26 Family-Friendly Activities About:
Stars, Planets, And Observing The World Around You
Great for STEM Learners
Author: Michelle Nichols
Publisher: Quarry Books; Abridged Edition edition (October 2, 2018)
- Genre: Nonfiction
- Series: Book 2 of 8 in the Little Learning Labs Series
- Paperback: 80 pages / 100 color photos
- Age Range: 8 – 11
My Thoughts:
From Quarto Knows
Mini astronomers will learn about things such as the size and scale of planets using sandwich cookies and tennis balls, how to measure the speed of light with a flat candy bar and a microwave, how to make a simple telescope with magnifying glasses, and so much more. Kids of all ages and experience levels will love completing these hands-on labs with the guidance of adults.
You will find some great information and experiments for home or classrooms in this easy-to-understand book. The experiments don’t call for unusual items, but rather things that are normally found in most homes.
The first part of the book encourages children to keep a science journal of the experiments they perform. A sample of what might be included in the journal is suggested.
My Reflections might include:
“. . . your feelings about how you think the lab went, what you think the lab results mean, and any answers to your questions you have found.”
There are four units in the book.
Unit 1 Observing (9 labs)
Unit 2 Scoping Out the Science (5 labs)
Unit 3 Exploring Our Solar System (6 labs)
Unit 4 Seeing Stars (6 labs)
Each lab is extremely easy to understand and the format is very straight forward. The lab includes time, materials, safety tips, setup hints, and instructions with numbered steps.
What Concerned Me:
Nothing.
What I Liked Most:
I liked that the format of the book is appealing as well as the fact that most labs can be done with household items. I see this book as providing hours of learning and fun for both home and classrooms.
About The Author:
Michelle Nichols has served as an advisor for several children’s books as well as Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers series. She has worked as the Director of Public Observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, IL for over 20 years.
