Air: Green Science Projects for a Sustainable Planet

Children's Literature - Amy S. Hansen

Part of the "Team Green Science Projects" series, these demonstrations and suggestions for science fair projects are designed to get kids thinking past an immediate assignment and addressing bigger questions with a bit more depth than prompted by normal science fair books. Gardner provides short expository sections at the beginning of each chapter. His information is enough for the students to investigate meaningful questions, but not so much as to overwhelm them. In the chapter entitled "Earth's Sea of Air," Gardner writes: "Unlike seas of water, the sea of air we live in can't be seen. Air is invisible and colorless." The experiments that follow help make the sea of air more tangible. Some of the demonstrations are easy, such as one to trap an air bubble using a cup. Some are more complicated, such as measuring the volume and weight of a gas. In chapter two, Gardner addresses air in buildings, heating and energy. In chapter three, he suggests experiments on polluted air. Chapter four addresses fuel efficiency and its effects on air pollution. Backmatter includes an appendix listing science supply companies, a glossary, lists of books and Internet addresses for further reading, and an index. Reviewer: Amy S. Hansen