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Series Designer: Katy Brown
Interior and Designer: Diana Haas
Art Producer: Hannah Dickerson
Editor: Eliza Kirby
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Photography 2021 Emulsion Studio, cover; all other photography used under license from iStock.com. Illustrations 2021 Collaborate Agency. courtesy of Jesse Walker.
ISBN: Print 978-1-64876-025-9 eBook 978-1-64739-582-7
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For Phineas, Henry, Atticus, and Jacob. You are my greatest joys every single day. And for David. Everything I do begins and ends with you.
CONTENTS
Awesome Electronics Projects for Kids allows children ages 5 to 10 to explore electricity and circuits. Part of what makes this topic so much fun is the discovery that everyday objects can be repurposed and assembled into real working gadgets. As a former elementary school teacher, I recall so many times when children beamed with excitement after solving a problem or learning a new skill. Now, as a university professor, I create curricula that capture this thrill while scaffolding student learning. Each project in this book has parts in common with the projects before and after it. This means that children will progress toward greater autonomy as they continue to acquire knowledge.
Not only are these projects educational, but they are also great ways to foster creativity. Children will learn the science behind circuits as they draw, design, color, and play using a variety of supplies. Some of these supplies are household items. Others are more specialized components that can be purchased at any local electronics store or online retailer. They are all low-cost materials, many of which can be reused to do different things. Each project contains easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, but children are encouraged to expand and modify their creations as many times as they like; the only limit is their imagination.
Think of this book as a mini maker lab. A maker lab is a space where people gather to design and build objects using
(science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics). These labs are found all over the country, and now you have one in your own home!
Do you want to build cool stuff that flashes, glows, buzzes, spins, and more? Then get ready to discover the world of electronics! You use electronics every day when you switch on a light, open the refrigerator, watch TV, or play a video game. But how do these devices actually work? This book will show you how with hands-on experience. Youll make 20 awesome projects and learn the science behind your creations. The instructions will guide you through each project with clear, simple steps. When you see a word in bold , turn to the glossary at the back of the book to learn more about it and boost your electronics know-how. As you make these projects, think about ways to modify or change them to create different things. Once youve completed the book, you can reuse all the parts to make your very own inventions! Before we get to that, though, lets go over the basics.
Electronics is a part of science that focuses on the ways we use electricity to do work for us. Electricity can make so many things happen. Its a huge part of our lives. Electricity powers our cars, our phones, and our computers. If you could see inside these items, you might start to get a sense of how it all works. Lucky for you, this book will give you an up-close look at the guts of electronic gadgets. The word electronics also means electronic devices and equipment. The great thing about electronics is that anyone can build them. You dont need to have studied all the science in school to make the projects in this book. But it will help a lot if you know some of the basics of electricity and circuits.
CIRCUITS AND SUCH
Energy is the ability to do work. There are many different types of energy, but in this book we will focus on electric energy, or electricity. Electricity is energy caused by the flow of electrons . Electrons are parts of atoms , the incredibly small building blocks that make up everything in the universe. An atom is made of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have a positive charge . Neutrons are neutral and have no charge. Electrons have a negative charge. When electrons move between atoms, electric energy, or electricity, is created.
