, their descriptions add to the understanding of how great each of these people were in the development of their field.. 

My third graders found the material a bit above their comprehension level, but were fascinated by the illustrations of the experiments; they are so clear and understandable that even students this young could use the book to guide their own STEM activities. 

Keri, elementary school teacher and her third grade students