Alexander Graham Bell for Kids: His Life and Inventions, with 21 Activities

Winner of the 2019 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Book

Alexander Graham Bell invented not only the telephone, but also early versions of the phonograph, the metal detector, airplanes, and hydrofoil boats. This Scottish immigrant was also a pioneering speech teacher and a champion of educating those with hearing impairments, work he felt was his most important contribution to society. Bell worked with famous Americans such as Helen Keller and aviators Glenn Curtiss and Samuel P. Langley, and his inventions competed directly with those of Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers.

This unique biography includes a time line, a list of online resources, and 21 engaging hands-on activities to better appreciate Bell's remarkable accomplishments. Kids will:

          Construct a Pie Tin Telegraph and a Pizza Box Phonograph
          "See" and "feel" sound by building simple devices
          Communicate using American Sign Language
          Send secret messages using Morse code
          Investigate the properties of ailerons on a paper airplane
          Build and fly a tetrahedral kite
          And more!

Mary Kay Carson has authored more than 50 science and history books for children, including Exploring the Solar System, Weather Projects for Young Scientists, and The Underground Railroad for Kids. She was presented with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2011 Children's Literature Award for The Wright Brothers for Kids.