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Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
Make bubbles that bounce! Stir up a tornado in a jar! Make elastic from a dandelion! Predict weather from cloud formations! Discover the beauty and wonder of nature all year round with these quick, easy experiments and activities from Jean Potter. You can complete each activity in ten fun-filled minutes or less, and the clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations help you get it right every time. The projects are organized by season and help you learn about everything from why grass is green to how seals stay warm in icy arctic waters. You will find most of the materials already in your home, backyard, or neighborhood. The 112 activities in this book cover every aspect of the natural world, including plant and animal life, weather, ecology, rocks and minerals, the senses, the stars, and much more. You'll build a mountain the same way the earth does, find out whether your neighborhood ants prefer sugar or artificial sweetener, discover why maple seeds act like tiny helicopters, and explore the effects of acid rain on plants--all with the help of a leading educator. Children Ages 8-12
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 25, 2009
"Remember guys," I warned my eight- and six-year-old children after supper, "tomorrow we start school up again." We had taken our customary April to June break from homeschooling. Now that it was too hot to be outside, we would spend our days exercising only mental muscles in the air conditioned living room.
"Me too?" my three-year-old piped up.
No, actually, I have Opinions about how a little person should spend his days to form roadways through that plastic brain: immersing himself in fantasies of his own creation rather than ones a teacher makes up, directing his own activities from goal setting to failure management rather than being scheduled. But how could I deny my sweet baby, his little curls bouncing after the force of the hopeful in-breath he was now holding?
"Sure, you too," I heard the mom in the room say. Oi, I am the mom in the room. But I didn't have two seconds to regret it before the boy was celebrating.
"Oh, YAY! I'm big enough now? I'm big enough now! I'm SO PROUD that I'm big enough for SCHOOL! Oh! Oh! Oh, thank you, Mama!"
And that is why I must go directly from here to a bookstore to buy this book. Completely without intending to be a preschool curriculum, it manages to hit all the ideals mentioned in brain science blogs and teacher mags for preschool programming: centered around discussion about hands-on science, led by demonstration, set out-of-doors, providing meaningful practice manipulating household tools, connecting the tactile to the verbal at every turn.
The book stood out in my mind when we got a stack of nature and science books from the library because the title claims are honest. The activities earnestly can be done in ten minutes by someone like me. The instructions are straight-forward, and so are the explanations. The main material used is city-park nature, and the other stuff is similarly easily available: pens, paper, glasses, clay, butter knife, flashlight. Nothing weird. In contrast to some other (::cough:: Van Cleave ::cough::) books I can think of, the simulations are strikingly relevant so you don't end up having to explain them too. For example, the author recommends coating your hands in vegetable shortening in lieu of mittens in winter in order to understand how sea lions stay warm.
Almost every activity involves going outside. The last step in most of the direction sets are, "Observe . . . What happens when . . ? How about . . ? Why do you think . . ?"
Oh, YAY! I'm so PROUD this author wrote a book good enough for my baby to use for SCHOOL! Thank you, Jean Potter!
"Me too?" my three-year-old piped up.
No, actually, I have Opinions about how a little person should spend his days to form roadways through that plastic brain: immersing himself in fantasies of his own creation rather than ones a teacher makes up, directing his own activities from goal setting to failure management rather than being scheduled. But how could I deny my sweet baby, his little curls bouncing after the force of the hopeful in-breath he was now holding?
"Sure, you too," I heard the mom in the room say. Oi, I am the mom in the room. But I didn't have two seconds to regret it before the boy was celebrating.
"Oh, YAY! I'm big enough now? I'm big enough now! I'm SO PROUD that I'm big enough for SCHOOL! Oh! Oh! Oh, thank you, Mama!"
And that is why I must go directly from here to a bookstore to buy this book. Completely without intending to be a preschool curriculum, it manages to hit all the ideals mentioned in brain science blogs and teacher mags for preschool programming: centered around discussion about hands-on science, led by demonstration, set out-of-doors, providing meaningful practice manipulating household tools, connecting the tactile to the verbal at every turn.
The book stood out in my mind when we got a stack of nature and science books from the library because the title claims are honest. The activities earnestly can be done in ten minutes by someone like me. The instructions are straight-forward, and so are the explanations. The main material used is city-park nature, and the other stuff is similarly easily available: pens, paper, glasses, clay, butter knife, flashlight. Nothing weird. In contrast to some other (::cough:: Van Cleave ::cough::) books I can think of, the simulations are strikingly relevant so you don't end up having to explain them too. For example, the author recommends coating your hands in vegetable shortening in lieu of mittens in winter in order to understand how sea lions stay warm.
Almost every activity involves going outside. The last step in most of the direction sets are, "Observe . . . What happens when . . ? How about . . ? Why do you think . . ?"
Oh, YAY! I'm so PROUD this author wrote a book good enough for my baby to use for SCHOOL! Thank you, Jean Potter!
October 12, 2011
What a great little book that requires little to no preparation and mostly just items found in nature...most of the activities are meant for your child to do the observing and thinking and reasoning with a little section on each page that gives a brief explanation...fits very well with my 'less is more' philosophy to education...I once heard a very wise teacher say "You don't have to teach a lot to teach a lot." ( :
Other titles by this author also sound intriguing, like 'Science in Seconds for Kids'.
Other titles by this author also sound intriguing, like 'Science in Seconds for Kids'.
April 25, 2008
The activities in this book are too simplistic to be of much worth. They are the types of things you would (should) come up with on your own (i.e., turning over a stone to see the bugs underneath). Note to self . . . do not buy this book.
January 23, 2008
Not as good as "Sharing Nature with Children" but do give some ideas for activities with kids.
July 9, 2015
Interesting one page science spotlights. Great for preschool/early grades. This is the kind of book that you want to skim through to give yourself ideas for when you're outside exploring.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews