The Science and Technology of Ben Franklin (Build It Yourself)

This STEM-based science biography explores Benjamin Franklin’s lifetime of boundless curiosity and encourages kids to imagine what they can do as inventors and scientists through hands-on projects!

Inventor. Scientist. Diplomat. Printer. Benjamin Franklin was a very curious person, which led to lots of different roles during his lifetime.

In The Science and Technology of Ben Franklin, readers ages 9 through 12 explore the life of one of colonial America’s most fascinating citizens. They discover what it might have been like to be a young person in the early eighteenth century, when work and entertainment looked much different from today. Franklin’s frequent forays into science and technology drive the story forward as kids grow more and more eager to see how Franklin solves the problems he’s confronted with. Even when Franklin’s experiments failed or his inventions flopped, he continued to take risks in order to push the limits of people’s knowledge of the world back then. His dedication to invention and experimentation gave the world new insight into electricity, heat, and much more.

Kids gain these same insights through hands-on STEM activities, essential questions, text-to-world connections, and links to online resources that encourage readers to take a closer look into Franklin’s world.

• Projects use materials already in most homes, reimagining and repurposing everyday items, as well as mining the recycling bin.

• Make career connections in the fields of engineering, art, astronomy, and more!
• Addresses disciplinary core ideas (e.g., "Structure and Properties of Matter") and crosscutting concepts (e.g., "Energy and Matter;" "Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Environment") for NSTA's NGSS curriculum.

• Numerous, direct connections to Dimension 2 of the C3 Framework ("History" Grades 3-5), providing opportunities for young readers to explore how a historically significant person evolved in context and engendered both scientific and social change.

• Aligns with Common Core State Standards.
• Projects include Create your own instrument, Design hard-to-counterfeit money, and Model an ocean current.

• Additional materials include a glossary, a list of media for further learning, a selected bibliography, and index.

Nomad Press books in the Build It series integrate content with participation. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers.

All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.

Alicia Z. Klepeis is the author of more than 70 nonfiction and fiction books. Her titles include Gutsy Girls Go For Science: Astronauts; The Renaissance Inventors; The Renaissance Explorers; and Explore Makerspace! With 25 Great Projects. She has also written more than 100 articles in magazines such as National Geographic Kids and FACES. She lives with her family in Hamilton, New York.