Exploration and Observation: Elemental Ornaments

In this week's book, The Reinvention of Edison Thomas, one of the ways Eddy calms himself down is by reciting the elements from the periodic table. Some of the words he recites like chlorine and iron) are probably familiar, while others (scandium!) are...not so familiar.

All matter (everything that takes up space and has mass) is made up of the elements that Eddy recites. (Check out this video for a very catchy and kid-friendly introduction to this concept.) They're the building blocks of everything around you, the building blocks of YOU. It's just simple differences in the way they're connected and combined that make H₂O (water) a vital part of life, but H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide) highly hazardous.

So let's build a few models to see what they look like! For this week's activity, you'll need large gumdrops (or colored marshmallows, or foam balls) and toothpicks. We'll use the same color code that chemists do for their models:

Black = carbon
White = hydrogen
Red = oxygen
Blue = nitrogen (Okay, these are purple in the photos since I didn't have blue.)
Green = chlorine
Yellow = sulfur
Orange = phosphorus

Here are some easy ones you can try:

And here are a few that are a little trickier:

In these models, each gumdrop represents one atom. Almost all atoms have tiny particles called electrons that they can use to connect to other atoms. In these models, the toothpicks represent bonds that hold the atoms together. The bonds are formed by the atoms sharing those electrons with each other.

For advanced learners: Notice how every different element has a certain number of bonds. For hydrogen, it's always got just one toothpick coming out if it. For carbon, it's always four. Three for nitrogen, one for chlorine, and usually two for oxygen. Sulfur gets tricky (two or four) and phosphorus usually has three.

Can you design your own molecule that follows these rules? Can you make bigger, more complicated molecules like sugar (sucrose)? How many gumdrops would you need to model even a small section of DNA?

Have fun making molecules!

Jacqueline Houtman Interview and Giveaway!

I'm so thrilled that Jacqueline Houtman agreed to be my first author interview ever! I've been a fan of Jacqueline's work since The Reinvention of Edison Thomas first came out. She's a talented author with a great love and gift for science, and I think you'll agree that she gives a great interview as well. And since she's as generous with her books as she is with her time, Jacqueline has offered to give away a signed copy of The Reinvention of Edison Thomas! Read to the end for more details...

EV: The Reinvention of Edision Thomas is a great story about a really endearing character. Which did you come up with first: Eddy the character, or his story?

JH: Eddy definitely came first. The book started off as a series of scenes. I put Eddy into situations that would be difficult for him and see what he did. I came up with situations where he would react differently than most people, but in ways that were entirely consistent with the way he saw things. As I wrote more and more scenes, a story began to develop. Some of those scenes ended up in the book. Some were cut from the book, but stayed in my head as part of Eddy’s character.

Is Eddy based on anyone you know? Are any of the other characters based on real people?

Eddy’s not based on any one person, but he has the characteristics of several people I know, including me. He is a fictional character. Jim, the crossing guard, on the other hand is based on a crossing guard named…wait for it…Jim. He’s the only real person in the story.

One of my favorite things about Eddy is that the way his mind works is so unique. How did you come up with all of the Random Access Memory facts that you use throughout the book? Do facts get stuck in your brain too? (They do in mine!)

My brain attracts obscure facts like a magnet. In fact, it’s sort of a joke around my house. Eddy stores facts in his brain and he accesses a fact when something happens in his life that is somehow related to that fact. I inserted the facts at transitional points in the story and each fact has something to do with the preceding scene. Some of the facts came straight from my head. Some I had to research. All of them were verified.

This book was first published in 2010. If we could fast forward two years in Eddy's life, what would he be up to?

I think he’d be comfortable with a small group of friends. He would continue to find strategies to help him get along in the world. My hope is that a science teacher would take an interest in Eddy and help him put his great mind to use on interesting and useful projects.

Can you tell us what you're writing next? Will any of the characters from The Reinvention of Edison Thomas show up in future books?

I’m working on a couple of manuscripts. They both have boy protagonists, and—surprise!—they both have a lot of science in them. As for future Eddy books, I don’t have any plans for that right now, but I’m not ruling it out.

What advice would you give to young writers?

 Read and keep a journal. Read everything, even outside your favorite genre. If you like what you’re reading, figure out why. If you don’t like it, figure out why. Write down your ideas. Play with words. Make a habit of writing.

What advice would you give to young scientists?

Same answer: Read and keep a journal. Read about things that interest you. Read about people who do interesting things. Write down observations. Make connections. Ask questions. Don’t just accept facts that are handed to you. Dig deeper. Find out why.

Thank you, Jacqueline! To enter the giveaway, make sure you're a follower of the blog (click "Join this Site" on the right sidebar) and then leave a comment below. As always, bonus points for Facebook and Twitter links/mentions, and double bonus points if you refer a friend who becomes a follwer! :) The giveaway closes Wednesday, December 5 at midnight MST.

The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Houtman

From Goodreads: Eddy Thomas can read a college physics book, but he can't read the emotions on the faces of his classmates at Drayton Middle School. He can spend hours tinkering with an invention, but he can't stand more than a few minutes in a noisy crowd, like the crowd at the science fair, which Eddy fails to win. When the local school crossing guard is laid off, Eddy is haunted by thoughts of the potentially disastrous consequences and invents a traffic-calming device, using parts he has scavenged from discarded machines. Eddy also discovers new friends, who appreciate his abilities and respect his unique view of the world. They help Eddy realize that his "friend" Mitch is the person behind the progressively more distressing things that happed to Eddy. By trusting his real friends and accepting their help, Eddy uses his talents to help others and rethinks his purely mechanical definition of success.

My Two Cents: There's so much here to love. A protagonist who is totally unique and instantly earns our loyalty. Clever chapter titles and fun facts from Eddy's "Random Access Memory." Natural and poignant lessons on problem solving, community, and friendship. And, as a bonus, a pretty decent helping of science. There are a growing number of books about kids with autism and Aspergers, and this is among the best.

Grade Level: 5-8

Additional Resources:
Jacqueline Houtman's website
A fun activity that demonstrates eddy currents
Interactive animation showing position, velocity, and acceleration
A useful site for kids who want to learn morse code like Eddy, and a game to test their skills
A fun photographic periodic table
A printable guide from Indiana University to help kids understand autism

More to Read:
Another book for middle grade readers that deals with autism from a kid's perspective: Rules by Cynthia Lord
Another book about a kid who would rather spend time doing scientific research than anything else: Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head by Nancy Viau
Another book about a boy who has a learning disability (but absolutely isn't defined by it): Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos

Also, I'm thrilled to say that I've scored an interview with Jacqueline and a signed (!) copy of The Reinvention of Edison Thomas to give away here! Check back Wednesday for the interview and details about the givaway, and click back here Thursday for a fun holiday science post that Eddy himself would enjoy.