KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
—
An Olathe woman and her mother want to spread the message that science can be fun.
For many people, science can feel like a different language.
“There's definitely an anxiety around it," said Michelle Mirakian, illustrator.
However, to this mother-daughter duo, it’s all fun and games.
“Physics, to her, is play,” Mirakian said.
Martha Wiley is a retired teacher who now writes children's books about physics. Her daughter, Mirakian, illustrates them.
"When I was looking for physical science, what I found were mainly books that looked like encyclopedia entries,” Wiley said.
Wiley had a different idea of how to make the concepts stick.
“When it's real for them, it makes sense,” she said.
The book series "Kids on the Move" explains science through stories. With each story, there’s an experiment for kids to try.
“It's all stuff you should be able to find around the house,” Mirakian said.
The duo feels the books are a way to see science outside the classroom.
“We're putting science in a box, and then we'll put the science away,” Mirakian said. “She wanted people to know science is all around you.”
The 2024 Kansas Report Card found that more than 65% of students had limited or basic science skills.
Mirakian and Wiley hope parents and teachers use "Kids on the Move" as a resource to change that.
“The theme throughout the stories is knowledge is not just power, it's comfort,” Wiley said. “The more the kids know about their world, the better they feel like they can handle it.”
Classrooms across Wiley's Iowa hometown have "Kids on the Move" books on their shelves. The mom and daughter would like to reach more classrooms and households in Kansas City.
—
