Bubble Monster: And Other Science Fun

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

cases for science detectives Science teachers and curious students looking for new projects may want to experiment with two new titles. Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave offers ideas for selecting a topic, doing research, making a display and presenting the project. The suggested projects span a range of categories from astronomy to genetics, geology to engineering. With Bubble Monster: And Other Science Fun, by John Falk, Robert Pruitt II, Kristi Rosenberg and Tali Katz, younger children can also learn about scientific principles. Simple materials like graham crackers (to make "Graham Cracker Castles" with peanut butter mortar) and tin cans (to make play telephones) help teach about patterns, the human body, design and technology and more. Cartoon illustrations depict the experiments.

Children's Literature - Judy Katsh

This collection of activities, developed and perfected by the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County with the support of the National Science Foundation, is a treasure! The collected activities fall into the general categories of: communication, design and technology, patterns, matter, and the human body. Each activity is clearly outlined as to materials, procedure, extensions, and explanations. It's all written for adults, but definitely with the young child in mind. This is science as it is supposed to be: thought provoking, instructional, satisfying, and most of all, fun!

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3An exuberant collection of simple science activities for adults to do with children. The introduction is long and quite involved, covering not only scientific principles but also the basics of early childhood education. A list of suggested reading includes mostly picture books. Five scientific topics are explored: patterns, matter, communication, the human body, and design and technology. Each activity is thoroughly explained and illustrated with black-and-white, line-drawn cartoons. Appropriate age levels and a helpful estimate of the amount of time required are also provided. Easy-to-follow directions are given for each project, with a paragraph leading to further thoughts and questions. Few of the experiments are unique (communication with strings and cups, milk-carton boats, etc.), but it's nice to have them available in one place. A useful purchase.Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL