Sean Connolly (1) (1956–)

This book is written by Sean Connolly and is a must have if you're a teacher! The book has a comic feel to it, with a certain "wickedness" and edge that would get younger kids super excited to learn about sconce. The book includes categorized experiments, with the materials a person may need. Additionally, the book goes into details about why the experiments work the way they do and what concepts we can cover based on them. The scientific explanation and rationale provided would help deepen student understanding about the concept being covered, while students are enabled to engage in meaningful play and interaction.… (meer)

I had originally requested this book in the hope that it would have great ideas for easy, quick experiments I could do at the library. That didn't turn out to be the case BUT I did discover that it was a fun, interesting book that sparked ideas for me in other ways.

The book has a unique and interesting arrangement; it's set up around the periodic table. So readers learn about the properties of, say, nitrogen, its history and uses, and then there's a section of experiments based around the element. 20 elements are discussed, from sodium to oxygen, and a final chapter tackles the more dangerous elements - radium, arsenic, etc.

The experiments are all fairly simple - using vinegar and fluoride rinse to test the enamel on an egg, growing crystals, or making a potato clock. They're things that a typical middle-class household could do in their kitchen. However, most of them aren't things that would work well in a library setting; they are messy, take multiple hours or days to complete, or don't translate well to multiple kids. So, using it in a STEM program at the library is out.

However, it's a great book for at-home experiments; full of humor, history, cartoons, and science. It also sparked a lot of great ideas for me to have science demonstrations at the library! I'm going to combine this with another book I've looked at, Mason Jar Science, collect jars, and periodically set up experiments on a display! The kids can come in and see how they are progressing and we'll post updates on Facebook. That's the plan anyways.

Verdict: A great addition to your science experiment books and full of fun ideas to inspire experimentation.

ISBN: 9780761180104; Published October 2018 by Workman; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library… (meer)