“Race ya.”
The sun was barely peeking over the horizon at Yellowstone National Park when Melody shouted this unexpected challenge to her twin brother Mallory.
“No fair. You got a head start!”
A head start was exactly what Melody had in mind. She wanted to make sure Mallory didn’t reach Old Faithful before she did. (He didn’t)
If 7-year-old Melody Maloney had been standing anywhere else or 
at any other time, this would have been an ordinary adventure story. But nature has a way of behaving that doesn’t always follow the rules.
What happens when the Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone decides to misbehave? Melody and her twin brother Mallory find out, but no one believes them.
Why is the world’s first National Park the site for this first book in the BioFables series? Well, besides its famous geysers, Yellowstone shows off the exotic colors of its hot springs. What’s so special about that? Those bright blues, yellows, pinks and other colors are thanks to extremophiles, the heat-loving variety of extremophile microbes that live in the steaming waters. So what? Glad you asked. Scientists agree that only microbes are classified as extremophiles. But Melody and her 7-year-old brother Mallory discover that one of them might also be an extremophile. Whoosh is, after all, a work of fiction, and human extremophile instances are the BioFables series’ only departure from legitimate science.
Our main focus of all BioFables children’s books is on illuminating Science (STEM)principles through fun stories. As you probably know from experience, though, applying Science in the real world requires a balancing perspective of Humanities studies and one’s internal Values/Behaviors. The ten chapters in Whoosh offer a myriad of “stealth” mini-lessons woven throughout Whoosh.
Why do we call these stealth mini-lessons? Not all the lessons are in stealth mode, of course. Especially in the Science category. Learning about pH, say, can’t just seep into your brain as you’re drinking tomato juice. But a lot of the instances of Humanities and Values learning happen in the course of common experiences in Whoosh where they could easily be missed.
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Whoosh Resources
Homeschoolers and devoted parents everywhere are now able to discover the wealth of practical knowledge within the pages of Whoosh. This practical knowledge will enable you to help young Whoosh readers grasp more fully the mini-lessons that you believe are important to reinforce. We’ve selected seventy (of more than 100) mini-lessons woven throughout Whoosh. They are incorporated into four lists and their related tables:
- Science
- Humanities
- Values/Behaviors
- Combination (identified by chapter)
The fourth table, especially, will help you identify quickly in which chapter a particular mini-lesson occurs.
NOTE: Please be aware that branches and sub-branches are unique to each book and do not necessarily reflect terminology that may be commonly used elsewhere. In addition, the following lists and tables do not represent a complete list of Science, Humanities and Values categories.
Whoosh Science Content
This at-a-glance bulleted list offers a quick look at the Science branches in bold, followed by their sub-branches appearing in Whoosh.
- Biology: Microbes/Bacteria; Plants
- Chemistry: Molecules; Elements; Forms; Functions
- Physics: Heat, Temperature, Pressure
- Earth, Space Science: Geology; Geography
- Math: Measurements; Comparisons
- Technology: Physics (Optics)
The left column of Whoosh Table 1 highlights the major Science branches in light green, with their associated sub-branches indented below the major branch. The right column provides defintions of the major Science branches. Brief notes will give you an idea of the specific subjects and topics for each of the Science sub-branches.
Whoosh TABLE 1: Science Content
| BRANCHES; SUB-BRANCHES | DEFINITIONS; SUBJECTS AND TOPICS |
| BIOLOGY | Life and living things |
| Microbes/Bacteria | Living thermometers: Extremophile colors show hot spring temperature |
| Plants | Converting daylight to energy through photosynthesis |
| CHEMISTRY | Substances, their structure, behavior, interactions |
| Molecules | What is that awful smell? Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) |
| Elements; Forms | Same water elements (H2O), different states: liquid, gas (steam) [solid (ice)] |
| Functions | pH: Chemical condition of a solution, from 0 to 14 (H2O = 7, neutral) |
| PHYSICS | Properties and nature of matter and energy |
| Heat, Temperature, Pressure | What do guysers and pressure cookers have in common? Superheated steam! |
| EARTH, SPACE SCIENCE | Related to planet Earth and beyond |
| Geology | Earth’s physical structure, substance, history, processes |
| Geysers | What are geyser ingredients? H2O, molten rock (magma), cracks in solid rock |
| Hot springs | Don’t put your brushes into these paint pots, plan a fun fight in these mud pots, or enjoy a steam bath in a fumerole! |
| Volcanoes, calderas | Volcano: A mountain or hill with a vent that allows hot lava, rock and gases to erupt from the earth’s crust; after the eruption, a collapse causes a depression or caldera |
| Geography | Continents, countries, oceans and other waters, and their features |
| Wyoming, Chicago | Yellowstone is about 1,400 miles west/northwest of Chicago by road and about 1190 by air |
| MATH | Numbers, quantities and analysis |
| Measurements | Size, length and amount, either actual or estimated |
| Comparisons | Rules of thumb help to relate big and little things |
| TECHNOLOGY | Tools (products) and techniques using science |
| Microscopes (Physics: Optics) | You can see things with a microscope that are otherwise invisible |
Whoosh Humanities Content
The at-a-glance bulleted list below offers a quick look at the Humanities branches in bold, followed by their sub-branches appearing in Whoosh.
Branches and sub-branches in Whoosh:
- Language: Sounds and Spelling; Word Derivations; Classic Literature
- History: Locations
- Health: FEAST
- Arts: Writing; Play on Words; Singing; Rhythmic Movements; Ideas
- Work, Careers: Musician; Biologist; Explorer; Tai Chi Instructor; Wellness Guide; Chemist; Microbiologist
The left column of Whoosh Table 2 highlights the major Humanities branches in light green, with their associated sub-branches indented below the major branch. The right column provides defintions of the major Humanities branches. Brief notes will give you an idea of the specific subjects and topics for each of the Humanities sub-branches.
Whoosh TABLE 2: Humanities Content
| BRANCHES/SUB-BRANCHES | DEFINITIONS; SUBJECTS AND TOPICS |
| LANGUAGE | Means of communication |
| Sounds and Spelling | Guy Sir or geyser? Are there Gal Ma’ams? (Guys and, um Gals?) |
| Word Derivations | Celestine Pool looks celestial blue |
| Cyanobacter microbes are named from Greek color greenish-blue | |
| Geothermal: Geo (earth) thermal (heat); Greek “earth heat” | |
| Caldera (circular indentation in the ground): from Spanish cauldron or large circular pot |
|
| Extremeophile microbes love temperature extremes | |
| Classic Literature | “Fire burn and cauldron bubble” (Macbeth: Shakespeare) |
| King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Knights of the Round Table | |
| HISTORY | Information about the past |
| Locations | Yellowstone: World’s first National Park, established in 1872 |
| HEALTH | Level of well-being |
| FEAST | Mom’s philosophy: Food Exercise Attitude Sleep Timing |
| ARTS | Creative skills and their expression, as demonstrated in BioFables |
| Writing | Writing new words to familiar tunes |
| Play on Words | Dr. Ethyl A. Shun names a small geyser Sir Splashalot |
| Singing | What do “Twinkle, twinkle little star” and “Baa, Baa Black Sheep” have in common? |
| Rhythmic Movements | Onlookers applaud Mom’s Tai Chi duet with Old Faithful |
| Ideas | A color-coded thermometer to identify extremophile bacteria presence |
| WORK/CAREERS; ROLE MODELS |
Productive activity to earn an income or give back to society |
| Musician | 7-year-old Melody’s interest is suggested by her name |
| Biologist | Melody’s science interest is sparked by colorful microbes |
| Explorer | Melody’s twin brother Mallory just happens to be interested in his famous namesake’s career |
| Tai Chi Instructor | Mom’s Tai Chi movements are more than simply exercise |
| Wellness Guide | Mom incorporates FEAST into her wellness advice |
| Chemist | Dad’s knowledge of chemical principals comes in handy |
| Mixrobiologist | Dr. Shun studies extremophiles at Yellowstone |
Whoosh Values/Behaviors Content
The at-a-glance bulleted list below offers a quick look at the Values branches in bold, followed by their sub-branches appearing in Whoosh.
Values Branches and sub-branches in Whoosh:
- Morals/Ethics: Honesty/Truth
- Emotions: Concern for Others; Sense of Humor; Disappointment
- Mind: Sense of Wonder; Word Games; Visualization; Intuition; Inferring Meaninng of Words
- Body: Balance/Stability; Natural Movement
- Learning/Knowledge/Skills:Exploration; Sharing Knowledge; Aquiring Knowledge
- People: Parental Responsibility; Sibling Teasing; Concern for Others; Generosity; Respect, Gratitude, Hospitality; Keeping in Touch
- Planet: Research
The left column of Whoosh Table 3 highlights the major Values branches in light green, with their associated sub-branches indented below the major branch. The right column provides defintions of the major Values branches. Brief notes will give you an idea of the specific subjects and topics for each of the Values sub-branches.
Whoosh TABLE 3: Values/Behaviors Content
| BRANCHES/SUB-BRANCHES | DEFINITIONS; SUBJECTS AND TOPICS |
| Morals/Ethics |
Internal character, beliefs |
| Honesty/Truth | A long sleeved shirt hides the twins’ disobedience |
| What were you up to? “Nothing, just looking around” | |
| Melody reluctantly promises Dad she won’t try to feel how hot the waters are beneath the boardwalk | |
| The twins feel guilty when Dr. Shun refers to the dangers of superheated water from geysers | |
| Emotions | Feelings, sentiment, intuition |
| Concern for Others | Mallory is relieved that his sister isn’t scalded |
| Sense of Humor | Dad refers to his singing voice as “good for cooling soup” |
| Mom and Dad tease each other about redecorating their house with vivid colors that extremophiles demonstrate | |
| “Yum” – Mallory is reminded of colorful fruits and veggies | |
| Disappointment | Melody learns her idea of an extremophile thermometer is impractical |
| Mind | Rational, theoretical, analytical thinking |
| Sense of Wonder | Melody is awed that ordinary people can catually visit a spectacular place such as Yellowstone |
| Word Games | The Maloneys and Dr. Shun play “20 Questions” |
| Visualization | Mallory draws a geyser as a giant submersed teapot |
| Mallory sees the Octopus shape in Octopus Spring | |
| Intuition | Grandpa suspects Melody actually could be an extremophile |
| Inferring Meaning of Words | Celestine Pool reminds Mom of celestial which refers to the skies, which are blue (just like Celestine Pool) |
| Body | Health, bodily strengh and movement |
| Balance/Stability | Mallory worries he’ll lose his balance on the boardwalk or on the stepping stones at Dr. Shun’s cabin |
| Natural Movement | Mom’s Tai Chi form mimics Old Faithful’s eruption sequence |
| Learning/Knowledge/Skills |
Pursuit and acquisition of understanding, wisdom, capabilities |
| Exploration | After exploring online, the family wants to make the best of their time while they’re at Yellowstone |
| Sharing Knowledge | Dr. Shun helps the Maloney family better understand the unusual sights, sounds and smells they first encountered |
| The twins are anxious to tell Grandpa all they learned | |
| Acquiring Knowledge | The Maloneys eagerly absorb Dr. Shun’s lessons |
| Melody thinks “complicated” makes things interesting | |
| People | Regard for, and relationships with, humankind |
| Parental Responsibility | Dad warns the twins about getting to close to a geyser |
| Mom makes sure everyone eats a hearty breakfast | |
| Dad warns Melody not to test the hot springs’ temperatures | |
| Sibling Teasing | Melody makes light of her brother’s concern for her |
| Concern for Others | Melody worries about her brother’s scald marks on his arms |
| Generosity | Thanks to Grandpa’s gift, the Maloneys are exploring Yellowstone National Park |
| Respect | The twins address the scientist as “Dr. Shun” (even though the adults use each others’ first names) |
| The twins don’t want to contradict Dr. Shun about only bacteria can be extremophiles and people can’t | |
| Hospitality | Dr. Shun invites the Maloneys to her hidden cabin for lunch and more learning |
| Keeping in Touch | The Maloneys plan to send a followup email to Dr. Shun |
| Planet | Earth’s natural environment: living organisms, surface, water, subsurface, atmosphere |
| Research | Dr. Shun shares her knowledge of bacteria, laws of chemistry and physics, and geology with the Maloneys |
You can use Whoosh LIST 4 to decide which mini-lessons and bits of wisdom you would like to reinforce as your child or children read this first book of the BioFables series. We’ve grouped each of the categories into Basic (foundational knowledge), Hybrid (relevant to all aspects of a knowledge branch), and Applied (using basic or hybrid principles for practical, real-world purposes).
Whoosh LIST 4: Combined STEM, Humanities and Values/Behaviors
Major Branches and Sub-branches Appearing in Whoosh
| SCIENCE | HUMANITIES | VALUES/BEHAVIORS |
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
BASIC
HYBRID
APPLIED
|
Whoosh Table 4 is designed to be helpful in discussing each book as your children progress through the chapters.
The left column rows highlighted in light green show the Chapter number and the chapter’s pages; following the highlighted row is a quick chapter overview and occasional resource links to relevant sites for further investigation (links to child-friendly sites are in orange).
The right column rows highlighted in light green show the chapter’s title; following the highlighted row are the chapter’s major knowledge branches and sub-branches.
Whoosh TABLE 4: Combined Science, Humanities and Values
| CHAPTER: Page Numbers; RESOURCE LINKS |
CHAPTER TITLES; BRANCHES/SUB-BRANCHES |
| Helpful Hints | |
| Chapter 1: Pages 1-4 |
Old Faithful = “Old Faceful?” |
| It felt warm and wonderful when “Old Faceful” steam surrounded Melody, but even a few stray droplets stung and left red spots her twin brother’s bare skin. |
|
| Chapter 2: Pages 4-8 |
Old Faithful Behaves |
| Mom’s graceful yoga “dance” keeps time with the erupting geyser, with Mom and geyser both earning the applause of other visitors. |
|
| Chapter 3: Pages 9-12 |
Bubbling Along the Boardwalk |
| A nature trail like no other…bubbles and burps, hissing and splashing… unexpected colors that belonged to fields of wild flowers, not water and mud. |
|
| Chapter 4: Pages 13-18 |
Nature: A Closer Look |
| Dr. Ethyl reveals some of the mystery of what’s going on just under the boardwalk as the Maloney family walks the planks a second time.
Geysers (Wikipedia) |
|
| Chapter 5: Pages 19-23 |
All Steamed Up |
| Water and steam: same H2O. BUT…how about that huge difference in distance between water and steam molecules? |
|
| Chapter 6: Page 24-28 |
How Hot Is Hot? |
| Water, boiling water, steam, superheated water: geysers have all these forms of H2O, but that’s not all. Dr. Ethyl starts with Mallory’s diagram of an underground teapot to explain how geysers work. |
|
| Chapter 7: Pages 29-34 |
Living Thermometers |
| Could anything live in these brightly colored, steaming water? Would you believe microbes, their colors revealing how hot they prefer their baths? |
|
| Chapter 8: Pages 35-39 |
pH? What’s That? |
| It’s not only heat that these extremophile microbes love, it’s also the extreme acidity or alkalinity (the other side of the acidity scale). |
|
| Chapter 9: Pages 40-46 |
Telling Grandpa Mike about Yellowstone |
| Reviewing some of what they learned at Yellowstone with Grandpa Mike, the twins accidentally reveal Melody’s extremophile-like experience. |
|
| Chapter 10: Pages 47-48 |
Next Adventure |
| The twins look forward to “meeting” lots of animals, Mom’s cousin who runs a family farm and driving a special experimental car to Southern Illinois. |
|
Want to make things even more interesting? Learn about taking the BioFables Challenge.