Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects (Paperback)

by Janice VanCleave (Author) "So you're going to do a science fair project..." (more)
Key Phrases: unattached earlobes, putty rock, shaking energy, Science Fair Hint, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
cases for science detectives Science teachers and curious students looking for new projects may want to experiment with two new titles. Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects by Janice VanCleave offers ideas for selecting a topic, doing research, making a display and presenting the project. The suggested projects span a range of categories from astronomy to genetics, geology to engineering. With Bubble Monster: And Other Science Fun, by John Falk, Robert Pruitt II, Kristi Rosenberg and Tali Katz, younger children can also learn about scientific principles. Simple materials like graham crackers (to make "Graham Cracker Castles" with peanut butter mortar) and tin cans (to make play telephones) help teach about patterns, the human body, design and technology and more. Cartoon illustrations depict the experiments.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8. The focus here is on the all-important SCIENCE FAIR, a bugaboo to many children and most parents. In the first section, VanCleave discusses scientific methodology: how to organize a project from selecting a topic through the investigatory process, the importance of keeping records, writing a final report, and the value of a nicely crafted presentation. As there are a number of science-fair projects books and collections of experiments available (many by VanCleave herself), this first section could be the most important part for novice and unseasoned science fair participants. The author also presents a sample project to give readers an idea of what their own final product might resemble. The writing is readable and understandable, and even amusing at times. Unfortunately, many overeager or let's-get-this-over-with young experimenters (and their parents) will fail to take the time necessary to absorb the pointers (and may be disappointed with the tepid reception of their not-so-professional-looking results). The next section?the largest by far?presents a number of double-page projects in a variety of fields. They range from a simple display of a mineral/rock collection to the more complex procedure of determining the odds of chromosome combinations to produce male/female babies. All in all, a clear and informative addition.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Later Printing edition (December 6, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471148024
• ISBN-13: 978-0471148029
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #648,351 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great guide book!, November 5, 1999

By A Customer

This book is REALLY good. Though it doesn't list but 50 ideas, it's great for information on the science fair project "process". Her book is divided into two parts. Part I is the process on how to organize and present your project. How to research for it, how to set up your display, where to categorize your project and so forth. Part II has project ideas with details on how to do it. She basically says to choose a topic, ask yourself "I wonder...". Her 50 "I wonder" ideas are in Part II.

While her ideas are good, I would've liked to have seen more variety, or a good list of "I wonder..." questions without all the details. Just to jump start more ideas. Like a list of 100 questions to ask yourself or something similar. The 50 ideas are great, but it needs more. A good list of questions would've made this book a 5 star.

If you're looking for a guide on how to DO a project, this book is for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Nowhere NEAR what I expected!!!!!, December 23, 2002

By	"shibbysammie" (Ft. Worth,Texas) - See all my reviews

I bought this book in hopes of finding a good science fair project that could "bring home the gold." But all that I found was a kids science book that showed you what happened to fruit-flies in the light and other stupid stuff like that. It was nowhere near what I expected in such a highly reffered book. If you are looking for a good science project for someone above the age of 10 I would not recomend this book!

~SammieG~ -shibby!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible, These are NOT the "Best" Science Fair Projects!, November 12, 2001

By A Customer

I picked up this book for my son in 6th grade after reading so many glorifying reviews about Van Cleave's books and the fact that she has so many books out there. Boy were we ever disappointed! These are not "science fair projects" that a student can use for doing a science fair project in grades 5 and up, rather, they are trite projects for little grade school children or kindergarteners. How can a project that asks the question "what are the parts of a fingernail" and for materials required lists only a magnifying glass for the so-called experiment which is consists of a student holding the magnifying glass over his/her fingernail to observe, how can this possibly be a "best" science fair project? How can this be any science fair project at all? Where is the hypothesis, what is the real experiment, how could a student enter this in a science fair? Don't waste your time with this one, I returned it for a refund.