See for Yourself!

May 1, 2011

Gr 4-8-This accessible and often intriguing collection of activities and experiments has minor changes from the original edition (Scholastic Reference, 2001). An all-new introduction promotes science by including a list of reasons to love it, such as "it gives you an excuse to play." The experiments are grouped by their source of inspiration: humans, the supermarket, the toy store, drugstore, and hardware and stationery stores. "Yourself and Other Humans" focuses on the senses and other features. The store activities involve chemistry, physics, and biology. Each experiment has a "Method of Investigation" with numbered steps, a sequential list of supplies, and a culminating section of "Observations & Suggestions" for further inquiry. Highlighted sidebars give background information. Meant as a springboard to exploration, each experiment includes a list of keywords for further research. The indexes offer a variety of entry points including subject, discipline, and level of challenge. Cartoon-style illustrations are now in full color. Purchase this if you missed the first edition.-Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

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