by Matthys Levy
Book list Gr. 5^-8. What causes earthquakes and volcanoes? How dangerous can they be? The authors answer these and other questions in a book for eager, science-minded children. Readers will gain a better understanding of the peculiarities of the earth's surface through explanations and enjoyable, well-designed games and experiments that range from reproducing a tsunami in the bathtub to constructing a seismograph to building a cardboard volcano. Although some of the experiments, which use familiar household items, require adult supervision, children can do many of the projects alone. Occasionally, the text may need further explanation, but those moments are offset by the book's many activities, illustrations, and straightforward questions and answers. An informative tool that effectively uses hands-on techniques to teach kids about geologic wonders. --Kathleen Squires From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. School Library Journal Gr 5-8?For readers searching for a science experiment or a project dealing with earthquakes or volcanoes, this book will be a solid source of ideas. Classroom teachers should find it a gold mine of facts and feats to make understanding the dynamics of these geological phenomena (and their effects on man-made structures) easier and more enjoyable. The use of the term game seems loosely applied (e.g., "Build a Seismometer Game" gives directions for constructing a seismometer) and seems to be more for appeal than accuracy. Safety instructions involving heat and flame are not always placed before the how-to's. Many of the accompanying diagrams are not on the same page as the instructions/information, which can lead to page-flipping confusion. For those who simply must create a volcanic eruption, there are several variations, which can be quite messy and/or slightly dangerous without adult supervision. A good deal of geology is imparted in the text. There is a chronology of important earthquakes and eruptions, and their global effects noted. While this title has its drawbacks, it is a rich source of experiments on a popular topic.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
