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STEM Smackdown (Alternator Books ®)
Who Invented the Light Bulb?: Edison vs. Swan (STEM Smackdown
Do you know who invented the light bulb? Most Americans will tell you it was Thomas Edison. But what if they're wrong? What if a British scientist named Joseph Swan was filing for the rights to this invention around the same time as Edison? You'll be on the edge of your seat as Edison and Swan go head-to-head to create the first usable light bulb. Patent battles, lies, determination, and more fill out this exciting race to the finish. You'll never look at a light bulb the same way again!
32 pages, Library Binding
Published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 30, 2018
Title: Who Invented the Light Bulb? Edison Vs. Swan
Author: Susan Hamen
Pages: 32 pages
Lexile level: 950L
Recommendations & Comments:
Did Thomas Edison really invent the light bulb or was it Joseph Swan? Readers will be very surprised and intrigued when they read about the course of events that led to the invention of the light bulb in 1880. In this book, Susan Hamen details all of the scientists that came before Edison & Swan. Readers will learn how Sir Humprhy Davy & Warren De La Rue, worked hard but were unable to design a safe, affordable, and efficient light bulb. Edison, who lived in the United States, and Swan, who lived in Britain were basically racing each other, to see who would come up with the best bulb design first.
Hamen breaks up the information in this book in a way that is easy for elementary students to read. The chapters are short, and pictures are included wherever possible to help visual learners. There is a timeline in the back that shows all the steps toward the invention of the light bulb, along with a glossary that gives the readers definitions of various scientific words that were mentioned in the book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed By: Jen T.
Author: Susan Hamen
Pages: 32 pages
Lexile level: 950L
Recommendations & Comments:
Did Thomas Edison really invent the light bulb or was it Joseph Swan? Readers will be very surprised and intrigued when they read about the course of events that led to the invention of the light bulb in 1880. In this book, Susan Hamen details all of the scientists that came before Edison & Swan. Readers will learn how Sir Humprhy Davy & Warren De La Rue, worked hard but were unable to design a safe, affordable, and efficient light bulb. Edison, who lived in the United States, and Swan, who lived in Britain were basically racing each other, to see who would come up with the best bulb design first.
Hamen breaks up the information in this book in a way that is easy for elementary students to read. The chapters are short, and pictures are included wherever possible to help visual learners. There is a timeline in the back that shows all the steps toward the invention of the light bulb, along with a glossary that gives the readers definitions of various scientific words that were mentioned in the book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed By: Jen T.
February 13, 2019
What are patents? Why are they important? What if someone in another country creates almost the same invention at the same time? These and other questions about inventions in general underlie this volume in the “Alternator Books” series. Readers are encouraged to think beyond basic facts to compare and contrast information and inventors in another way.
The cover with its bright yellow text and facial photos of Edison and Swan set atop bodies preparing for a boxing match draw the reader’s attention to open this book and find out who won.
Just the right amount of text for middle and upper elementary readers. Lots of photographs, drawings, fact boxes in a clear layout. Source notes, glossary, timeline, index and “Further Information” make this a solid non-fiction presentation. It’s unique format of “vs.” makes it a standout in the new wave of STEM books.
Some of the explanations are simplified (such as vacuum pumps), and may be inadequate for advanced middle school students, but this is a great read for entertainment, or as an introduction to these inventors and the process of inventing.
.
The cover with its bright yellow text and facial photos of Edison and Swan set atop bodies preparing for a boxing match draw the reader’s attention to open this book and find out who won.
Just the right amount of text for middle and upper elementary readers. Lots of photographs, drawings, fact boxes in a clear layout. Source notes, glossary, timeline, index and “Further Information” make this a solid non-fiction presentation. It’s unique format of “vs.” makes it a standout in the new wave of STEM books.
Some of the explanations are simplified (such as vacuum pumps), and may be inadequate for advanced middle school students, but this is a great read for entertainment, or as an introduction to these inventors and the process of inventing.
.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews