Teachers Resource Books

Grade 6 Up: Sussman uses a personable writing style to make a case for the importance of science in this book called Dr. Art's Guide to Science: Connecting Atoms, Galaxies, and Everything in Between. With humorous references to pop culture and questions designed to encourage critical thinking, he makes scientific fundamentals accessible. A systems approach for understanding science is used throughout.

However, to move from atoms to energy, the beginning of the universe, life, evolution, and global environmental issues means a brief overview at best–readers who are seriously curious will require further exploration. Most chapters end with a Stop & Think page that describes strategies for better comprehension and retention. Sometimes, questions and activities that encourage reflection are included. Profuse color visuals help to summarize and clarify concepts. Experiments are provided on a Web site.

The one experiment in the book deals with the relationship between magnets and electromagnetism and requires materials that are available in a science lab. This attractive volume has several layout mistakes and typographical errors, but they don't mar its overall appeal. A Glindex replaces a glossary and an index. Unfortunately, it lacks enough access points to specific information. Neither a textbook nor a reference source, this title will work best as a browsing item.–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

Review

"I recommend that all kids read this book full of amazing, incredible facts.  Teachers will find it a great resource.  The excellent pictures in this book will be of great interest."—Annie Liu, Kidsday Reporter (Newsday, July 9, 2006)

"This delightful volume reflects the true nature of science in a way that is truly ... 'joyful'." (National Science Teachers Association, April 2006)

"I recommend that all kids read this book full of amazing, incredible facts. Teachers will find it a great resource. The excellent pictures in this book will be of great interest." (Newsday, July 2006)

"In Dr. Art's Guide to Science, Art Sussman has written a very attractive, easy-to-read, and engaging science book that will help students better understand science taught at the middle school level." (Science Books and Films, July/August 2006)

"Art Sussman has written a very attractive, easy-to-read, and engaging science book that will help students better understand science taught at the middle school level." (Science Books and Films, July/August 2006)

Great for children in grade 2-4, this Science in Seconds for Kids: Over 100 Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less is a collection of quick, simple projects that use materials most kids will have around the house.Grouped into such subject areas as gravity, water, and light, most have just a few steps to follow. Instructions, illustrated by black-and-white drawings, are easy to understand and always note when adult help is needed.

Each procedure is followed by an explanation of what should have happened and why. At times these explanations involve concepts that children might not easily grasp from the experiment alone. A description of light rays and focal points, for instance, is hard to follow without elaboration or diagrams.

In another case, molecules are introduced as "...the smallest particles of a substance that can exist on their own," which is accurate, but not the clearest way to describe them. Some activities are so predictable that reading about them can substitute for performing them.

Other projects are more intriguing, such as using oil, water, and sunshine to make a rainbow, or creating a simple sand clock. The book is not terrifically exciting; its strength is that youngsters will be able to use it successfully on their own, and in many cases will learn a bit about science in the process. - Steven Engelfried, West Linn Library, OR

Product Description

Make lightning in your room!

Keep paper dry under water!

Lose weight by going upstairs!

See colors that aren’'t there!

Experience the magic of science with these quick, easy experiments and activities from Jean Potter. You can complete each activity in ten fun-filled minutes or less. Clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations help you get it right every time. The projects help you learn about everything from why eggs aren’t round to how submarines surface and submerge.

You will find most of the required materials already in your home, backyard, or neighborhood, and you can perform the experiments practically anywhere. The 108 activities in this book cover twelve different subject areas, including air, animals, energy, gravity, magnetism, light, the human body, and much more. You’ll make a rainbow right on your floor, pop a balloon with a magnifying glass, make a coffee can roll back to you after you’ve pushed it away, and bend water as it streams from your faucet—all with the help of a leading educator. Children Ages 8–-12