Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Science for Every Kid Series) [Hardcover]

Janice VanCleave (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Series: Science for Every Kid Series

Why do newspapers turn yellow?

How does bleach make colors disappear?

Why can't you mix oil and water?

Find out the answers to these and other mysteries of chemistry in this fascinating collection of ideas, projects, and activities that teach the basics of chemistry theory and practice.

Turn steel wool into a glutinous green blob. Separate an egg from its shell without breaking the shell. Make copper pennies turn green. Have fun while you learn simple chemistry from a solution of colored water, and the behavior of gases with the help of a soda bottle. Through these and other activities, you'll explore the structure of matter, the workings of acids, gases, and solutions . . . and much more.

You'll find most of the materials you need around the house or classroom. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed safely and cheaply in the classroom, at a science fair, or at home.

Also available in this series from Janice VanCleave:
* ASTRONOMY FOR EVERY KID
* BIOLOGY FOR EVERY KID
* DINOSAURS FOR EVERY KID
* EARTH SCIENCE FOR EVERY KID
* GEOGRAPHY FOR EVERY KID
* GEOMETRY FOR EVERY KID
* THE HUMAN BODY FOR EVERY KID
* MATH FOR EVERY KID
* PHYSICS FOR EVERY KID.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Discover the Basic Secrets of Chemistry

Chemistry is a wondrous type of scientific magic. From its origins in medieval alchemy to the remarkable advances of today's biochemists—chemistry has the rare ability to captivate our imaginations.

Chemistry for Every Kid introduces the young scientist to this intriguing field. In its pages you'll discover clear liquids that change into green globs, an egg that separates from its shell, and 99 other basic experiments with dramatic results.

With each experiment, you'll learn more about chemistry concepts, terminology, and laboratory methods—and get lots of ideas for school and science fair projects.

Each experiment is explained in terms of . . .

• Purpose: Stating the basic goals of the experiment
• Materials: A complete list of all the necessary supplies
• Procedure: Step-by-step instructions on how to perform the experiment
• Results: An explanation stating exactly what is to happen
• Why?: An easily understandable scientific explanation of why each particular result is achieved

No elaborate or expensive equipment is needed—almost all the required material can be readily found around the house.

Experimentation is the basis for all scientific inquiry so Chemistry for Every Kid is more than an exciting collection of challenging experiments—it's also a training manual for the basic methods and practices common to all scientific research. Experiments demonstrate simple chemistry with the use of colored water, the behavior of gases with a pop bottle, the difference between acids and bases, and much more. All of these safe and workable experiments have been completely pretested.

Chemistry for Every Kid is an exciting book that teaches basic chemistry—while you have fun.

When learning science means doing science, learning becomes an adventure!

Acclaim for Janice VanCleave's books: Janice Pratt VanCleave's science books not only teach children the basics of science, but also entertain along the way. [The Science for Every Kid series is] even great for kids who never liked science.—Parent Guide on the Science for Every Kid series

An entertaining, educational, and nonthreatening aid to understanding earth science.—School Library Journal on Earth Science for Every Kid

Excellent in value...Many early-grade school parents should consider it for their children, as should teachers as a resource for classroom activities.—Science Books & Films on Chemistry for Every Kid

A worthwhile purchase.—Kirkus Reviews on Biology for Every Kid

Also available in this series from Janice VanCleave:

• ASTRONOMY FOR EVERY KID
• BIOLOGY FOR EVERY KID
• DINOSAURS FOR EVERY KID
• EARTH SCIENCE FOR EVERY KID
• GEOGRAPHY FOR EVERY KID
• GEOMETRY FOR EVERY KID
• THE HUMAN BODY FOR EVERY KID
• MATH FOR EVERY KID
• PHYSICS FOR EVERY KID

About the Author

JANICE VANCLEAVE is a former school science teacher and a captivating presenter at museums, schools, and bookstores nationwide. She is the author of more than twenty other science books for children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (March 20, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471509744
• ISBN-13: 978-0471509745
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,671,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My kids LOVE chemistry now!, March 14, 2006

By 

Robyn Cole "robyncole22" (Woodbridge, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Paperback)

Janice VanCleave's Chemistry For Every Kid is a must have book for upper elementary/middle school science teachers. The experiments are easy to set up and the kids LOVE them! Janice has tackled tough Chemistry concepts and come up with simple experiments that the kids ACTUALLY understand! I have used the activities in this book numerous times and couldn't recommend this book highly enough. The way I use the activities in this book, along with the others in the series, is set them up as stations and have the kids rotate through them. You will not be disappointed with this purchase and your kids will love you for it.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simplistic, September 29, 2005

By 

J. Brown - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Paperback)

No handwriting required and no over-the-head scientific explanations. It is clear, simple, and EASY to pull off the shelf and use. I recommend previewing the list of materials for the week to be sure you have the needed items. Substitutions can effect the experiment. I use this with ages 4-10 and they ALL enjoy the experiments. The experiments are simplistic and easy for young children to grasp the idea yet have enough information to get the parents thought process going! A great introduction to chemistry that takes very little time to prep and do. I even use this book as birthday party entertainment! A favorite with us.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My eight year old daughter asked for a chemistry set ..., July 6, 2008

By 

Luna Ville (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Janice VanCleave's Chemistry for Every Kid: 101 Easy Experiments that Really Work (Paperback)

My eight year old daughter asked for a chemistry set for her birthday; a real chemistry set; one she could do real experiments with. There are no longer many quality chemistry sets on the market. I guess the safety regulations are too strict; making it unprofitable to sell "real" chemistry sets. I ordered this book. I was concerned I would end up having to mail order supplies, but I made one trip to the grocery store and my daughter was set to work through the book.

The coolest part, to her, was the potential danger inherent with some of the supplies. She worked through six experiments in three days and proudly tells her younger neighborhood girlfriends "Sorry, You can't touch those things. It's too dangerous. It's Chemistry."

The best part for me, the experiments are carefully arranged in a progressive manner so that they start from the simplest and safest activities. She can work through them in order, with supervision, safely building her confidence and skills.

Unlike many books that purport to promote science, but are really just a collection of entertaining activities, this book includes the science concepts behind the wow. So, she really is learning.