Read the story. Build the science.
A literature-based STEM curriculum for ages 6–8. Twelve beloved chapter books, each paired with three weeks of hands-on projects — read it, talk about it, build it. One print-ready PDF, instant download.
SECULAR · OPEN-AND-GO · HOUSEHOLD MATERIALS · INSTANT PDF
Twelve beloved chapter books. Twelve hands-on projects.
Every unit is one beloved chapter book, three weeks of reading, and one growing build. Tap a book to see its weeks.
01 The Mouse and the Motorcycle Beverly Cleary Build a tiny world, then a vehicle that really rolls.
02 My Father’s Dragon Ruth Stiles Gannett Bridge the river; help a dragon fly.
03 Charlotte’s Web E. B. White Spin a web and test what makes it strong.
04 Stuart Little E. B. White Float, sail, and race at mouse scale.
05 Mr. Popper’s Penguins Richard & Florence Atwater Engineer the cold — and the slide.
06 The Cricket in Times Square George Selden Make music you built yourself.
07 Homer Price Robert McCloskey One silly, wonderful chain reaction.
08 The Boxcar Children Gertrude Chandler Warner A home made from found things.
09 Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren Lift a horse with a downward pull.
10 Fantastic Mr. Fox Roald Dahl Dig a world that won’t cave in.
11 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum Bottle a tornado; ride the wind home.
12 The Wild Robot Peter Brown Build a robot that learns to belong.Open the book. The week runs itself.
Every week follows the same four calm steps — no prep marathons, no worksheet piles. Reading always comes first; the build is the payoff.
How it works →- Read or listen Work through the week’s chapters — read aloud, your child reads, or play the audiobook.
- Summarize Your child tells it back in their own words — a few sentences, a drawing, or a quick retell.
- Meet the science Read the short “science here” box so the project has a real idea behind it.
- Build it Do the week’s hands-on project. The three builds stack into one finished world — and one week each unit runs a real experiment.
Everything, in one beautiful PDF
- Units
- 12 beloved books
- Length
- 36 weeks — a full year
- Pages
- 205, print-ready
- Format
- US Letter PDF
- Materials
- Household stuff only
- Price
- $39, one time
Real pages, not promises
Get the first unit free
The complete Mouse and the Motorcycle unit — three weeks of reading and building — straight to your inbox. See exactly how it works with your child.
This curriculum started at our own kitchen table, with a kid who loved stories and loved building — and went sideways the moment a worksheet appeared. We wrote the year we wished existed: great books, real science, and something to hold at the end of every week.