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How Things Work: 100 Ways Parents and Kids Can Share the Secrets of Technology
Identifies the scientific principles behind a variety of everyday objects while providing a range of informative and easy-to perform experiments, and highlights such items as a battery, a bar-code reader, and a disk drive. 40,000 first printing.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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57 people want to read
About the author
Neil Ardley
254 books8 followersArdley joined the editorial staff of the World Book Encyclopedia in 1962, when the London branch of the American publisher was producing an international edition. This took four years, during which time he developed the skill of editing and writing introductory material for the young. After a brief period working for Hamlyn, he became a freelance editor in 1968 (which enabled him to continue with his musical career), and then in the 1970s moved into writing introductory books, mostly for children, on natural history (especially birds), science and technology, and music, such as What Is It?.
Just as his composing and performance had been moved forward by the introduction and development of technology, so too with his publishing career as computers began to become more and more important. In 1984 Ardley began to write mainly for Dorling Kindersley, producing a series of books which included the best-selling (over three million copies worldwide) and award-winning The Way Things Work, illustrated by David Macaulay.
When he retired in 2000 Ardley had written 101 books, with total sales of about ten million.
Just as his composing and performance had been moved forward by the introduction and development of technology, so too with his publishing career as computers began to become more and more important. In 1984 Ardley began to write mainly for Dorling Kindersley, producing a series of books which included the best-selling (over three million copies worldwide) and award-winning The Way Things Work, illustrated by David Macaulay.
When he retired in 2000 Ardley had written 101 books, with total sales of about ten million.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 2, 2015
I love this whole series of books. This year I am using this one along with How Science Works for my son's sixth grade science texts. Each concept is presented on a two page layout with demonstrations and experiments that he can do to explore further. Following the classical model, he then writes up lab reports on the following day. These books are great for that kind of schedule.
May 15, 2021
How Things Work: 100 Ways Parents and Kids Can Share the Secrets of Technology, by Neil Ardley, can help teachers and parents learn how to break down complex science concepts into engaging, hands-on activities.
I have used this book as a resource throughout my career as a science teacher (most of my work has been with students between the ages of 6 and 12). Some children may want to read this book on their own, but I suspect that most children would rather do the activities than read about them.
The book provides quite a bit of context for the activities, offering parents and teachers a chance to brush up on a topic so that they can respond effectively when a child asks questions. That's not so much about answering a child's questions as if one were an encyclopedia. Instead, you would know where to point the child to find the answer themselves, or it might prompt you to introduce a new activity that may help create a deeper understanding.
Don't expect to be able to replicate all of the models shown. For instance, the model movie projector, shown on the cover and pages 138 and 139, was most likely made by a museum fabricator with years of experience.
An updated version would replace the tube television with a flat-screen (p. 150) and good luck trying to explain a floppy disk or a fax machine to a 10-year-old. Otherwise, 26 years after publication, the book seems to hold up well. (My edition has a copyright date of 1995.) Of course, a younger person might think otherwise.
(Give me a moment to process the idea that sharing this book with a pre-service teacher today would be like giving pre-service-teacher-me a book from 1958.)
The Dorling-Kindersley style of photography and book design has become commonplace now, but in 1995 this was a fresh and exciting new look.
One other thing I'd change: there's a photo on page 23 of a child wearing protective glasses with an adult who is not wearing protective glasses. DON'T DO THIS. Both the adult and child should be wearing protective glasses. Adults must model the safety practices that they want children to follow.
I have used this book as a resource throughout my career as a science teacher (most of my work has been with students between the ages of 6 and 12). Some children may want to read this book on their own, but I suspect that most children would rather do the activities than read about them.
The book provides quite a bit of context for the activities, offering parents and teachers a chance to brush up on a topic so that they can respond effectively when a child asks questions. That's not so much about answering a child's questions as if one were an encyclopedia. Instead, you would know where to point the child to find the answer themselves, or it might prompt you to introduce a new activity that may help create a deeper understanding.
Don't expect to be able to replicate all of the models shown. For instance, the model movie projector, shown on the cover and pages 138 and 139, was most likely made by a museum fabricator with years of experience.
An updated version would replace the tube television with a flat-screen (p. 150) and good luck trying to explain a floppy disk or a fax machine to a 10-year-old. Otherwise, 26 years after publication, the book seems to hold up well. (My edition has a copyright date of 1995.) Of course, a younger person might think otherwise.
(Give me a moment to process the idea that sharing this book with a pre-service teacher today would be like giving pre-service-teacher-me a book from 1958.)
The Dorling-Kindersley style of photography and book design has become commonplace now, but in 1995 this was a fresh and exciting new look.
One other thing I'd change: there's a photo on page 23 of a child wearing protective glasses with an adult who is not wearing protective glasses. DON'T DO THIS. Both the adult and child should be wearing protective glasses. Adults must model the safety practices that they want children to follow.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews