Elgin and The Mysterious Twitch - Harden Daniels, Robin

The effective teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, also known as STEM, is a major priority for teachers and parents. Given STEM's pervasive presence in daily life, students having a strong foundation in these disciplines do well in school and career. In her book, Elgin and The Mysterious Twitch, author Robin Harden Daniels, a certified teacher and administrator, introduces students to a foundational concept called the scientific method. It is one of several STEM-based concepts she presents through a series of fictional short stories called, The Elgin Fox Adventures. In this first story, twelve-year-old Elgin wakes up one gray morning with a mysterious problem. To solve it, he must embark on an adventure to gather data and unravel the mystery. Along the way, young Elgin must address the vulnerabilities in his self-esteem and unexpected tensions between him and his peers. This interplay between logic and emotion gives this narrative depth and relational power. It provides an opportunity for readers to learn scientific processes through an affective relationship with the story's main character. Upper elementary and middle school students will connect with Elgin's struggles as they also learn a scientific approach to problem-solving.