CANALS AND DAMS

July 1, 2013

Gr 5-8-These massive feats of engineering are given a multifaceted but uneven treatment. The book opens with an explanation of engineering, introduces the different types of engineers, and describes the problem-solving process they use. Canals and dams are given center stage as their structures and the scientific principles behind them are explained, history and examples are given, and disasters caused by or resulting from their construction or aging are shared. Each section is accompanied by several activities, and that's where things begin to crumble. Many of the activities do a fine job of showcasing the information from the preceding section but explanations are often inadequate or directions and illustrations lack clarity. One example: buoyancy is described as a "force that allows an object to float in liquid." Volume and displacement are introduced and Archimedes's principle is mentioned but density is overlooked until the activities section when a foam and cardboard barge are compared and a Cartesian diver is made-all requiring density to help explain buoyancy. Other activities have tenuous connections to the preceding topic or sometimes seem random. A "Spinning Bucket Trick" mentions centrifugal force in relation to the canals in Venice but doesn't explain the science or make the connection to canals. And so it goes. Quotes, spot black-and-white illustrations, "Did You Know" boxes, and definitions for vocabulary used on the page fill out the spreads. The topic plus the hands-on emphasis is a nod to the growing popularity of STEM initiatives in education but unfortunately this title needs some shoring up.-Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI

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