Jane C. Flinn - Fun Facts to Engage Students

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I have always had a thirst for knowledge, and that thirst has led me on a life-long learning quest. The facts and figures I learned in school never seemed to be enoughI wanted to know it all.

One day, I walked into a local book store, picked up a trivia book, and couldnt put it down. I realized there was no better way to learn facts about countless subjects. I was learning not just those main points I learned in schoolthe ones you need to know for the testbut also the lesser-known/lesser-taught facts that gave topics depth and breadth.

The more I read, the more I learnedand that led me to combine my fascination with facts with my love for writing into a series of trivia booksincluding the one in your hands. With each book Ive compiled, Ive realized how much I still dont know.

I hope you learn something new every time you turn the pageI know I did.

Trivia.

Unfortunately, the word has taken on a negative connotation, describing unimportant or inconsequential bits of information. I cant disagree more! What others may call trivial facts are, to me, a foundation for learning. They are the bricks and mortar that build knowledge. They can quench a thirst and spark curiosity.

Learning is not confined by time and space. With that in mind, this book is written for all ages, preschool to octogenarian, and can be used at any time, in any place. The multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended questions offer information, encourage critical thinking, and provide an opportunity for readers of all ages to not only test their knowledge of a variety of topics but also learn something new along the way.

Parents and their children can read the book together, taking turns asking and answering questions. They can use the questions and answers as conversation starters at the dinner table, in the car, or while on a walk.

Classroom teachers can use the questions as daily warm-up activities or as a pre-assessment review. They might plan a game show activity around the questionscomplete with contestants and prizesor use the questions/answers as a basis for student research projects. The books easy-to-read format and broad subject matter make it appropriate for all school levels, Pre-K12, as well as higher education.

The book is a wonderful addition to the community library so community members of all ages can learn and enjoy the information. Its a fun and valuable resource at senior citizen centers, keeping seniors minds active, jogging memories, and providing knowledge about whats going on in the world today.

The books Did You Know facts offer a deeper dive into the topic to expand understanding and, I hope, spike curiosity.

Did Michelangelo sign his famous works of art?

Whats a twillionnaire?

What bones were dug up when the Parthenon was being constructed?

You may know the answers to those questionsyou may not. If you dont know the answers, do you want to?

Happy learning!

1. What planet is the largest of all the terrestrial planets and is between Venus and Mars?

2. Matter is anything that has a mass, weight, volume, and takes up what?

   1. Space

   2. Time

   3. Energy

3. The main source of energy on Earth is the ________________.

4. A comet that crashes into Earths atmosphere becomes a meteorite. True or false?

5. Huge hot balls of gas that are held together by gravity and give off their own light are called ________________.

6. Gold is the best conductor of electricity. True or false?

7. Solar power is used to generate electricity from what celestial object?

   1. Sun

   2. Moon

   3. Venus

8. Sunscreen protects the skin from what type of solar radiation?

9. Six hundred fifty million years ago, what kinds of fuel were formed from the decomposing remains of dead organisms?

10. What starts with an a and is made up of three particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons?

11. A chemical reaction is displayed on nails that are in which state?

    1. Being bent

    2. Rusting

    3. Being hammered into wood

12. Helium is the main greenhouse gas that is contributing to temperatures rising in the atmosphere. True or false?

13. On August 21, 2017, what celestial event was most of America looking at?

14. British sailors ate limes to prevent scurvy. This disease is caused by lack of what vitamin?

15. Food is measured in these that start with a c.

16. The two common elements in seawater, sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl), combine to make NaCl, which is what?

    1. Pepper

    2. Sugar

    3. Salt

17. DNA is present in white blood cells of humans, but not in ________________ blood cells, which lack nuclei.

18. A ballistic missile is a rocket that depends on gravity to reach its what?

19. Hypothesis is the name given to the longest side of a right-angled triangle. True or false?

20. Scientists believe that an asteroid impact and a surge in volcanic activity caused the wipeout of these reptiles sixty-five million years ago.

21. The outer crust of the earth is broken up into tectonic what?