Depicting familiar sounds, smells, objects and foods, the author makes each sense relatable and establishes the connection between a sense and the feelings and associations it evokes.
With our book recommendations, we want to help you spark a conversation that leads children to discover STEM in their everyday lives. Have the courage to go beyond the obvious STEM connections and embrace all questions that may come out of your discussion with the children.
STEM literacy links can also be viewed using the Visual book browser.
Depicting familiar sounds, smells, objects and foods, the author makes each sense relatable and establishes the connection between a sense and the feelings and associations it evokes.
The ancient story of the six blind men and the elephant is a great opportunity for philosophical inquiry with children and exploring the senses. How is feeling different to seeing? How do you experience your environment?
Shel Silverstein tells the story of a boy and a tree who love each other. The tree gives the boy everything to make the boy happy and as he grows older, the boy takes more and more.
Torres Strait Islander author Thomas Mayor dedicates his story about the Uluru Statement for young Australians to the children. How do the children think Australia’s future will look? How can they help find the heart of the nation?
Ibram X. Kendi introduces nine steps to make equity a reality. Antiracist baby is a great tool for parents and educators to talk about racism and why it is so important to continuously revise rules and think about their meaning for everyone in the community.
When Wolfred takes on a job pushing the buttons in the lift of the hotel at Fancy Pants Tower, he enters a new world. From the beginning, there are possible investigations: “It was the warmest of lights on the coldest of nights.” Is it always cold when there is no light? Can a lamp warm you up? How does Fancy Pants Tower use so much power? If the children are interested in sustainability, you could investigate how the hotel could save electricity.
Encourage the children in your care to engage with classical music? The Story Orchestra book series offers an introduction to this world with picture stories that allow you to listen to the music as you read. They will explore language relating to sounds and music and consider how the sounds make them feel…
A story about building love, hope, resilience and forgiveness. In this story, the reader soon realises that the real ‘tools’ we need as parents and educators are trust, comfort, compassion and unconditional love.
The story allows the children to immerse themselves fully into the journey of the wombat who flees the fire, searches for food and water and eventually finds nourishment and a way home. You can talk about the colours, the smells and all the feelings they evoke. How does the ground feel underneath the animals’ paws? What can the animals hear as they are fleeing the fire?
A wonderful story about determination, resilience and perseverance and that sometimes in life the real treasure lies in just sharing an experience with a friend, no matter the outcome…
