The Curie Society

Adam Staffaroni, Heather Einhorn, Janet Harvey, Joan Hilty
The MIT Press
Subject(s): Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science, Technology
Age(s): Middle, Secondary
Amazon
You'll have to forgive us, Dr. Burkhart – we're a little short today.

Synopsis

Three new students at Edmonds University receive a secret code leading to an invitation to join the Curie Society. Through collaboration and application of their unique expertise, they help leaders of this group to foil an evil plot. The book does an excellent job of demonstrating growth mindset (e.g., learning through making mistakes) and the power of collaboration.

Why should I read this book?

Students will find a diverse set of protagonists to get inspired by, and find themselves lost in the story. There is also an impressive index of complex terms.

Who is this book best for?

This is an excellent cross-section of many disciplines and is a good examples of why STEM is and should be interdisciplinary. Readers identifying as women or people of colour may find themselves particularly at home in the book due to good representation in protagonists and many good examples of historical diversity.

Challenge Rating: No Challenge

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If you’re looking for specific references, check out:

  • Biology (ant colony movement/interaction rates-p.10; genetic engineering-p.68)
  • Physics (potential and kinetic energy-p.19; ionic wind-powered aircraft -p.65)
  • Mathematics (Algebra – solving quadratic equations-p.43; LaGrangian mechanics-p.19; Noether’s Theorem-p.19)
  • Famous female scientists (Marie Curie, Hedy Lemarr, Mildred Dresselhaus, Mary Jackson, Chien-Lhuing Wie-pp.56-57)
  • Female scientist biographies (Danbee Kim, Ritu Raman, Kasia Chmielinski, Jane Zelikova, Raychelle Burks, Deborah Blum -p-.152-153)