Booklist
(Solids, Liquids and Gases; Plants; Simple Machines; and Living Things all) offer simple science activities in an appealing format.
ForeWord
Until now, there haven’t been many good books of experiments for young children that deal with basic scientific principles and include projects that are not only fun, but easy to understand and replicate. Kids Can Press has answered the call with (Solids, Liquids and Gases; Plants; Simple Machines; and Living Things all) ? For a classroom, a child’s party or simply a curious budding scientist, Starting with Science is a series that will provide just the needed direction for hours of enjoyable learning.
Science Books and Film
Deborah Hodge has written a practical, useful, and exciting resource for parents and primary-school teachers ... The photographs are eye catching and colorful and emphasize ethnic and gender diversity in learning and doing science.
Children's Literature
- Armin Brott
Despite what you may remember from your own childhood, physics can be fun. And you don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get the point across either. In fact, if you've got some thick books, empty milk cartons, thread, scissors, tape, boards, marbles, eggs, and a few other things around the house, you can set up your own fully-stocked science lab in a jiffy. Easy-to-follow directions immediately engage kids in learning how levers, gears, wheels, pulleys, screws, and wedges work. There's a more adult explanation of each experiment in the back of the book as well as a brief glossary of terms covered. A great addition for any early grade school science class.
School Library Journal
Gr 2-4Using primary background colors and attractive, enthusiastic children as models, the format of this series is spacious and packs visual punch. Each book contains 13 experiments that are clearly explained in the full-color photographs and step-by-step directions. The texts are set in blocks that list the materials needed, the methodology, and an explanation of the principle shown. In Simple Machines, the lever, wheel, wheel and axle, gears, pulleys, inclined plane, screw, and combinations of basic machines are explored. One activity, which involves moving a friend lying on a table by using a broomstick placed over a wooden chair as a lever and fulcrum, could be problematic. In Solids, Liquids and Gases, the properties of matter are explained using common experiments such as making ice cream. In general, safety precautions are indicated in the text or illustrated in the photographs. Expansions of each activity are included in an appendix. These lively titles are far more attractive than Anne Horvatic's Simple Machines (Dutton, 1989; o.p.) and more interactive than Michael Dahl's "Early Reader Science" series (Children's, 1996).Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH
School Library Journal
Gr 2-4--Using primary background colors and attractive, enthusiastic children as models, the format of this series is spacious and packs visual punch. Each book contains 13 experiments that are clearly explained in the full-color photographs and step-by-step directions. The texts are set in blocks that list the materials needed, the methodology, and an explanation of the principle shown. In Simple Machines, the lever, wheel, wheel and axle, gears, pulleys, inclined plane, screw, and combinations of basic machines are explored. One activity involves moving a friend lying on a table by using a broomstick placed over a wooden chair as a lever and fulcrum, which could be problematic. In Solids, Liquids and Gases, the properties of matter are explained using common experiments such as making ice cream. In general, safety precautions are indicated in the text or illustrated in the photographs. Expansions of each activity are included in an appendix. These lively titles are far more attractive than Anne Horvatic's Simple Machines (Dutton, 1989; o.p.) and more interactive than Michael Dahl's "Early Reader Science: Simple Machines" (Bridgestone, 1996).--Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH
