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Science is for everyone, young and old, but what is science for kids? Read on to discover the answer!

Every kid starts out a scientist. Intensely curious about the world around them, kids learn to experiment before they learn how to walk. Like any interest though, kids’ interest in science has to be fed and encouraged. What are some ways that we can encourage our kids’ interest in science? What are some things we can do together with them to light the fire of curiosity? We put together a list of science books, toys, and activities, categorized by age and scientific discipline, that might help you and your kids continue down the path of scientific inquiry. As always, these categories are guidelines—there’s nothing stopping you from using a resource listed under middle school with your elementary school aged kids. 

This page is only a doorway into the much wider world of introducing your kids to science. For more resources, check out Best Science Books for Kids by Age, Best Science Toys for Kids by Age, and Best Science Experiment Kits for Kids by Age!

Physical Sciences (for example, Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics)

Elementary School

The Stars: A New Way to See Them

How many astronomers got their start with Curious George creator H.A. Rey’s terrific guide to the constellations? Rey’s draftsmanship was so impeccable that his diagrams of the constellations have been reused in other books.

Middle School

Laser Chess

It’s chess! With lasers! Arrange your laser, mirrors and other pieces on the board and take aim at your opponent’s pieces. When you strike your opponent’s un-mirrored piece with your laser, they have to remove it. There’s a lot of geometry involved in crushing your opponents, seeing them driven before you, and hearing their lamentations.

High School

“Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character

Richard Feynman is a nerd’s nerd. One of the greatest physicists of all time, this book is a great introduction to thinking, learning, and questioning authority like a scientist.

Life Sciences (for example, Agronomy, Biology, Medicine)

Elementary School

First Animal Encyclopedia (DK First Reference)

Every kid should have a book about animals, and this colorful book fits the bill perfectly. It’s part of the excellent DK First Reference series, which has several other science titles for elementary school students.

Human Body Activity Book for Kids: Hands-On Fun for Grades K-3

Help your kids learn about their innards with crosswords, mazes, and dot-to-dots! This engaging book presents facts about the human body, which, fair warning, you may start hearing about from your kids at strange times.

Nature Bound Bug Catcher Critter Barn

Every naturalist starts by playing “What’s Under That Rock?” This critter barn is a sturdy, ventilated container for whatever bugs, worms, frogs, or other critters that are living under that rock. It has a ruler on the side for scale, and has its own light for your kids to examine their finds more closely.

Middle School

Dissect-It Simulated Synthetic Lab

This is a simulated salamander made out of a gelatin-like substance that kids can dissect. It has a full simulated skeletal and muscular system and comes with tools to dissect it with. It also has two gel refill packets so that your kids can dissect it again. Seriously, what self-respecting middle school kid is going to resist this?

High School

The Human Body Coloring Book: The Ultimate Anatomy Study Guide

High school is stressful for anyone, but for people of a certain frame of mind, meticulously coloring in the different systems of the body is a good way to chill. This is a high level coloring book—medical students and personal trainers use it to educate themselves about the bodies that they’ll one day heal.

Engineering (for example, electrical, mechanical and civil engineering)

Elementary School

GoldieBlox: Arts and Crafts

GoldieBlox is a series of activity kits, books, and toys that use a STEAM plus fun formula to engage with kids and cultivate interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. There are lots of different kits to build, including a “cloud dream lamp” and a working zoetrope.

Middle School

4M KidzRobotix Kits

I, for one, am ready to accept our robotic overlords, so why not help your kids get a head start on building a legion of unfeeling robot henchmen with these budget-friendly kits? They’ll also pick up some basic mechanical principles making things like the dragon robot, the doodling robot, or, my favorite, the tin can robot.

High School

Sphero RVR: All-Terrain Programmable Coding Robot

This highly programmable, highly customizable robot is packed with sensors and ready for some serious hacking. It can zip around on all-terrain rubber treads, and makes a great platform for mechanical arms and cameras.

Math

Elementary School

You Can Count on Monsters

This book is a friendly introduction to prime numbers and factoring. The first one hundred numbers are drawn as monsters, and following the monsters’ adventures tees readers up to learn about multiplication. This book is a great way to show kids that math is fun, and that there’s always more to learn!

Middle School

Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition

Hidden Figures is about a group of African-American mathematicians who worked at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory during the 1950s and 60s, performing the calculations necessary to send people to space. These women worked hard at their mathematics in the face of systems that didn’t value their knowledge or hard work. If your middle school aged kids are strong readers, you can send them straight to the adult version of Hidden Figures. There’s also a picture book edition for younger people illustrated by Laura Freeman, and an excellent movie.

High School

The Cartoon Introduction to Calculus

Cartoonist Grady Klein and Yoram Bauman, Ph.D., the world’s first and only stand-up economist (yes, really), team up to explain key concepts in calculus, as well as show how calculus is related to the rest of math, physics, and economics. It’s a great book for high school aged kids who are wondering what the point of calculus is. This book is funny and approachable, just like my long-ago college classmate Dr. Bauman.

Movies and TV Shows To Inspire Young Scientists

Elementary School

The Aquarium

The Aquarium is a TV series that goes behind the scenes at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta to show all the hard work that goes into taking care of whale sharks, manta rays, sea lions and other marine life. This series is a joy to watch, as the animals all have big, unique personalities—my daughter and I enjoyed rooting for the sea lion to learn how to get on the elevator.

Middle School

Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series

This 12-part documentary is beautiful. Every episode covers a different environment, ranging from caves and mountains to the deep ocean. Planet Earth captures very rarely seen phenomena, from Birds of Paradise doing their crazy dance to a dead whale settling to the bottom of the ocean. Plus, the Caves episode has a gigantic pile of bat guano which never, ever fails to get kids’ attention. You can also stream the series here. And if you love the first one, be sure to check out the equally brilliant Planet Earth II!

High School

Science Fair

Science Fair is a National Geographic documentary that follows a group of high school students who are competing in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The competitors are a diverse group of very relatable kids—your high schooler might see themselves in the young scientists who are profiled in the movie.

The post What is Science for Kids? appeared first on Nerdy With Children.

https://nerdist.com/article/climate-change-killed-off-woolly-mammoths-not-humans/

Well there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is we might be dooming our entire species by refusing to take meaningful action on climate change. The good news is at least we’re not responsible for the extinction of another species. A new study says humans are not the reason woolly mammoths went kaput. Instead those great beasts succumbed to—oh c’mon!—climate change.

PBS Eons

A new decade-long DNA study (which we first learned about at Gizmodo) published in Nature says the real culprit behind the demise of elephants’ furry cousins was not mankind as previously thought. The project, led by Professor Eske Willerslev, a Fellow of St John’s College, University of Cambridge, examined prehistoric DNA with cutting-edge technology and sequencing to identify what wiped out those majestic animals. As part of their “large-scale environmental DNA metagenomic study of ancient plant and mammal communities,” researchers analyzed “535 permafrost and lake sediment samples from across the Arctic spanning the past 50,000 years.”

The samples came from a 20 year collection in that region where woolly mammoth remains have been found. While the study gets deep into the scientific weeds, the conclusion is far too accessible for all of us. The genetic evidence points to melting icebergs as the leading cause of the animals extinction 4,000 years ago. The increase in water all but eliminated the vegetation they survived on. That was enough to kill them off after they survived for nearly five million years on this planet.

General wisdom has always blamed humans for woolly mammoth’s fate. It wasn’t an absurd assumption though. Our ancestors hunted them and used their bodies for countless reasons. And those impressive animals had done really well before we showed up. But in the end it was nature itself who did them in as the planet naturally warmed.

If a species that roamed Earth for millions of years couldn’t handle a natural climate change, we might want to do something about artificially warming up our home. Otherwise, some day, another species might be trying to figure out what happened us.

The post Study Says Climate Change Killed Off Woolly Mammoths, Not Humans appeared first on Nerdist.

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Feast on this list of the best zombie books, games, and toys for kids!

Zombies have come a long way. The monsters were popularized in the U.S. from misunderstandings of Haitian cultural practices, as seen in movies such as White Zombie and I Walked With a Zombie. These types of zombies were either hypnotized humans or animated corpses, who didn’t do anything other than shamble around. But in 1968, George Romero made Night of the Living Dead, which reimagined zombies as flesh-eating ghouls. Later movies added the idea that zombies eat brains and even can make plans in their quest to consume every single human. 

Somewhere along the way, zombies became popular among kids. 

It’s hard to pin down when and how zombies went from brain-devouring horror movie standards to cute mascots in kid’s games. But whatever did it, the fact remains: kids love zombies. They don’t find them scary, they aren’t grossed out by them, and they certainly don’t believe they’re real. Instead, kids want to see zombies in their games and toys and even their clothes. You can even make a whole kid’s bedroom based on zombies, as we showed you earlier in our list of the best Zombie-Themed Bedroom Ideas and Decor For Kids. 

Of course, zombies don’t adhere to a single model or backstory. In items designed for young children, zombies tend to be mindless buffoons who stumble around doing things that every human does, only dumber. For young teens, zombies are gooey and slimy, with exposed bones dangling from their shoulders and brains dribbling from their mouths. And for older teens, zombies are a genuine threat, monsters in movies and books to provide a thrill. 

That’s a lot of information to parse and responsible parents don’t want to get it wrong. After all, your 16-year-old will be bored by a Minecraft Creeper doll and your six-year-old will be traumatized by Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Fortunately, we at Nerdy with Children are here to help. We’ve not only found some of the best zombie books, games, and toys, but we’re organizing them around the appropriate age. 

Have your little zombies shamble over and take a big bite out of our picks!

Zombie Books for Kids

Ages 0 – 5

Oh No! The Zombies Have Escaped!

One of the things about zombies that interests kids the most is their goofy design. Zombies can be endlessly silly-looking characters, not only because of their dazed expressions and strange colors but because of the way they integrate everyday objects. You don’t have to look far to find a zombie football player with a comically mangled mask or a zombie teacher clutching its chalk. 

Author and illustrator Laura Coleman puts that aspect to good use in her seek and find book Oh No! The Zombies Have Escaped. Coleman fills every page with not only deeply silly-looking zombies but regular people doing equally goofy things. 

The fun designs and engaging puzzles will keep your youngest children interested for hours without keeping them up at night with nightmares.

Ages 5 – 10

Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies

At one time or another, every kid feels like a monster. So universal is that theme that it drives one of the all-time greatest children’s books, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. 

In their illustrated book, authors Jorge Lacera and Megan Lacera twist that premise by introducing kids to Mo Romero, a zombie who loves vegetables. But his passion for tomatoes and peppers disturbs his parents, who worry that Mo won’t grow up to be a healthy and happy zombie. The story follows Mo’s adventures as he tries to convince his parents to try the food he loves. 

This zippy story of acceptance has charmed not only kids and parents, but also numerous award committees. Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies has won recognition from many outlets, including NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and the Tejas Star. 

Ages 11 – 15

The Last Kids on Earth

Although you can tell lots of stories about zombies, the fact of the matter is that they are monsters. For that reason, zombies make for excellent antagonists in kids’ adventure stories. For the past few years, one of the most popular kid’s adventure series are the Last Kids on Earth books, from Max Brallier and Douglas Holgate. 
The books follow a series of young teens who survived a monster attack that destroyed their town. With everyone else transformed into zombies, abandoned foster child Jack Sullivan mast gather together a group of other kids to rescue their missing schoolmates. Mixing relatable heroes with genuinely scary (but age-appropriate) moments, The Last Kids on Earth gives children relatable and enjoyable thrills. And there’s more than just books, there’s also an excellent Netflix series and an awesome co-op video game!

Ages 16 – Up

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

Written by Max Brooks, son of comedy legend Mel Brooks, World War Z is considered one of the greatest zombie books of the past 20 years. Set in the wake of a zombie apocalypse, World War Z consists of snippets from various sources, including medical reports, news broadcasts, and journals to give a broad perspective of life in which zombies are a reality. 

Although there are certainly moments of horror and humor, World War Z isn’t exactly a fun read. Brooks maintains a bleak tone throughout, as its characters try to make sense of a world that’s been radically changed.
That tone may be harsh for some teens. But others will appreciate not only the seriousness with which Brooks approaches such an outlandish concept but also the book’s examination of social structure. Despite its over-the-top plot, World War Z trains readers to be strong critical thinkers by forcing them to examine assumptions about everyday life.

Zombie Games for Kids

Ages 0 – 5

Jumpit Whack a Mole Game Zombie War

As much as little kids find zombies cute and silly, the fact remains that zombies are monsters and monsters might be scary. While we parents will certainly need to shelter our children from some scary experiences, we also want to teach our kids to be brave, to remind them that they can overcome the things that scare them. 

One of the most simple ways to overcome zombies is to simply bonk them on the head. That’s the concept of this Jumpit Zombie War game, which follows the structure of Whack-a-Mole, replacing the subterranean rodents with brain-eating ghouls. Although kids might get frightened when a zombie jumps out, they’ll see again and again that they can chase them away with a quick bonk on the head.

Ages 5 – 10

Zombie Gotcha

Some kids love zombies because they’re gross. As shambling corpses, zombies are given to losing limbs and exposing their guts. That gooey quality can lead to lots of queasy fun for children. 

The Zombie Gotcha game from Mattel capitalizes on that nastiness. At its core, Zombie Gotcha is a simple card drawing game, in which players perform actions depending on the cards they draw from a pile. But the pile sits inside a plastic zombie hand, which can close at any time on unsuspecting players, combining fun jump scares and an icky design for lots of zombie excitement.

Ages 11 – 15

The Walking Dead Collection: The Telltale Series

One of the other sources of the zombie craze is the tv series The Walking Dead, based on the series from Image Comics. The Walking Dead has run for over a decade, inspiring both a spin-off series Fear the Walking Dead and an excellent video game series from Telltale Games. 

More of an interactive story than an action-based game, The Walking Dead game follows a series of characters living in the world of the comics and the shows. Although some characters from those media properties do make appearances in the game, the story focuses on new characters to tell an exciting new tale. And what a tale it is!

With intuitive mechanics and a plot that forces players to make difficult decisions, which can dramatically alter the path of the story and affect the ending (bonus points for replayability), The Walking Dead by Telltale Games is thought-provoking, tension-filled entertainment!

Zombie Toys for Kids

Ages 0 – 5

Muscle Zombie (Gargantuar) Plush Toy

Very young children have pretty simple tastes in toys. They like things that are silly, they like things that are soft, and they like things that look big. Even though it features an enemy monster from the hit video game Plants vs. Zombies—Gargantuar, the Muscle Zombie, and his little pal Imp—this plush toy checks every one of those boxes.

A fluffy bruiser filled with cotton, this cute, muscley zombie makes a scary monster into something huggable and lovable.

Ages 5 – 10

Nerf Zombie Ripchain Combat Blaster

The Nerf Zombie Strike line from the established dart gun company doesn’t come with any zombies, because it trusts that kids can imagine the monsters themselves. Instead, the toys come with stylized versions of classic Nerf guns. 

The Ripchain blaster comes with a plastic chain that holds 25 darts, allowing the user to fire them off in succession at imaginary zombie hordes. With darts designed for unparalleled distance, kids can make any room (or backyard) into a post-apocalyptic danger zone. And with their soft and safe design, parents don’t need to worry that playtime will result in broken furniture or serious injuries. 

With scenarios and zombie-themed targets, the Nerf Zombie Ripchain Combat Blaster is the perfect toy for kids to practice overcoming their fears.

Ages 11 – 15

LEGO Minecraft The Abandoned Mine

As we’ve already seen, Minecraft is one of kid’s first introductions to zombies. But the zombies in the game are just part of the game’s construction-focused design, which encourages children to use their imagination to make exciting play spaces in a digital world. 

This Lego set brings the fun of Minecraft into the real world. At 248-pieces, this set includes not only blocks inspired by the video game, but also two minifigs. One figure is in the shape of Steve, the male player character to the game, and the other is, of course, one of the game’s classic zombies.

In the tradition of all Lego sets, this Abandoned Mine kit allows kids to either create the location from the game, as described in the instructions, or they can make their own design. With this set, zombies become part of your child’s imagination, another object with which they can tell their own stories.

Ages 16 – Up

Funko Pop! Marvel: Marvel Zombies – Gambit

Although they didn’t make their debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until the release of the Disney+ series What If…, Marvel Comic books are filled with the Marvel Zombies. The Marvel Zombies series takes place in a world in which all of your favorite superheroes, including Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Iron Man, have fallen victim to a zombie plague. Struggling against their hunger for flesh, the Marvel Zombies search for a cure, in the hopes of returning to their heroic ways. 

Unsurprisingly, these lesser-known characters have all been immortalized as Funko Pop! figures. The incredibly popular toy line features cute, large-headed versions of characters from every part of pop culture. You can get Pop! figures of nearly every zombified Marvel character, including everyone’s favorite diminutive villain M.O.D.O.K., or Spider-Man baddie Mysterio.

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http://www.afronerd.com/2021/10/black-panther-legends-1-supes-coming.html

Afronerd Radio can now be heard LIVE courtesy of Apple Music/Itunes

There's a lot to discuss and very little time to do it, citizens!  Listen to a new installment from Afronerd Radio's Mid Week in Review show airing every Wednesday at 8 p.m. eastern on BTalk 100.  Your technologically (Wakandan) advanced AFROnerdist hosts will wax about the following (mid) weekly subject matter:  a new comic just hit the scene this week, entitled Black Panther: Legends, and it appears to shed some light on T'Challa's youth and backstory.  Nevertheless, we will give you our impressions;  in more comic book news, another hero, this time the scion of Clark Kent is "coming out" as LGBTQ and, as expected, the announcement has led to a great deal of controversy-even stern words from Superman, himself, Dean Cain;       

Our thoughts about former Raiders coach, Jon Gruden's decades-old emails showcasing racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks done on a corporate level.  He has since been ousted but is this just par for the course?; Marvel "Cosmic" moves one step forward with the recent announcement that actor, Will Poulter (Detroit, The Revenant), is slated to portray the long-waited Adam Warlock in the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie; and something that is definitely worthy of analysis, hip hop legends, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-1 will be the next set of music icons to do a "faceoff" in the next Verzuz battle; More fallout from Netflix' Dave Chappelle special.  Netflix continues to support Chappelle, despite allegations of his special being labeled "transphobic." Now Netflix trans employees are purportedly staging a walkout protesting the special; legendary director, Ridley Scott isn't thinking highly of the proposed Alien TV series; Lastly, our thoughts about Captain Kirk aka William Shatner making history by becoming the oldest person to travel into space. 

Oh and then there's the new Blumhouse trailer for The Black Phone....whoa.  And Dburt definitely has to take a look at Squid Game on Netflix (beating Bridgerton.....for that distinction, alone)

One thing that Dburt is doing (finally) is investing in cryptocurrency, courtesy of Roundlyx. We would implore our followers to investigate, discern and then explore by using our referral code: afro-87A4BF

Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!! 

Also, Afronerd Radio's podcast format can be heard via BTalk 100 Pandora, Spotify and,  IHeartRadio....more formats to follow!