Can you solve this month's real-life math mystery? "Come on class, to the candy aisle!" Miss Hanson called out. The class groaned at the thought of being in the candy aisle, knowing that they couldn't have any for themselves. They were on a field trip to a grocery store to buy supplies for a project... ¿Hablas español? Haga clic aquí para resolver... October Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Halloween Hippie “Hey, I have an old picture of my grandma looking just like that, only it wasn’t a costume to her,” Kassandra said as Ingrid walked into the homeroom. “She said they actually thought they looked cool.” Their school normally had a dress code, but it was Halloween and everyone had come in wearing costumes. Ingrid was dressed like a hippie. She had a tie-dyed shirt, beads, sandals, and sunglasses with orange lenses shaped like hearts. Ingrid took off the sunglasses for class, but put them back on in the afternoon when it was time to get ready for the Halloween party. The class was decorating the classroom and painting signs for the school parade. Quan, who thought he was funny, was hanging decorations upside down. Preston was pretending to sword fight in his pirate costume with a paint brush, and Ricky was playing with fake blood after putting some on his zombie costume. When it was almost time for the parade, Kassandra noticed that one of the signs had been decorated with a red, rather than orange, pumpkin. “Okay, who’s the joker here?” Kassandra asked. She looked around the room for a guilty face. REVEAL ANSWER

Belinda and Madison are sure their witch jack-o-lantern will win their neighborhood pumpkin-carving contest. They’ve even covered all the openings with construction paper so the light will glow green. But when they come back from trick-or-treating, their candle has blown out…again! Halloween Bonus Mystery Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Pumpkin Patch "Where's Linus? We have the Great Pumpkin," Belinda said. Madison laughed. It was Halloween, and all the neighbors around the cul-de-sac were in a contest to see who carved the best pumpkin. The prize was a gift certificate to the video store. She and Belinda had carved a pumpkin with the face of a witch and then used colored paper to cover the openings so that the light from the candle inside would make the face glow green. They lit the candle, put the top back on the pumpkin, and went out trick-or-treating. As they went from house to house, they looked over the other entries for the contest. Carly had done a nice carving of a ghost, and Peter had used an odd-shaped pumpkin to make a funny-looking frog. They came to Sam's house just as he was setting out his pumpkin. "This is the winner right here," Sam said, in a not-too-friendly voice. Madison had to admit, he'd done a good job of carving a haunted house, but she still knew her and Belinda's pumpkin was better. "Watch out for him," Belinda said, as they went to the next house. "He'll probably smash the other pumpkins just so he can win." After they made a lap of the neighborhood, they returned to Madison's house to drop off the candy before everyone would meet for the winner to be announced. Their pumpkin was not smashed, but the candle was out, so it didn't look like anything special. "I know who's to blame," said Madison. "Who?" Belinda asked. REVEAL ANSWER

Can you solve this real-world math mystery? Ron and Lauren’s father had made a New Year’s resolution to be healthier. Part of his program, along with exercising, was eating only cereal for breakfast, instead of things like bacon and eggs. ¿Hablas español? Haga clic aquí para resolver... March Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 MORE Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Think Green, Guys! Pranav and Maneet’s family had decided to buy a house in a new development. There were several models to pick from and they had chosen one with the features they wanted. Two houses of that model were finished and for sale. Their backs faced each other, one house looking north and the other looking south—each with a big, open lawn in front. There were tall trees between them, coming almost to the back of each house. “It’s hard to pick. These two houses are exactly the same,” their mother said, as they stood on the back deck of the house that faced north. “The price is the same, too, although either way we’re going to have to watch our money more closely after buying a new house,” said their father. Pranav could feel warmth in the sunlight, even through the bare branches of the trees. Spring was coming. Where they lived, winter was short and mild, and furnaces ran only a little while. Summer was long and hot—air conditioners ran almost all day. “We should buy this one,” Pranav said, after thinking for a moment. “What did you do? Flip a coin in your head?” Maneet asked. REVEAL ANSWER

Did you see us in the November issue of STEM Connections ? Welcome Members! Have you figured out the solution to Turning Up The Volume ? (Didn't see the mystery? Click here .) Click to Reveal Solution Want to see more? Each month we share a mystery on our website. See if you can solve the Mystery of the Month . This mystery was drawn from 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Math . Click on the book cover for more information. We also offer this book in a bilingual edition , perfect for English Language Learners, dual-language students, and anyone looking to expand their language and math skills ¿hablas español? In the holiday spirit, we are happy to offer 25% off and free shipping sitewide to ITEEA members. Use code ITEEA to redeem this offer on ScienceNaturally.com before the end of 2018. Schools and after-school programs across the country use our books. Learn more about our resources below: Click on book covers below for more information. One Minute Mysteries Got a minute? Then we have a mystery for you! Written by a father-daughter team, these literature-based titles make math and science fun. Each mystery takes just one minute to read and features real-world scenarios. The brainteasers challenge kids to use critical thinking skills, while the real-life scenarios help keep the content engaging and relevant. With mysteries in biology, chemistry, physics, earth and general science, these books are as popular with educators as they are with kids. Titles in the series include: bilingual! ages 8-12 ages 8-12 ages 10-14 ages 10-14 ages 8-12 101 Things Everyone Should Know... So many questions! Why do we put salt on roads when they are icy? How do you to measure half of one-third a cup in a baking recipe? These books help simplify and demystify math and science concepts with entertaining real world connections in sports, travel, food, weather, and more. With a fun question-and-answer format, these are the perfect titles for kids, parents, educators, and anyone interested in understanding how math and science affect our lives. ages 10-14 ages 8-12 Blended S.T.E.M. Fiction Math and science abound in our fun fiction adventures! These two blended fiction books combine history, mystery, and more to create an immersive cross-curricular adventure. The perfect blend of entertaining and educational science topics for both the classroom and after school. Each of these books come with a free downloadable Teacher's Guide to extend and expand opportunities for learning. Titles in the series include: What is S.T.E.M. Fiction and why do my students need it? "The great thing about S.T.E.M. fiction is that it takes concepts and explains them, then uses the concepts in story form to reinforce the explanation ... "Just because it's S.T.E.M. doesn't mean the stories won't also delve into the worlds of magical realism, humorous exaggeration, or even science fiction in order to tell a good story. It's fiction for a reason! ... "It's important to put entertaining books into children's hands that will whet their appetites for further exploration." Read more about S.T.E.M. Fiction here . ages 10-14 ages 10-14 wondering how educators use our books? click here for some ideas Find us in Kansas City! Stop by booth 401 to say hi, check out our books, and meet company president and founder Dia Michels. Will you be at the 81st ITEEA Annual Conference? Plus, don't miss teachers present how they use our books in the Showcase! In the holiday spirit, we are happy to offer 25% off and free shipping sitewide to ITEEA members. Use code ITEEA to redeem this offer on ScienceNaturally.com before the end of 2018.

Meet the Team Dia L. Michels Founder and Publisher Dia L. Michels founded Science Naturally in 2006. With Platypus Media focusing on attachment parenting, she wanted a vehicle to promote entertaining and accurate ways to engage children in STEM topics. She loves working with the authors and selecting illustrators, and really enjoys developing and licensing world language editions of the books Science Naturally publishes. In addition to editing and publishing manuscripts, she has written or coauthored over a dozen books for children and adults. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Bengali, Hebrew, Haitian Creole, and Washoe. A popular speaker, Dia presents at healthcare, parenting, and education conferences across the country. She is the mother of three grown children, who still keep her busy with their crazy lives, and has several cats. Favorite Children's Books: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee Tommy at the Grocery Store by Bill Grossman Ali Trujillo Chief Operating Officer Ali keeps Science Naturally running by managing day-to-day operations and logistics. He works with the publisher to implement systems to streamline operations and finances. Ali also works on production coordination, proofreading, and translating Spanish titles. Prior to joining Science Naturally, Ali worked at World Wildlife Fund as senior assistant for the food waste program where he managed contract processes for private sector consultants. At WWF Ali also collaborated in admin meetings with clients and colleagues on conservation efforts. He also worked at R Street Institute, a DC-based think tank as a finance and operations associate. Previously he was a production coordinator at Asia Pacific Offset, an international print management company. Favorite Children's Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Charlotte's Web by E.B. White Eileen M. Halpin Senior Editor and Art Director Eileen is a creative professional with a passion for storytelling and collaboration. At Science Naturally, she operates in a cross-functional capacity, supporting project development, outreach, and marketing initiatives. In her dual role, she helps guide the visual and narrative direction of projects, working closely with authors, illustrators, and partners to execute and grow the company’s content and brand. Eileen’s dedication to bookmaking stems from a desire to inspire wonder and create books that stay with a child long after the final page is turned. She is especially drawn to the intersection of narrative, education, and visual strategy, ensuring every page bridges ideas and hearts. When she isn’t shaping new titles for the press, she is working on her own mythic stories, whimsical illustrations and reading books to her new baby. Favorite Children's Books: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The Lorax by Dr. Seuss The Hilda Series by Luke Pearson Samantha DeWeese Associate Editor and Marketing Coordinator Samantha is interested in how storytelling shifts across forms. At Platypus Media, she moves between marketing and editorial work, bringing the same attention to voice and tone whether she’s shaping messaging or reading a manuscript. As a marketing major and creative writing minor, she’s especially drawn to the space where strategy and story overlap. Outside of work, she writes poetry and is always thinking about how language can feel different depending on where it lives, such as on a page, in a film, or in a campaign. Samantha attends Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Marketing with a minor in Creative Writing. Her coursework focuses on consumer behavior, marketing strategy, creative writing workshops, and digital media production. She additionally has a background in accounting and finance. Favorite Children's Books: Where the Wild Things Are The Harry Potter Series Darwin Castillo Information and Technology Coordinator Darwin has many talents that keep the company afloat, like building and repairing computers, troubleshooting technical difficulties, designing and building storage solutions, and generally fixing everyone's problems. He also has experience in graphic design and home renovation. In his free time, Darwin enjoys mountaineering across the US. Favorite Book: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Interested in joining our team? Learn more about our Editorial and Marketing Internship Program here .

Featuring kids and cats from all over the world, this illustrated social-emotional learning book is now in paperback! Young readers will learn to look for the different ways their friends—human and feline alike—share their feelings. Paperback Edition Coming September 2024 Cats hav e a lot to say! Just like people, cats share their feelings in all sorts of ways. It's up to us to uncover what our furry friends are trying to tell us. Are they gently purring or curiously crouching? Is their tail straight or swishing? Featuring a diverse cast of kids and cats from all over the world, this social-emotional learning book, now available in an English paperback edition, models empathy and compassion. Young readers will learn to look for the different ways their friends—human and feline alike—share their feelings. Written by award-winning author (and cat owner) Guy Brown, with colorful and lively illustrations from Davide Ortu, How Cats Say I Love You teaches young kids how to care for others' feelings as well as their own, while showing that healthy relationships are rooted in communication. . PREORDER IN PAPERBACK ORDER IN HARDCOVER Book details Paperback (ISBN 978-1-951995-12-6) $14.95 Age range 2 - 7 years Grade range Pre-K - 2nd Grade Trim Size 8" x 8" Page Count 32 pages Get the Bilingual edition ORDER Praise for How Cats Say I love You “A fun and engaging book with lively illustrations, How Cats Say I Love You teaches young children to explore emotions and communication with the help of cats from around the world. A valuable resource for parents and educators alike.” — Janan Cain, author of the bestselling books The Way I Feel and The Way I Feel Too "Delightfully playful! This culturally diverse book models ways for children to manage their emotions and how to be mindful of the emotions of others. A warm and joyful addition to any young child's library." —A. Heather E. Halperin, MSW, LCSW, Retired Faculty USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Los Angeles, CA MEET THE AUTHOR Author and TV meteorologist Guy Brown ca n be seen forecasting the weather on-air today in New York City. He enjoys volunteering at local elementary schools, where he shares his passion for meteorology with children. How Cats Say I Love You is his second children's book, inspired by his beloved pet cat, Rosalie. He also dabbles in acrylic painting, and is an active member of the National Weather Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. MEET THE Illustrator Davide Ortu is an Italian artist now living in Spain. He studied art in Cagliari Arts Lyceum FOISO FOIS, Sardinia. He began as a graphic designer in advertising before moving to Madrid, where he discovered the world of children's illustrations. Through the use of intense colors, atmospheres between dreams and reality, and fantastic elements, his artwork stops time to show the biggest emotions in the smallest people.

"Parents who are responsive to their children's needs often find themselves swimming upstream against the culture. Platypus Media books encourage parents as they create families that are close-knit. Through sharing stories, Platypus Media is building a caring community where children and parents alike can thrive." —Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., Author of The Hidden Feelings of My Motherhood "Platypus Media books give us a fun way to help meet curriculum objectives in reading, science, language arts, and social studies. The kids love them—and the free activity guides do a lot of the work for us!" —Catherine Pfeiffer, School Librarian, Capitol Hill Cluster Schools, Washington, D.C. "Caring parents will be delighted with the gentle way these books foster love and respect between parent and child." —Marguerite Kelly, Author of The Monster's Almanac "What's really exciting about this line of books is that children from every background can relate to them. Platypus Media books have captured the values of close-knit families from many different perspectives." —Maria Salvadore, Children's Literature Specialist, Washington, D.C. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING Our mission is to get books into the hands of children all over the world, and we are proud to work with local, state, and federal programs to further this goal. We are now registered on SAM.gov as well as with the SBA. DOWNLOAD OUR CAPABILITY STATEMENT SEARCH FOR US ON SAM.gov VIEW OUR SBA PROFILE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CERTIFICATIONS Small Business Women-Owned Small Business CORE COMPETENCIES Platypus Media, LLC is comprised of two independent publishing houses: Platypus Media and Science Naturally. Platypus Media creates materials that support and promote attachment parenting, breastfeeding, and family. We share evidence-based practices and family support resources with our readers. Our imprint, Science Naturally , makes math and science accessible and engaging for children ages 0-14. Our STEM books encourage skill acquisition in reading, science, and math and are available in several languages and formats. CORPORATE IDENTIFICATION Platypus Media has been in business since February 2000, but our founder and president, Dia Michels, has been working in publishing for the last 30 years. Over the years we have accumulated a permanent staff of 4, who have helped to produce 45+ titles and print more than 500,000 books. We are honored to say that our books have won more than 60 literary, science, math, and language awards. WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT? Literature-based science and math Problem-based learning Spanish/bilingual education Free downloadable Teacher's Guides Medically certified authors Father, sibling, and NICU support Customization opportunities All of our STEM books meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Accepts government credit cards and purchase orders PAST PERFORMANCE *Please contact us for POC information Kids Read Now | 02/05/2019–03/27/2020 Provided 15,800 customized children's' books over the span of nearly fourteen months (four orders) at a cost as low as $2.89/book California Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) / SLAHP | 03/22/2018–09/17/2019 Provided 3,500 breastfeeding booklets over the span of eighteen months (two orders) at a cost as low as $2.95/booklet Colorado WIC / CDPHE | 08/29/2019 Provided 850 hardcover children's' books within one month (one order) at a cost as low as $4.95/book Healthy Start Oklahoma | 01/03/2019 Provided 1,000 customized children's' books within one month (one order) at a cost as low as $2.95/book New Mexico WIC / DOH | 12/04/2018 Provided 6,115 customized children's' books within one month (one order) at a cost as low as $2.95/book

Diciembre Seleccionado de: One Minute Mysteries: Short Mysteries You Solve With Math! • Misterios de un minuto: ¡Misterios cortos que resuelves con matemáticas! Un aventón La escuela de Jada y Michelle estaba cerrada por ser un día de capacitación de maestros, por lo que sus padres decidieron tomarse un día libre del trabajo para llevar a la familia a esquiar. Se alegraron al llegar, al ver que no había colas para montarse en los telesillas. Las dos niñas esquiaban bien, por lo que se dirigieron a la zona de la montaña con los senderos de diamantes negros, los más difíciles. Tres diferentes telesillas arrancaban del mismo sitio y subían la montaña hasta un sitio en la cima que conducía a varios senderos diferentes. —Tratemos de hacer el mayor número de recorridos —dijo Jada. Se fijaron en un rótulo para decidir cuál de los telesillas debían utilizar. La Caída en Picada tenía asientos para cuatro y capacidad para 1,200 esquiadores por hora. La Agárrate el Gorro tenía asientos para dos, y capacidad para 800 esquiadores por hora. Y la Acantilados Blancos tenía asientos para tres y capacidad para 900 esquiadores por hora. El letrero indicaba que cada telesilla tenía la misma cantidad total de sillas. —¿A dónde crees que deberíamos ir? —preguntó Michelle. REVELAR RESPUESTA

Want to gain experience at a small independent press? Come join us for a publishing internship! Internship Opportunities We are always seeking interns to help us out in the off ice and provide opportunities for young people to expand their knowledge of the publishing industry. Through our internship program, students gain invaluable, real-life working experience, new skills, and a passion for educational children's books. Science Naturally's unique Editorial and Marketing Associate Program gives our interns an opportunity to assist in all aspects of a small publishing house, including manuscript evaluation, editorial, marketing, sales, inventory management, and administration. Editorial and Marketing Associate Internship Program Duties may include, but are not limited to: Reading and critiquing manuscript and art submissions Editing manuscripts in production and creating marketing materials Supporting the launch of new titles Assisting with arranging author appearances and events Supporting trade show endeavors Maintaining various media resources, customer records, and other lists Researching new media and sales outlets Customer follow up and sales Packing orders Helping support the work of the office We mentor 2-4 interns in all aspects of the publishing business each semester and during the summer. Interns are expected to work 12-20 hours/week during the semester and 20-30 hours/week during the summer. Our internships are unpaid, but we do reimburse local travel expenses up to $7.00/day. We are located in Washington, DC, near the U.S. Capitol (at the Union Station Metro stop). For summer internships, please apply by April 1. For fall internships, please apply by August 1. For spring internships, please apply by November 1. To apply, send a resume, writing sample, two references, and availability to: Ali Trujillo at Ali@ScienceNaturally.com or 202-465-4798

Kassandra, Ingrid, Quan, and Ricky are getting ready for their school's Halloween party, but something's amiss with the decorations. Can you use science help them solve this haunting mystery... before it's too late? Halloween Misterio Extra Seleccionado de: Misterios de un minuto: ¡Más misterios cortos que resuelves con ciencias! Día de las brujas psicodélico —Oye, tengo una foto vieja de mi abuela vestida como tú, solo que ella no estaba disfrazada —dijo Kassandra cuando Ingrid entró al salón de clases—. Dijo que en su época creían verse muy bien. Normalmente su colegio tenía un código de vestimenta, pero era Halloween, el día de las brujas, y todos habían ido a la escuela disfrazados. Ingrid estaba vestida de hippie. Traía puesta una camisa de colores al batik, cuentas de colores, sandalias, y unas gafas con lentes color naranja en forma de corazones. Ingrid se quitó las gafas durante la clase, pero se las volvió a poner en la tarde a la hora de prepararse para la fiesta. Los alumnos estaban decorando el salón y pintando letreros para el desfile de la escuela. Quan, que pensaba que era muy chistoso, estaba colgando decoraciones al revés. Preston fingía que luchaba a espadas en su disfraz de piratas, y Ricky jugaba con sangre artificial después de ponerse un poco en su disfraz de zombi. Al acercarse la hora del desfile, Kassandra se dio cuenta de que uno de los letreros había sido decorado con una calabaza roja en vez de naranja. —¿A ver, quién es el chistoso? —preguntó Kassandra. Miró alrededor del salón en busca de una cara culpable. REVELA RESPUERTA

MUSEUM STORES Several Science Naturally books are available in museum stores around the country. Here's our most current list of museums where you can find us: California Explorastore 700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037 https://californiasciencecenter.org/visit/explorastore Denver Museum of Nature & Science 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205 http://www.dmns.org/ Explore Store, Science Museum of Minnesota 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102 https://www.smm.org/visit/gift-shop Impression 5 Science Center 200 Museum Dr, Lansing, MI 48933 https://www.impression5.org Museum of Discovery and Science 401 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 www.mods.org/ Palouse Discovery Science Center 950 NE Nelson Ct, Pullman, WA 99163 www.palousescience.net/

Can you solve this real-world math mystery? Kyle y su amigo Antonio habían estado viendo las olimpiadas de verano el diía anterior. Sus eventos favoritos eran los de pista y campo. Kyle era el corredor más rápido de la escuela en distancias cortas, mientras que a Antonio le gustaba correr distancias más largas... Julio Seleccionado de: One Minute Mysteries: More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! • Misterios de un minuto: ¡Más misterios cortos que resuelves con ciencias! Barco a la vista —¡Ahoy, compadre! —gritó Liam, entrando a la habitación de su hermano mayor, Theo. —Vete a dormir —gruñó Theo—. ¡Son las seis de la mañana! Sabes que necesito dormir. —¡Pero Theo, hay parte de un naufragio en el océano! ¡Parece haber estado ahí por cienaños! —Entonces estará ahí cuando me levante —gruñó Theo y se dio vuelta. Era la primera mañana de sus vacaciones familiares y habían llegado tarde la nocheanterior a una playa que no habían visitado antes. Liam era un madrugador y habíacaminado hasta la playa justo después del amanecer. Como Theo no quería levantarsey nadie más estaba despierto, Liam se fue a su habitación a leer. Cuando Theo finalmente despertó cerca del mediodía y fue a la playa donde suspadres ya se habían instalado con sillas y mantas, vio gente quemada por el sol bajolas sombrillas y cangrejos de arena corriendo alrededor, pero nada en el océanoexcepto olas. —¿Vieron un naufragio por ahí? —Theo le preguntó a sus padres . —No, pero solo hemos estado aquí por una hora —dijo su padre—. Nos levantamos unpoco tarde. Después los tres fuimos directamente al mercado mientras dormías. —Vinimos acá después de guardar las compras —añadió su madre—.Liam nos habló deun naufragio, pero no lo hemos visto todavía. —El naufragio está allá fuera y se los voy a demostrar —dijo Liam. —¿Cómo? —preguntó Theo. REVELAR RESPUERTO