Category: All Things Technology

Artemis I Has Launched!

11/18/2022

NASA Artemis Graphic

NASA has successfully launched Artemis I - we are on the way to the moon again! It's possible we could even land on the moon with the launch of Artemis III....

I thought you might be interested in some of the books about the moon, stars, cosmos and NASA reviewed at Stories Matter.

Click on the book cover to read Nonna's Review.

The moon is so mysterious, unless you have a young astronaut in your home who wants to know just about everything there is to know about the moon!

Find resources at NASA Science Earth's Moon site. The Smithsonian also has phenomenal resources for "Walking on the Moon!"

Margaret Hamilton was one of the heroes of the Apollo 11 mission! When an error on the astronauts' checklist endangered the first lunar landing, her programming code allowed the computer to focus on the single task of landing safely.

Wonderful children's picture biography!

Click on the book cover to read Nonna's Review

Sky watchers long ago imagined a whole zoo of animals in the night sky. Learn about many constellations including the Great Bear and the Dragon.
The American Meteor Society's web site is filled with resources including the 2022-23 Meteor Shower Calendar!

Venetia Burney studied the solar system, as well as Greek and Roman mythology at school when she suggested Pluto as a name for Planet X discovered in 1930. And she became the only child who has named a planet!

Watch the short documentary How Did Pluto Earn Its Name to hear Burney's story.

Click on the book cover to read Nonna's Review

This is a must-read book for anyone fascinated by robots, artificial intelligence, spaceships or space exploration. Littles will love examining the stunning illustrations over and over, while older children will read and re-read the details about Curiosity's construction and mission.

Artificial Intelligence: Thinking Machines and Smart Robots

9/29/2022

Part of the hands-on science series Technology for Today STEM books, 128 pages. Published in 2018 by Nomad Press.

Bonus Book!

Artificial Intelligence is a bonus book for this month's reviews! I discovered this book while looking for excellent activities and resources to Make It Real for the other picture books about robots.

Appropriate for ages 10 to 15 years old, Artificial Intelligence is packed with up-to-date information, as well as dozens of science-minded activities - including one to create a model of a neural network! A phenomenally interesting book for youngsters who are fascinated by AI.

The Wild Robot & The Wild Robot Escapes

9/27/2022

Roz is My New Heroine

I am in love with these books! Roz, an AI robot, is an inspiration on what it means to be a good person as she travels through her adventures, overcoming some pretty big obstacles.

Perfect read aloud stories!

Ideas for Making It Real

While a self-driving car would make a big splash in a child's life, there are many, many other ways to learn and explore with kiddos about artificial intelligence:

Show them how algorithms learn from our conversation and activities by exploring your in-home Google Assistant, Amazon Alexis or Apple's Siri. This is also a good opportunity to discuss privacy...
Practice hands-on AI activities with Teachable Machines
Older children and teens will enjoy learning and working with AI at Experiments with Google's TensorFlow Lite.

If you are interested in immersion-type AI classes and workshops designed specifically for children - and willing/able to pay for them - check out the resources at Create & Learn.

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