engineering

Get your tech on with Techweek 2022!

Katie

Techweek is back! It runs from 16th to 22nd May 2022 nationwide!
image courtesy of techweek


What is Techweek?

Techweek is a nationwide series of events, showcasing and celebrating New Zealand innovation. Techweek has a mixture of live, virtual and hybrid events, both physical and virtual, that can be attended and enjoyed from anywhere in the world!

The theme for Techweek 2022 is “connect for a better tomorrow.”

For more information about Techweek and what events are on, visit the website.

Some highlights you might like to explore include a talk with Dr Michelle Dickinson, the Founder of Nanogirl Labs, about STEM in Schools, and an introductory Scratch coding virtual project with Code Club Aotearoa.

In the mean time, if you want information on the latest technology and innovations, why not check out the following books in the library collection?!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM jobs for gamers.

Do you love playing video games? Did you know you can get a job helping to create one? There are more jobs for those who love gaming than you probably ever realized. From animators to script writers, readers will learn about various STEM and STEAM gaming jobs and what it takes to get one– Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe zoom, fly, bolt, blast steam handbook : build 18 innovative projects with brain power.

Rockport’s creative engineering extraordinaire, Lance Akiyama, returns again with Zoom, Fly Bolt, Blast STEAM Engineer and 18 STEAM approved projects to get kids doing, thinking, and building!– Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsSelf-driving cars : the new way forward.

“Author Fallon presents a history of how the technology used in self-driving cars has developed, identifies recent technological gains, and surveys recent controversies surrounding the potential mass adoption of self-driving cars.”–Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM lab for kids : 52 creative hands-on projects using science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

“The creative projects in STEAM Lab for Kids are designed to demonstrate that there’s math and science to be found in great art! From rubber bands to edible stained glass, young engineers and artists alike will find inspiration in these 52 art-forward labs.” — Back cover. Also available as an eBook.


image courtesy of syndeticsVirtual reality.

“Engaging images accompany information about virtual reality. The combination of high-interest subject matter and light text is intended for students in grades 2 through 7” — Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe science of medical technology : from humble syringes to life-saving robots.

“This fascinating guide to the ever-growing potential of medical technologies combines fact-packed, easy-to-read text with colourful and quirky illustrations. From an exploration of how new devices are helping to spot early signs of illness to a discussion of how vaccinations have helped to eradicate devastating diseases, it is an eye-opening introduction to the miraculous power of preventative and curative medicine.Each spread has multiple entry points, including an introductory paragraph, illustrations and side panels such as Fascinating Fact, Can You Believe It?, and Try It Yourself, which provide additional information and handy advice.” (Catalogue).

Please search our catalogue for more information about technology here:

10 New Non Fiction to read in November.

Katie

Hey kids!

Read the latest new non fiction books on how to find your inner calm, get your STEM on, hack your Minecraft skills and the latest Guinness World Records!

Enjoy!


Aroha’s way.

Come along on a journey with Aroha as she wards off nervousness, fear, worrying thoughts and apprehension, with simple, yet effective tools that everyone can use. Overall a wonderful and delightful story that gives you the tools you need to calm anxiety. A librarian’s choice all the way!

Bruce Lee.

Born in San Francisco but raised in Hong Kong, Bruce Lee was a talented actor, appearing in his first of many films at just three months old. By harnessing his skill as a martial artist, Bruce created, directed, and acted in blockbuster hits such as Enter the Dragon.

Guinness World Records 2020.

The world’s most popular record book is back with thousands of new categories and newly broken records, covering everything from outer space to sporting greats via Instagram, fidget spinners and all manner of human marvels. Inside you’ll find hundreds of never-before-seen photographs and countless facts, figures, stats and trivia waiting for you on every action-packed page. Guinness World Records 2019 is the ultimate snapshot of our world today.

Gutsy Girls Go For Science Engineers with STEM Projects for Kids.

Hands-on STEM projects shine a light into the world of engineering and encourage kids ages 8 to 11 to learn about five female engineers who changed the way things work in this full-color book that teaches critical and creative thinking.

My Weird Reading Tips.

Presents a guide to reading critically, offering tips and activities to improve reading comprehension, covering such topics as point of view, context clues, rhyme schemes, and deciphering fact from fiction. The ability to read critically is an essential skill vital to success in school. For example, do you know what point of view means? Or how to “read” a picture? Can you tell fact from opinion? Well, whether you’re a kid who’s just starting to read by yourself or a future librarian –or both! –this book of tips and activities to improve your reading comprehension skills is so much fun you’ll forget you’re learning! Filled with exercises to help young readers practice skills like identifying context clues and a story’s main idea, plus practical tips and tricks from bestselling author Dan Gutman, this book will help you become the best reader in the history of the world!

What to do when you worry too much : a kid’s guide to overcoming anxiety.

“Teaches school-age children cognitive-behavioral techniques to reduce and overcome anxiety, fears, and worry, through writing and drawing activities and self-help exercises and strategies. Includes introduction for parents”–Provided by publisher.

Ultimate Minecraft Master Builder.

Become a master of Minecraft with this ultimate builder’s guide! Follow the step-by-step instructions to create 30 incredible builds, from sky fortresses to aircraft carriers. The specially created builds are split into quick, intermediate and master level, and the guide is packed with facts, hints and tips about blocks, biomes, mobs and more. Get ready to stretch your imagination to the limit!

Hacks for Minecrafters:

Command Blocks.

With Hacks for Minecrafters: Command Blocks, kids will learn everything they need to know about manipulating and programming command blocks within Minecraft. As well as clearly explaining the commands and how to use them, this book has tons of fun tricks and projects for making your own custom maps and mini-games. Other tips cover: giving and getting loot ; putting any enchantment on a weapon — customizing villagers ; supercharging mobs with data tags ; creating a massive fireworks display ; and combining command blocks to make programs.

Redstone.

With Hacks for Minecrafters: Redstone , kids will learn the basics of manipulating redstone to make amazing contraptions. Readers young and old will love the clear and illustrated explanations of redstone power and current, as well as instructions on building essential redstone logic gates, loops, and circuits.

Minecrafter’s Cookbook.

“Kid-friendly recipes for main courses, side dishes, drinks, and desserts. Includes photos of each finished item.”– (Source of summary not specified)

 

A mixture of new and current non fiction.

Katie

Hey kids!

Check out what’s new… and current in the junior non fiction collection at your local library. This post features books that will enhance your knowledge of history, games, the universe and so much more!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsSee inside the Second World War.

With vivid illustrations and flaps to lift, this book takes you into the action of the Second World War.

image courtesy of syndeticsEngineering.

Showcases engineering feats throughout history from the pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. The book also features famous engineers, including the Wright brothers to Gustave Eiffel. Steam engines, rocket technology, bridges, and buildings are all covered here in this exciting book.

image courtesy of syndeticsForgotten beasts : amazing creatures that once roamed the Earth.

Matt Sewell’s follow-up to the mega-hit Dinosaurs is a beautifully-illustrated large format look at the amazing beasts that time forgot – from the relatively well known, such as the sabre-toothed tiger and woolly mammoth, to the obscure monsters that walked the earth millions of years ago – many now forgotten. New findings are being made every year, and research is showing us exactly how these beasts looked and how they lived.

image courtesy of syndeticsHistory of the world in 100 pictures.

This history of the world covers 100 fascinating historical subjects, including Ancient Egypt, Alexander the Great, the start of Islam, the Aztecs, the French Revolution, the first computer, Albert Einstein and the Space Race. Each topic is brought to life by photographs, easy-to-read text and colourful, modern illustrations.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe world of Vikings.

Set sail in your longboat and explore the mysterious lands of runes, raids and sagas. The Vikings combines breathtakingly vivid images with fascinating facts to unlock the world of these legendary warriors, traders and explorers.

image courtesy of sydneticsI am here, where are you?

In I Am Here, Where Are You? Ollie tells the reader where he is. This book provides a springboard for discussion of the reader’s location and explores concepts of cultural diversity, extended family, time zones and conservation of the planet we all share. Finally, it invites the reader to practise writing their own address, finishing at The Universe.

image courtesy of syndeticsHow to play chess.

Follow the easy steps to grandmaster greatness with How To Play Chess. From the opening move to checkmate, How To Play Chess will help your child play chess like a champion. With plenty of master tips and cool 3D images, How To Play Chess is the perfect introduction to chess for beginners as well as kids.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Great big book of life.

“Aren’t humans amazing? It’s incredible to think that all of us started out life as a tiny dot. Find out how we change as we grow from babies to children to teenagers to adults, and what happens when people get old.”–From page 4 of cover.

image courtesy of syndeticsRainforest.

Prepare to take a chronological journey, from the first roots grown by newly evolved plants and trees, through blazing fires and climatic changes, to an explosion of flora and fauna as the rainforest blossoms with life. Travel right up to the modern-day, as humans arrive in the lush habitat, changing the rainforest and its inhabitants forever.

image courtesy of syndeticsFantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders.

Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, is back with a brand new wildly brilliant and accessible book about incredible women in the world of work. Discover eye- opening facts about a collection of go-getting women who have pioneered careers in a kaleidoscope of different industries.

Techweek 2019!

Katie

image courtesy of techweek.co.nzTechweek19 is back!… and will run from 20—26 May 2019 nationwide. Techweek simply provides a platform to add voices to a growing conversation on global innovation. The theme for Techweek19 is still ‘innovation that’s good for the world’.

For more information about Tech Week and what events are on, visit the website.

In the mean time, if you’re want information on the latest technology and innovations, why not check out the following books in the library collection.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsThe zoom, fly, bolt, blast steam handbook : build 18 innovative projects with brain power.

Rockport’s creative engineering extraordinaire, Lance Akiyama, returns again with Zoom, Fly Bolt, Blast STEAM Engineer and 18 STEAM approved projects to get kids doing, thinking, and building!– Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsSelf-driving cars : the new way forward.

“Author Fallon presents a history of how the technology used in self-driving cars has developed, identifies recent technological gains, and surveys recent controversies surrounding the potential mass adoption of self-driving cars.”–Provided by publisher.


image courtesy of syndeticsScience lab : fantastic activities for young scientists.

From building a bridge and crafting a catapult to making a marble run and creating a crane, Science Lab is packed with activities that young readers can do at home to explore, discover, and understand the way the world works. It’s perfect for school projects, homework help, and firing up imaginations.


image courtesy of syndeticsStephen Biesty’s Incredible Cross-Sections.

This children’s book explores the innermost workings of some extraordinary buildings and machines. From helicopters to submarines, skyscrapers to coal mines, open up a fascinating world packed with unique and detailed cutaway drawings.

image courtesy of sydneticsTriumphs of technology.

From the power points in our homes to the mobile phones in our pockets, every aspect of our lives involves ingenious inventions of incredible complexity. Learn all about the inventions and advances in technologies that have helped make our lives a lot easier and discover the inventors and great minds who brought us these new machines in STEM-gineers: Triumphs of Technology.

STEAM lab for kids : 52 creative hands-on projects using science, technology, engineering, art, and math.image courtesy of syndetics

“The creative projects in STEAM Lab for Kids are designed to demonstrate that there’s math and science to be found in great art! From rubber bands to edible stained glass, young engineers and artists alike will find inspiration in these 52 art-forward labs.” — Back cover.


image courtesy of syndeticsEngineering.

Showcases engineering feats throughout history from the pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. The book also features famous engineers, including the Wright brothers to Gustave Eiffel. Steam engines, rocket technology, bridges, and buildings are all covered here in this exciting book.

4 New Non Fiction to read throughout winter!

Katie

Hi Kids! Check four latest new non fiction added to the children’s collections. Read all about dragon and other fascinating creatures, ways you can create minecraft projects with household items, how a writer overcame difficulty and challenges to becoming a successful author of a timeless children’s classic and how girls can become more confident! Great books to read during the winter season!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsUnofficial Minecraft STEM lab for kids : family-friendly projects for exploring concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math.

“In Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids, you’ll find a collection of creative projects that make learning science, technology, engineering, and math exciting and fun for the whole family. Start with a Minecraft lesson that gets beginners up to speed on terminology and gameplay. Then venture off on six action-packed Quests, each with four unique Labs that pair a hands-on activity with an in-game project. Look to the sky, dig beneath the ground, explore cycles in science, and engineer solutions to design challenges! Learn to document your Lab activities with sketchnoting, and how to screencast and narrate videos to share with family, friends, and other Minecrafters. Enjoy Minecraft together–and harness its powerful potential for learning–with Unofficial Minecraft STEM Lab for Kids”– Provided by publisher.

Overall, the coolest book to date, that encompasses all the elements of STEM concepts that will help kids get the necessary skills to go far in the future, while having fun at the same time with elements of Minecraft.

image courtesy of syndetics
Eric Carle‘s dragons dragons & other creatures that never were.

An illustrated collection of poems about dragons and other fantastic creatures by a variety of authors, combined with Carle’s artistic illustrations that beautifully capture the descriptions embedded within the poems.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsBecoming Madeleine.

Read all about the life of Madeleine L’Engle, famous writer and author of timeless classic, A Wrinkle in Time from her  lonely childhood, financial insecurity, and countless rejections of her writing–and eventual triumph. A inspirational book to read and ideal for fans of L’Engle’s writing or anyone want to become a writer.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe confidence code for girls : taking risks, messing up, & becoming your amazingly imperfect, totally powerful self.

“Girls can rule the world– all they need is confidence. This empowering, entertaining guide from the bestselling authors of The Confidence Code gives girls the essential yet elusive code to becoming bold, brave, and fearless. It’s a paradox familiar to parents everywhere: girls are achieving like never before, yet they’re consumed with doubt on the inside. Girls worry constantly about how they look, what people think, whether to try out for a sports team or school play, why they aren’t getting “perfect” grades, and how many likes and followers they have online. Katty Kay and Claire Shipman use cutting-edge science and research, as well as proven methods of behavioral change, to reach girls just when they need it the most– the tween and teen years. Packed with graphic novel strips; appealing illustrations; fun lists, quizzes, and challenges; and true stories from tons of real girls, The Confidence Code for Girls teaches girls to embrace risk, deal with failure, and be their most authentic selves”–Amazon.com.

5 new children’s non fiction to read in term 3.

Katie

Here is your chance to discover a hidden world beneath the surface of things. Whether it is what goes on deep within the bowels of a city, what is really going on inside the human body. Or even what is going on right outside your backyard.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsPeeking under the city.

Tall building and bright lights. Honking  and cool water fountains. This is what a city looks like above ground. But what wonders lie beneath? Let’s go below the streets and take a peek.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsPeeking under your skin.

Arms, leg and a big smile. Waving hands and dancing feet. This is what a person looks like from the outside. But what wonders lie inside? Let’s go below your skin and take a peek!

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsPeeking Underground.

Leafy trees and green grass. Chirping birds and children playing games. This is what the earth looks like above ground.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsEgyptian Mummy: The Embalmer’s Handbook.

Prepared to be dazzled and spellbound the glorious mysteries of ancient Egypt. Read this and discover a civilisation of the ancient Egyptians and discover how they embalmed their dead. Contains beautiful illustrations, a guide to Egyptian coffins, ‘true or false’ quizzes, and a spectacular gatefold image of the River Nile.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe beginner‘s guide to netball.

Willing to bring out your inner Silver Fern? This check out this fantastic beginners guide to netball. This book features the basic skills every netballer should be familiar with, no matter what their position. Read about the story of netball as well as Maria’s own journey to becoming an international netball superstar.