Big Book of Play and Find Out Science Projects

by Janice VanCleave

Introduce young children to the wonders of science

Using this book as a guide, you and your favorite budding scientist can have fun exploring the world while you help your child learn about science and develop important science process skills. You may think it's hard to get young children interested in science, but just watch their eyes light up when they make bouncy blubber or play clay, or when you venture out together in the backyard or local park for a bug-collecting expedition. These are the kind of everyday explorations that give kids a great foundation for a lifetime of science learning.

In this terrific collection of fun, kid-tested science activities, bestselling children's science writer and former teacher Janice VanCleave has combined her favorite science activities for young people into one jumbo-sized book that you and your children will love.

Janice VanCleave's Big Book of Play and Find Out Science Projects includes over 50 easy-to-do activities and is divided into four

PHYSICAL Encourage kids to get physical with science with questions such How does a compass work? Why do I have to wear a seat belt? Why can't I catch a rainbow? Why does my hair stick to a comb?

Help children answer questions naturally Why do cats' eyes glow in the dark? How do fish move up and down in the water? Why do plants move toward the sun? Can squirrels really fly?

Challenge the science bug in kids with questions such Why do fireflies light up? How do butterflies drink? Where do spiders come from? Why are walkingsticks hard to find?

HUMAN Capture children's imaginations about the whole body of science with questions like Why do I have hair on my body? How does my heart sound? Why do foods taste different? Why are my bones hard?

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Education

213 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2007

About the author

Janice VanCleave is everybody’s favorite science teacher! With sales of more than 2 million copies, her books show just how fun and exciting science can be. They’re brimming with cool projects and experiments that use inexpensive household materials — and help turn ordinary young people into enthusiastic junior scientists.

A former school teacher, Janice VanCleave taught science in public schools, science method courses in college, and science curriculum development courses for numerous districts and organizations. In addition to writing, VanCleave also works directly with children and adults through her “Fun With Science” workshops held at libraries, schools, museums, and bookstores throughout the United States.

Janice VanCleave books appeal to kids, parents, and teachers alike because of her unique mix of science with fun activities, her simple explanations of science topics, and the way she uses everyday materials for all of her experiments.

Reviews

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some simple ideas relating to science ideas, like why do boats float? (change a clump of clay from a ball to a boat and see how it floats). The best section is physical science, although this is the book that shows the diagram for making a catepillar and where their legs and prolegs are.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. The "finding out" part of the biology questions in particular seemed to come mostly from the text and a bit from building a model of a system, and not from experiment/exploration. Returned to library after doing just one experiment (the flower petal one -- after a week, rubbing alcohol still smells like rubbing alcohol but did take on the colour of the petals) and will look for something else for my young scientist.

[Rob and Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stuff in there.

[Amy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for easy science projects for young kids.