Science Around the Year

Often, the most fascinating subjects can be found right outside our doors, and the changing seasons supply endless opportunities for investigation and observation of all of our "I wonder why that happens?" questions. In this hands-on activity book, author Janice VanCleave has rounded up 52 season-based scientific investigations, grouped by season, each linked to particular science phenomena that are related to that season. For example, in autumn, kids can make their own pinecone hygrometers to determine outdoor humidity, or compare sun and clock time with a sundial. Spring, on the other hand, is the perfect time to get an up-close look at the vein patterns on clover leaves, or to find the Big Dipper and Ursa Major in the sky at night. Each investigation is printed on a two-page spread, which features some related information about the topic, a fun fact, a simple investigation with step-by-step instructions, investigation results and explanations, a list of recommended books for further reading, and an extension activity. Like the author's other books, the activities are well-laid out, require a few simple materials, and offer clear explanations that children can easily understand. These activities in particular are geared to younger students, and are typically short and exciting to correlate with younger children's attention spans. As an addition to your regular science curriculum, or just for fun, there are lots of interesting topics from all branches of science to choose from here, as well as opportunities for additional reading/exploration. - Jess