Awesome Ocean Science!: Investigating the Secrets of the Underwater World (Williamson Kids Can Books) [Paperback]

Cindy A. Littlefield (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Williamson Kids Can Books

For ages 7-14. In this book, children don't just dabble in ocean science; they get a hands-on experiences with in-depth discussion and so much to ponder. The result is curiosity born of new-found knowledge -- the best kind of learning because it is driven by a passion to learn more. Children dive into ocean science as they blast black smoke out of a seafloor chimney, shrink-wrap their hand with water pressure; demonstrate bioluminescence; and recreate El Nino in the kitchen; Children investigate ocean issues: how to prevent overfishing; how to investigate questionable fishing practices; what is really happening to coral reefs; what can be done about oil spills. Children meet the many fascinating creatures that make the ocean their home, and learn how we can apply their natural defences to issues far and wide.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-Written in jaunty prose and illustrated with numerous humorous cartoons, this book offers children a hands-on introduction to the mysteries of the watery world. Six sections investigate general oceanic principles, waves and currents, shorelines and tide pools, the ocean floor, marine life, and ocean conservation. Each chapter is divided into mini-lessons that feature a variety of activities. Covering concepts that range from the water cycle and seawater salinity to discovering how a penguin's coloring protects it and baleen catches krill, the experiments are easily re-created using readily available materials. This worthy purchase crosses disciplines to include ecology, math, biology, social studies, and art. Paul Fleisher's Our Oceans (Millbrook, 1995) also features experiments and activities but is written in a slightly more technical style than Littlefield's title. Both books deserve a place in most science collections.
Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Teachers and students will discover much useful material in this upbeat entry in the Kids Can series. The book begins with an overview of the water cycle, the ocean's composition, and Earth's ratio of water to land. Subsequent sections explore waves and currents; life in the ocean, including a chart of the ocean's animal kingdom by phylum and class; and conservation issues. The text's chirpy tone occasionally gets in the way of the facts (the too-breezy introduction to the water cycle is a good example), but activities that illustrate the concepts--how blubber works and how to clean up an oil spill, for example--are mostly creative, illuminating, and easy to follow. Lighthearted cartoon art adds to the appeal of this fact-packed title. Use this as a practical adjunct to Walter Wick's A Drop of Water (1997), a simpler and more beautifully illustrated introduction to water's properties. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Williamson Publishing Company (October 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885593716
• ISBN-13: 978-1885593719
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #632,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Oceans & Seas

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to do with simple supplies!!!!, February 19, 2007

By 

megartso "megartso" (Ft. Wright, KY United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Awesome Ocean Science (Williamson Kids Can! Series) (Paperback)

This book looks awesome. I bought it to use as part of an ocean studies year with my second grader. Full of great information as well as great experiments that you can easily do at home. All the supplies are things you have or are easily attainable. The experiments are not to complicated but fun enough to hold interest. Very fun! We also ordered the Sea puzzles companion book also by Cindy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oceans of activities., May 20, 2010

By 

Crease in the Page (Hills of Northern California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Awesome Ocean Science (Kids Can! series) (Hardcover)

I checked this book out at the library, but I might buy it so we can spend more time doing EVERY activity. Most pages include a hands-on activity or experiment that demonstrates some aspect of how the ocean works.

The chapters are "The Magic of Our Water World" which is a general overview about the four/five oceans and the water cycle and salinity and density, "Mysterious Moves: Waves and Currents," "Changing Scenes: Shorelines and Tide Pools," "Secrets of the Deep: The Ocean Floor," "Sea Life: Will the True Fish Please Swim By?" and "Saving Our Seas: Stand Up and Be Counted."

We have tried the first few projects. They were all successful, except one (waves in a bottle). My kids are excited about what they are learning; they don't want me to close the book.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Ocean Science, July 30, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Awesome Ocean Science!: Investigating the Secrets of the Underwater World (Williamson Kids Can Books) (Paperback)

The activities are easy and fun. I love the pictures in this book too.