Explore Outdoors This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to play outside! To string up a hammock and read books! To build sandcastles and ... 

 

watch fireflies
explore mud puddles
watch mud wasps build their nests
dance in the rain
watch a spider weave her web
listen to bird songs    
follow a bumblebee
look for worms
pick blueberries
ride a bike
look under stones
look for dragonfly larvae in streams
smell the earth
write haiku
hang T-shirts on clothesline to dry
get to know a moth
watch for bats
listen for hummingbirds

Archimedes Notebook is taking a break for the summer. You'll find my nature posts and 1-minute book reviews over on my facebook page this summer ~ picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult, graphic novels, fiction, nonfiction... because, Summer Reading.

 

Have Fun & See You in September! 

Oooh! Aaah! Fourth of July Science

Bang! The Art, History, and Science of Fireworks 
by Ron Miller 
104 pages; YA
Twenty-First Century Books, 2026

review copy provided by publisher

“This book is all about pyrotechnics,” writes Ron Miller. He’s not lying; this book explodes with research on the art and science of fire and explosions. And beyond, because he reveals the more mundane world of matches, roadside flares, and other non-weapon applications. The first chapter lays down early history. From there he explores fireworks as art. Though he mentions that different chemicals are used to create the colors we see in fireworks displays, he doesn’t explain which chemicals produce what color. I was hoping for a color wheel… 

 

Ron takes readers on an armchair field trip to explore how firecrackers and fireworks are made – and keeps us safe from accidental explosions. Later, he takes us on a movie set where pyrotechnics are used as special effects. After touring world holiday celebrations that include fireworks, he touches on environmental considerations and mentions some alternative ways, and less noisy ways, to create festive celebratory displays.

Fizz! Pop! Boom! 

Here's how to make some quiet Fourth of July explosions in your backyard:  

•  Fizzy sidewalk chalk fireworks ~ pffff!
•  Exploding paint Bags ~ more pop than boom!
• Erupting Rainbow ~ Of course vinegar is involved! 

Explore Outdoors ~ Wallflowers

I'm always amazed at how persistent plants can be. They'll find a foothold just about anywhere! I once found a sunflower sprouting in the nook of a tree branch...

 

 

Where's the most unusual place you're found flowers growing in your neighborhood?