Push and Pull: The Science of Forces (Big Bang Science Experiments)

Gr 3-4-Each volume in this misleadingly titled series offers 10 low-tech science activities, none of which will produce more than a small-scale pop, ooze, or mess. The projects are arranged in random order, varying widely in complexity, and occasionally two are confusingly jammed together on the same spread. Most are simple enough to create but some, such as one that requires holding a water balloon over a candle and another that asks students to interweave the pages of two old phone books aren't well suited for the intended audience. Color photos illustrate the step-by-step instructions, and the goofy cartoon characters are scattered about the cluttered pages. Furthermore, even adult helpers may have difficulty finding "mirrored cardboard" for one experiment or cutting a table-tennis ball in half for another. Every book concludes with an excellent resource list. α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.