Customer Reviews

Usborne 100 Science Experiments: Internet-Linked (100 Science Experiments Il)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great hands-on learning book for ages 9 and up. It has step by step instructions and lots of pictures. Just watch their faces when they see results and learn from doing. Also has internet links for further studies and interests. Great book.

While this book contains a lot of really clever projects, I found that there were several that were impractical for the target audience (elementary-aged children) to create. One in particular, the cute electricity bug shown on the cover, does not reliably maintain the circuit connections if created as described. We were able to make a workable, reliable demonstrator for my class by soldering the light bulb directly onto the positive end of the and the second wire/"antenna" directly to the negative terminal. Without those modifications, the connections would not reliably complete the circuit. Another project, teaching about center of gravity, recommends using clay to form a ball that will be cut in half and used to cause a paper acrobat to wobble back and forth. However, even with a great deal of adult patience, I was unable to get a perfect hemisphere formed from my clay. Thus my poor lopsided acrobat remained tipped to one side. Cutting a bouncy ball in half would have been a better solution for the project.

I would not recommend this book for elementary aged children but rather to their parents or teachers who might be able to use the ideas as starting points for more robust demonstrations. The unreliability of many of the projects in the book will be frustrating enough to a student that he/she will lose interest in the scientific principle being explained.

I got this book from a Usborne dealer. I could have bought it here on Amazon for less I see, under $12 is a great price! But at any rate, this book is large with colorful pictures, and easy to understand directions. Most of the items needed for experiments we already had on hand, so there wasn't a lot of going out and buying things just for a one time experiment. I also like the "What's going on" sections that explain the scientific principles that are at work in each experiment in clear concise language that kids can comprehend.

So far we have done two experiments, and both turned out great with no problems. I see another reviewer said that they had problems with some of the experiments not working right, or being too difficult for a kid, so far that has not been my experience. I guess it depends on what your expectations are, and how much effort you are willing to put in.

I would definitely recommend this book, it is very engaging and my son is still excited to try more things. He wanted to start at the front cover and do every project.

The illustrations in this book is great and the experiments look fun at first, that is until you actually try to do them.

First, you have to read carefully through the whole experiment and determine what items you need to gather to actually do the experiment. I wish they would have had a list of materials needed, like other books, so you can quickly determine which experiments you want to do without reading through each one.

Secondly, many of the experiments don't even give you specific measurements for ingredients. So many of the experiments didn't turn out simply because we didn't know the correct amount. Only after searching on the Internet for specific directions, were we able to finish the experiment. So why bother purchasing the book if I'm going to have to go through all that trouble?
Some of the experiments did not turn out as another reviewer mentioned. Even as an adult, I was frustrated.