See for Yourself!: More Than 100 Amazing Experiments for Science Fairs and School Projects

by Vicki Cobb

With "See For Yourself," budding scientists can wow their teachers and classmates (and maybe win a ribbon or two) by learning How to extract DNA from an onion How pigments from vegetables make dye How to make paper out of lint from a clothes dryer How to make a friend feel like he or she has a third hand What happens when you grow yeast in dandruff shampoo That tea and iron pills make excellent inks And much more! "See for Yourself" includes experiments in the areas of chemistry, earth science, physical science, the human body, and technology, but the experiments all take their inspiration from very familiar places. The materials needed to execute the experiments can all be inexpensively purchased at the supermarket, the toy store, the hardware store, the stationery store, and the drugstore. Some of the experiments are quick and easy, while others are more challenging. Most include additional suggestions so that curious young scientists can keep on investigating.

Genres: Science

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2001

About the author

Vicki Cobb, the “Master Chef of Hands-on Science,” a graduate of Barnard College and Columbia’s Teachers College, is a former science teacher with a M.A. in secondary school science. The publication of her classic book, Science Experiments You Can Eat, (an updated, revised edition was released in 2016 by HarperCollins) established her as an innovator in hands-on science. Take a look on her website www.vickicobb.com to get a sense of her playful and accessible approach to science in her 90+ books for grades K-8 that cover physics, chemistry and biology, biographies, geography, and the human body.

She is also pioneering a video project based on her book We Dare You! Check out the hilarious videos at www.wedareyouvideos.com

She has performed “Science Surprises,” her interactive and engrossing show for kids, in 49 of the fifty states (missing only North Dakota) as well as internationally. A veteran motivator/professional development presenter of day-long in-services/keynote speaker, Vicki uses her expertise, humor, wit and background as an educator to inspire teachers to make science teaching the highpoint of their day. Currently she is president and founder of iNK Think Tank, Inc., a nonprofit company that focuses on the contribution that nonfiction literature and its authors can make to education. She contributes to: The Nonfiction Minute, www.nonfictionminute.org/ (which has had 5+ million page views over the past five years) and has been a Contributor to the Huffington Post and has recently launched www.vickicobbsblog.com in connection with the Nonfiction Minute, where she writes commentary on education and reviews nonfiction books as inspiring reading for children hungry to learn about the real world. .

Vicki Cobb received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2012.

Reviews

[Oliver James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the ideas.

[Cariegreer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book in hopes of finding a science fair project idea for my soon-to-be 7th grader. It is a cute book with many ideas and projects: testing self and others, inspiration from the supermarket, drugstore, hardware store, stationary store and toy store. There are fun at home projects kids can do with adult supervision such as making your own glue, a formula for paste, make your own crisy rice cereal, etc. These would provide rainy day activities for a budding scientist.