Junk Drawer Ecology: 50 Awesome Experiments That Don't Cost a Thing (Junk Drawer Science)

Junk Drawer Ecology: 50 Awesome Experiments That Don't Cost a Thing (Junk Drawer Science)

Kids of all ages can use recycled and repurposed household items to complete exciting and green ecology experiments Junk Drawer Ecology is a hands-on guide to saving the planet. Fun, free science activities help kids of all ages learn about the science of our planet’s ecology. The environment is changing every day, and we can help slow that change. Using free or low-cost things children already have around their homes, these activities are perfect to stimulate young brains.   Readers will learn about the importance of the polar regions without leaving their communities, about new ways to cut our dependence on fossil fuels, about all forms of pollution, and how they can make a difference. Junk Drawer Ecology will give inquisitive kids many hours of fun and help them learn at the same time. Gr 5 Up-This collection of 50 low-cost, hands-on educational activities covers a broad range of ecological concepts, such as food chains and food webs, landfill design, air and water pollution, and the mechanics of ocean currents. Each activity includes a supply list, step-by-step instructions accompanied by photos, an explanation of the scientific concepts being demonstrated, and a description of how the activity could be modified for students of different ages. The book is divided into four sections: "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle" covers solar energy and alternatives to plastic; "Animals and Plants" explores biodiversity, food chains, and pollination; "Water and Land" covers sink holes, melting polar ice caps, acid rain, and wildfires; and "Air" examines smog, carbon capture, and air pollution. Activities range from engineering challenges, like creating a miniature greenhouse from a plastic salad container, to different methods of modeling food chains on paper. One major strength of the book is that it relies on inexpensive and repurposed supplies, like plastic water bottles and paper clips. The activities are informative and filled with kid appeal, such as using goldfish crackers to model ways to design more sustainable fishing practices, or asking students to "mine" the chocolate chips in a muffin to model strip-mining. A glossary is included at the end. VERDICT This clever, hands-on guide to ecological science is an excellent resource for classroom teachers, homeschoolers, and community groups.-Ashley Larsenα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "Immersive and imaginative…[w]ith the book’s emphasis on positivity and hands-on science, kids are empowered to learn through doing." —  Kirkus Reviews Bobby Mercer has been sharing the fun of science for more than two decades as a high school physics teacher. He is the author of the Junk Drawer series, including Junk Drawer Biology , Junk Drawer Chemistry , and Junk Drawer Geometry . He lives with his family outside of Asheville, North Carolina.