Tuesday, April 2

Teaching Science with Nick & Tesla : High-Voltage Danger Lab


Anytime a fun book can educate my son through the plot, it gets two thumbs up!  We stumbled upon the Nick & Tesla series last year, and have been enjoying reading through them and learning all about science....and this is why they are our newest addition to the Hi-Lo Book Club!

The series features twins, Nick and Tesla, who live with their inventor uncle.  They tinker around, invent things, and play with science, all while dealing with kidnappings, mysterious neighbors, and some scary dogs.  These are mystery books mixed with science experiments, and they're a hit for student and teacher alike!

Written by 'Science Bob,' the six books in the series incorporate hands-on experiments that are similar to what the characters are doing in the stories.  The pages are visually appealing, and I like how the experiment sections are color-coded, making them easy to find.  The chapters are short and written at a middle-school reading level, but they're fast-paced and will keep you wanting to know what happens next!


High Voltage Danger Lab (Book 1 of 6)
Nick and Tesla are bright 11-year-old siblings with a knack for science, electronics, and getting into trouble. When their parents mysteriously vanish, they’re sent to live with their Uncle Newt, a brilliant inventor who engineers top-secret gadgets for a classified government agency. It’s not long before Nick and Tesla are embarking on adventures of their own—engineering all kinds of outrageous MacGyverish contraptions to save their skin: 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, mobile tracking devices, and more. 

Define

  • Battery
  • Charging
  • Circuit
  • Eccentric
  • Electricity
  • Electric
  • Electrical current
  • Electron
  • Feral
  • Luminous
  • Positive charge
  • Negative charge
  • Quizzically
  • Scurried
Experiment
Document - Use your Free Lab Notebook for these!
  • Evaluate one of the research projects.
  • Draw a map of the neighborhood, and keep track of the SUV's appearance on the lines below.
  • Research Nikola Tesla, and write a short biography.
Think
  • What is a zero-g environment? What are black holes?
  • What are black lights? How do they work? What are they used for today?
  • What could you build with batteries, old wire, and nails?



Access all of the science studies in the Science-Based Novel Studies Bundle!
Includes nine novel studies covering science-based topics. Each novel addresses a new topic, primarily falling into STEM, technology, and modern science.
  • Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
  • There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
  • After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
  • You will also find a short list of reading books, including one featured novel – the spine of the unit.
  • There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
  • Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
  • We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.
  • Some units also have cooking projects.

Product Samples – Fever 1793 & Nick and Tesla: High Voltage Danger Lab


These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

7 comments:

  1. These look like interesting books. :)

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    1. They're pretty fun! I like how they incorporate real-world experiments.

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  2. These look great. Do kids learn science through stories? What ages are these best for?

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    1. Middle school would be the target range, so upper elementary through lower high....they learn applied science and do experiments in the book.

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  3. These look like pretty awesome books.

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  4. I have looked at these at the library but have not checked them out yet. Maybe this summer I can get to them. This page has lots of good info on it make it a fun unit.

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    1. We've got five more units coming for the other books in the series, too. The idea is hands-on science learning with Charlotte Mason-style read-alouds. :) Thanks for stopping by!

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