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Teen Innovators: Nine Young People Engineering a Better World with Creative Inventions
Teen Innovators tells the stories of discovery and the inventions of nine young students.
For example, twelve-year-old Gitanjali Rao, appalled by the tragedy in Flint, Michigan, found a cheaper, more effective way to test for lead in drinking water. Four undocumented teenagers from an underfunded high school in Phoenix built an underwater robot from spare and found parts. Substituting hard work and creative thinking for money and expensive equipment, they won a national robotics competition, beating a well-funded team from MIT. At fifteen, William Kamkwamba used materials from junkyards near his home in Malawai to build a windmill to generate electricity and pump water for his village.
While each profile tells a different story, the reader soon sees the common threads of determination and ingenuity. Stories Science educator and professor Fred Estes explores the motivation, challenges, and lives of these teen scientists and explains the science behind each invention simply and clearly. Readers will see how the science they study today in school relates to these important discoveries.
For example, twelve-year-old Gitanjali Rao, appalled by the tragedy in Flint, Michigan, found a cheaper, more effective way to test for lead in drinking water. Four undocumented teenagers from an underfunded high school in Phoenix built an underwater robot from spare and found parts. Substituting hard work and creative thinking for money and expensive equipment, they won a national robotics competition, beating a well-funded team from MIT. At fifteen, William Kamkwamba used materials from junkyards near his home in Malawai to build a windmill to generate electricity and pump water for his village.
While each profile tells a different story, the reader soon sees the common threads of determination and ingenuity. Stories Science educator and professor Fred Estes explores the motivation, challenges, and lives of these teen scientists and explains the science behind each invention simply and clearly. Readers will see how the science they study today in school relates to these important discoveries.
208 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 27, 2023
3.5 stars but rounded up because I liked that each teen had more than just a 1-2 page spread.
This book features nine teens who were smart and curious and did not let challenges or circumstances deter them from reaching their goals. Each person or group of people used science and engineering (STEM) skills to create something to truly make a difference not just in their world but for everyone - such as detecting cancer sooner, figuring out a way to tell if water was contaminated cheaply and easily, etc.
Very inspiring, engaging. Science was explained clearly and understandably. My only complaint was the rather cartoonish drawings of the teens that were used.
This book features nine teens who were smart and curious and did not let challenges or circumstances deter them from reaching their goals. Each person or group of people used science and engineering (STEM) skills to create something to truly make a difference not just in their world but for everyone - such as detecting cancer sooner, figuring out a way to tell if water was contaminated cheaply and easily, etc.
Very inspiring, engaging. Science was explained clearly and understandably. My only complaint was the rather cartoonish drawings of the teens that were used.
September 12, 2022
Received an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows a series of Teen Innovators through their lives and their invention process. Each story has a great balance between following the inventor and the invention. There are science explanations throughout as well to explain the different technologies or scientific principles used. This book would be a great addition to a middle school or high school classroom.
This book follows a series of Teen Innovators through their lives and their invention process. Each story has a great balance between following the inventor and the invention. There are science explanations throughout as well to explain the different technologies or scientific principles used. This book would be a great addition to a middle school or high school classroom.
August 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s okay, had to read it for school. Pretty interesting but I would not have ever picked this book up by myself.
It’s okay, had to read it for school. Pretty interesting but I would not have ever picked this book up by myself.
January 24, 2024
Until the final chapter (Carl Hagan Highschool), I was leaning towards giving this book 2 stars. However, that chapter transformed my perspective entirely. While the rest of the book caters to kids interested in STEM (which is commendable), that chapter delves into a social issue from a unique standpoint.
August 20, 2022
Interesting to read about the kid inventors!! Very inspiring! I got an advanced readers copy! Recommend!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews