________________ CM . . . . Volume I Number VI . . . . July 21, 1995

Everyday Science: Fun and Easy Projects for Making Practical Things

Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone
Toronto: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995
96pp, paper, $12.95
ISBN 0-471-11014-0

Subject Headings:
Science-Experiments-Juvenile literature.
Scientific recreations-Juvenile literature.

Grades 3 - 7 / Ages 8 - 12.
Review by Joan Payzant

excerpt:

"Look around you. Science is everywhere. When you turn on a light, watch television, or answer a phone, you are influenced by science. Everyday things that we take for granted would have seemed like magic to people fifty years ago. Fax machines, laptop computers, and cellular phones are some recent science inventions. Can you imagine how scientific inventions will affect our lives fifty years from now? Will people have silicon chips placed in their bodies to provide medical information to doctors? Will we travel through phone lines instead of using cars or planes? Will you read a book like this one on a computer in your own home?"

 Children, parents and teachers will be enthralled with Everyday Science. Although the authors state that "you should have everything you need to perform the experiments right in your own kitchen," I venture to say that not many homes have iron filings, light emitting diodes, wires with alligator clips on each end, and washing soda all readily at hand. But these items are relatively inexpensive and most parents would willingly provide them to advance the cause of their children's interest in science, not to mention the pure entertainment value of the experiments.

The book is well designed, with an excellent table of contents grouping the experiments into five branches of science: light and optics, heat, earth science, chemistry, electricity and magnetism. Each experiment (illustrated with whimsical line drawings by Ed Shems) follows a set pattern under the following headings: You will need; What to do; What happened; Did you know?

There are some intriguing experiments such as making solar ovens, a desalination plant, a telephone, and shrunken heads (!).

An excellent glossary and an index complete this book which will provide hours of pleasure to both children and adults.

Recommended.

Also by the same authors Silly Science: Strange and Startling Projects to Amaze your Family and Friends.

Joan Payzant is retired teacher/librarian in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © 1998 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - JULY 21, 1995.

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