{"id":37088,"date":"2023-09-18T17:10:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T21:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=37088"},"modified":"2023-09-19T13:51:38","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T17:51:38","slug":"writing-science-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/writing-science-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing Science for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin bu-blocks-block-editorial-leadin is-style-side-by-side has-media has-wider has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-bucom-black-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"400\" height=\"562\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2023\/09\/erg-headshot-vert.png\" class=\"\" alt=\"Emily Greenhalgh selfie\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\"><em>Emily Greenhalgh (\u201912) turned her passion for marine biology into a career as a science communicator.<\/em> Photo courtesy of Emily Greenhalgh<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWriting Science for Kids\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Fun With Oceans &amp; Seas, a new book by alum Emily Greenhalgh, takes an engaging approach to marine biology<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-categories\">\n\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/category\/alumni\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlumni\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/category\/journalism\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJournalism\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">September 18, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/authors\/marc-chalufour\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMarc Chalufour\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div style=\"display:none;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-inner js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t<h4>Share<\/h4>\n\t\t<p class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-title\">Writing Science for Kids<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-link\">\n\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" value=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/writing-science-for-kids\/\" readonly>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<label>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Copy URL:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Copy<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/label>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">\u201cKids are scientists,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emilygreenhalgh.com\/\">Emily Greenhalgh<\/a>. \u201cThey always want to poke something and see how it works.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"750\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2023\/09\/erg-book-resize.jpg\" alt=\"Fun with Oceans &amp; Seas book cover\" class=\"wp-image-37105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/09\/erg-book-resize.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/09\/erg-book-resize-509x636.jpg 509w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>Greenhalgh\u2019s first book, Fun With Oceans &amp; Seas, was published in September 2023. <em>Image courtesy of Penguin Random House<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Greenhalgh (\u201912) speaks from experience. She spent her childhood exploring the coastline near Cranston, R.I., where she studied tide pools and scoured the beaches for sea glass. That curiosity has fueled a career in science communications and a new book: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/724986\/fun-with-oceans-and-seas-by-emily-greenhalgh\/\"><em>Fun With Oceans &amp; Seas: A Big Activity Book for Kids about Our Wonderful Waters<\/em><\/a> (Z Kids, 2023), released in September.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ocean is a perfect subject for engaging the curiosity of children, she says. \u201cThey\u2019re little sponges that want to soak up as much information as possible.\u201d A visit to the beach can be a lesson in biology, geology, and\u2014with the tides in constant motion\u2014even astronomy. But the ocean is also a source of mystery. \u201cWe know more about the surface of Mars than we do about the bottom of the ocean,\u201d Greenhalgh says. That\u2019s one of her favorite facts in a book that\u2019s packed with them (see \u201c<a href=\"#five-fun-facts\">Five Fun Facts<\/a>\u201d below for more favorites).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>The Life Aquatic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEvery kid goes through a marine biologist phase,\u201d Greenhalgh says. \u201cI just never grew out of it.\u201d Greenhalgh stayed local for college, studying marine biology at the University of Rhode Island. After a couple of years working as an observer on commercial fishing boats and in laboratories, she headed to COM for a master\u2019s in science journalism. Since then, she has worked as a writer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the New England Aquarium. Now, she\u2019s the digital media manager for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mbl.edu\/\">Marine Biological Laboratory <\/a>in Woods Hole, Mass., where she\u2019s responsible for writing, photography, video, and social media. She\u2019s tagged sharks in Florida\u2019s Dry Tortugas and vacationed in Antarctica.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Translating complex science for a general audience is more important than ever, Greenhalgh says. With the urgency of climate change and the growing threat of misinformation, the science community has become more focused on communicating outside of their own academic bubble, she says. Potential funders also see communication and publicity as priorities, and they often ask for social media analytics and public relations plans as part of research grant applications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-teal-background-right\"><p>Every kid goes through a marine biologist phase. I just never grew out of it.<\/p><cite>Emily Greenhalgh<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI write a lot about climate change, which can be very depressing,\u201d Greenhalgh says. \u201cIt\u2019s important to realize that there\u2019s a lot of really amazing stuff around us and to take the time to look at it and appreciate it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, when editors from Penguin Random House reached out to her in 2022, she was happy to jump on a video call to discuss the possibility of writing a kids\u2019 book. It just so happened that she\u2019d worn a dress covered in octopuses that day. \u201cYour vibe is really helping your case,\u201d one of the editors told her. She got the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Inspiring a Smart Audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Greenhalgh was responsible for writing about 7,000 words for the book, covering 5 oceans and 20 seas, plus plants, creatures, reefs, glaciers, and shipwrecks. The book is part of the publisher\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/series\/FKP\/fun-with\/\"><em>Fun With<\/em><em>\u2026<\/em><\/a> series, which includes titles about the 50 states and the national parks and is built around crossword puzzles, code-cracking games, connect-the-dots, and other activities. That meant Greenhalgh also had to figure out how to convey facts through those formats. Designing a word search might seem like a far cry from explaining climate change, but she drew on some advice she\u2019d received from a COM professor when pitching an idea for a kids\u2019 article: If you dumb it down, kids are going to know. They\u2019re smart. You might have to use smaller words, but they don\u2019t want to be talked down to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Greenhalgh still remembers some of the influences from her childhood. She read the National Wildlife Federation\u2019s <em>Ranger Rick<\/em><em> <\/em>magazine and saw <em>The Little Mermaid<\/em><em> <\/em>in the theater. \u201cI wanted to dye my hair red, like Ariel,\u201d she says. Later, Greenhalgh watched <em>The X-Files<\/em>, which makes her a self-proclaimed product of <a href=\"https:\/\/seejane.org\/research-informs-empowers\/the-scully-effect-i-want-to-believe-in-stem\/\">\u201cThe Scully Effect,\u201d<\/a> the phenomenon of the character Dana Scully, a medical doctor-turned FBI agent, inspiring girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">If her book can inspire the kids who read it, Greenhalgh will be thrilled. \u201cI want little kids to pick it up and be like, \u2018The ocean is so much cooler than I thought it was!\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cTalking to people, making them understand, putting data in a way that is not scary\u2014I feel like it\u2019s so important. People don\u2019t care about what they don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-bucom-yellow-background-color has-background is-style-group-fullwidth\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<h2 id=\"five-fun-facts\">Five Fun Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Emily Greenhalgh was able to use many of her favorite science facts while writing <em>Fun With Oceans &amp; Seas<\/em>\u2014and she even picked up a few new ones in her research. Here are five of her favorites:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>More than 80 percent of the ocean is unexplored.<\/li><li>The largest animal to ever live is still alive today: the blue whale, bigger than the biggest dinosaur.<\/li><li>The Great Barrier Reef can be seen by astronauts from the International Space Station.<\/li><li>Scientists believe that 70 percent of all sand in the Caribbean and Hawaii is parrotfish poop.<\/li><li>The tallest tsunami ever recorded was 1,700 feet high, in Alaska in 1958.<\/li><\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cKids are scientists,\u201d says Emily Greenhalgh. \u201cThey always want to poke something and see how it works.\u201d Greenhalgh (\u201912) speaks&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1654,"featured_media":37110,"template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"categories":[962,3],"tags":[100,73],"bu-publication":[],"discipline-type":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/37088"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1654"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/37088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37113,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/37088\/revisions\/37113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37088"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=37088"},{"taxonomy":"discipline-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/discipline-type?post=37088"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=37088"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=37088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}