Beats and Banjos

Beats and Banjos is part of the Smithsonian Science Stories Literacy Series. Beats and Banjos features short stories and is aligned to grade 1 standards with a focus on science and engineering. In Beats and Banjos, students will read about messages sent by Inka rulers, the invention of the telephone, the beginnings of hip-hop, and using sound for warnings.


Beats and Banjos includes the following features: 

- Stories that focus on cause-and-effect relationships and patterns

- Stories that highlight science and engineering careers

- Incorporation of objects from Smithsonian collections, including images of drums and Inka artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and images of animals at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park

- Official Lexile range: 270-480L