Janice VanCleave's Big Book of Play and Find Out Science Projects

by Janice VanCleave

Overview

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 parts:

PHYSICAL SCIENCE: Encourage kids to get physical with science with questions such as: 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?

NATURE: Help children answer questions naturally including: 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?

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

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780787989286
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/30/2007
Series:	Janice VanCleave's Science for Fun Series
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	8.52(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.52(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Janice VanCleave is a former science teacher who now spends her time writing and giving science workshops. She is the author of more than fifty children's science books with sales totaling over 2 million copies.

Table of Contents

A Letter from Janice VanCleave.

Before You Begin.

PART ONE PHYSICAL SCIENCE.

Air.

Spacey I Wonder . . . Is There a Way to Catch the Air?

Drifter I Wonder . . . What Holds Up a Parachute?

Changes.

Bouncy Blubber I Wonder . . . Why Do Balls Bounce?

Play Clay I Wonder . . . How Could I Make My Own Play Clay?

Magnets.

Stickers I Wonder . . . How Do Magnets Hold My Drawings on the Refrigerator?

North Seekers I Wonder . . . How Does a Compass Work?

Forces.

Floater I Wonder . . . Why Do Boats Float?

Buckle Up I Wonder . . . Why Do I Have to Wear a Seat Belt?

Light.

Changing I Wonder . . . Why Does My Shadow Change Size?

Rainbows I Wonder . . . What Makes a Rainbow?

Sound.

String Telephone I Wonder . . . How Does a Telephone Work?

Musical Teeth I Wonder . . . Does My Chewing Sound Loud to Other People?

Electricity.

Attractive I Wonder . . . Why Does My Hair Stick to My Comb?

Flashlight I Wonder . . . How Does a Flashlight Work?

Part Two NATURE

Basic Life-forms.

Building Blocks I Wonder . . . What Are Cats Made Of?

Stiff I Wonder . . . Do Plants Have Bones?

Predators and Prey.

Blending I Wonder . . . Why Are Some Animals Hard to See?

Bright Eyes I Wonder . . . Why Do Cats’ Eyes Glow in the Dark?

Body Temperature.

Chill Out I Wonder . . . Why Do Dogs Pant?

Overcoats I Wonder . . . How Do Animals Stay Warm in the Winter?

Animal Movement.

Glider I Wonder . . . Can Squirrels Really Fly?

Floaters I Wonder . . . How Do Fish Move Up and Down in Water?

Plant Growth.

Sprouters I Wonder . . . Will Seeds from the Kitchen Grow?

Sun Seekers I Wonder . . . Do Plants Move Toward the Sun?

Plant Parts.

Juicy I Wonder . . . Why Don’t Cacti Dry Out in the Desert?

Browning I Wonder . . . Why Do Peeled Bananas Turn Brown?

Flowers.

Scented I Wonder . . . Why Do Some Flowers Smell Nice?

Keepers I Wonder . . . How Could I Keep a Flower?

Part Three BUGS.

Collecting.

Trapper I Wonder . . . How Can I Safely Catch an Insect?

Bug House I Wonder . . . How Can I Keep a Cricket?

Changing.

Around and

Around I Wonder . . . Where Do Butterflies Come From?

Break Out I Wonder . . . How Do Small Grasshoppers Grow Larger?

Moving.

Creepers I Wonder . . . How Many Legs Do Caterpillars Have?

Springy I Wonder . . . How Can Fleas Jump So Far?

Communicating.

Dancers I Wonder . . . Do Bees Dance?

Flashers I Wonder . . . Why Do Fireflies Light Up?

Eating.

Munchers I Wonder . . . Do Insects Have Teeth?

Sippers I Wonder . . . How Do Butterflies Drink?

Camouflaging.

Hide-and-Seek I Wonder . . . Why Are Walkingsticks Hard to Find?

Top and Bottom I Wonder . . . Why Is the Top of a Butterfly’s Wings a Different Color Than the Bottom?

Spinning.

Over the Edge I Wonder . . . Are Spiders Insects?

Spiderlings I Wonder . . . Where Do Spiders Come From?

Part Four THE HUMAN BODY.

Skin.

Pleated I Wonder . . . Why Are My Elbows Wrinkly?

Puckered I Wonder . . . Why Does My Skin Pucker Up When I Take a Long Bath?

Hair.

Hairy I Wonder . . . Why Do I Have Hair on My Body?

Curly I Wonder . . . Why Is My Hair Curly?

Skeleton.

Movable I Wonder . . . How Does My Back Bend?

Rubbery I Wonder . . . Why Are My Bones Hard?

Circulation.

Plugged I Wonder . . . Why Do I Get Scabs?

Lub-Dub I Wonder . . . How Does My Heart Sound?

Respiration.

In and Out I Wonder . . . Why Does My Chest Move When I Breathe?

Frosty I Wonder . . . Why Can I See My Breath When It’s Cold?

Digestion.

Choppers I Wonder . . . Why Do I Have Different-Shaped Teeth?

Tube Chute I Wonder . . . Where Does the Food I Eat Go?

Senses.

Big and Little I Wonder . . . Why Do My Eyes Look Red in Some Photos?

Tasty I Wonder . . . Why Do Foods Taste Different?

Appendix A: Section Summaries.

Appendix B: Teacher’s Guide.

Glossary.