Science Projects About the Human Body

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7-Students looking for a science project to replicate will be disappointed by the offerings here, as they are experiments and activities rather than elaborate projects. Gardner intends them as a starting point, to be built upon and expanded, rather than activities in final form. For example, one study involves measuring breathing rates of persons of various size. The author presents a chart of breathing rates of animals, and asks readers to draw conclusions regarding the relationship between size and rate. The exercises are fairly typical of such volumes, involving the senses, muscles, bones, teeth, hair, and fingerprints. Several require more than one person to participate, either for comparison or for one to act as the guinea pig. All are fairly simple to execute, utilizing commonly found household objects. This is not a visually appealing book, as it has page after page of relatively small print, occasionally relieved by black-and-white line drawings. Writing is clear and concise, with a matter-of-fact tone. Those whose collections support experiential science curriculums may want to have this on hand despite the drawbacks.-Denise L. Moll, Lone Pine Elementary School, West Bloomfield, MI