This book is GREAT! It is filled with easy-to-do, fun experiments, many of which my 10 year-old homeschooler can do on his own. There are experiments in 5 different scientific areas of study which can easily be worked into the science programs - astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science and physics. My son looks forward to the days that we do the experiments from this book. It helps make science his favorite subject.

I checked this book out at the library for my kids and loved it so much, I bought it! Easy but facinating experiments with stuff you have around the house. I'm using it as part of my home school curriculum. My 1st and 3rd graders love it!

I bought this for my son who loves math and building things. We've only gone through four chapters so far, but we've had great fun identifying how many right angles there are in his room and folding a oragami whale. This book was a real treat for him. Parents of gifted children should dive into this whole series with their kids, and I think they're great for teaching any kid that math is fun!

Her books teaches geometry using hand-on activities for all grade levels which children love. It teaches form the basics of geometry to the advancements. Teachers and students will both find this book interesting

I got this book (and the others in the play and find out about series by Janice Vancleave) when I decided to start homeschooling my daughter. The 'experiments' in the book are very easy - generally you really do have the materials in your house (except for maybe the pipe cleaners). We have used it as a supplement to our Usborne books on Butterflies and Creepy Crawlies - just pick the section that has experiments related to the topic you are discussing. Great! Would be a great addition to the Sonlight Curriculum. And best of all the experiments are typically fun! The section on camouflaging was great - we played a hide-and-seek game with bugs we made from pipe cleaners (a bit hard for a 4 yr old though) and had Dad try to find them. It really made the concept understandable to her. It is a game she wants to play often now!

This is a wonderful book for anyone who is homeschooling or teaching using the thematic unit approach. The experiments are simple but effective. When the book says it is fun, it is not just a catchy phrase to sell books! I found it at my local library and am thrilled to have been introduced to Janice VanCleave's special approach to teaching.

My mom bought this book for me, and I was always begging to do more experiments. They're so easy and fun to do. This is a must have for kids who are doing science fair projects!

Any high school or junior high school student will want this book for science fair experiments and ideas. It takes you through the fascinating world of astronomy and all of it's mysteries, movements, and eccentricities. The best part is that each topic is accompanied with a sample experiment followed by questions and answers. You'll have great science fair success with this book!

recently i had to do a major science project; one that i had to turn in or else i wouldn't get a passing grade in the class. my teacher happened to have that book, and just by flipping through the book a couple of times, i knew what my project was going to be on. it gave me suggestions on how and why and what happened. it's a great book, and if n-e-1 needs a project, this is the book!

I really admire this interesting book.
It has not only inspired me but it has given me
the impression that this is the book that I would
like to put to use!

Janice VanCleave has done a marvelous job of taking a kid's natural curiosity, love for the outdoors and fascination with animals and combining them with great learning activities. I homeschool 4 children and when we received this book 5 years ago, even my youngest (who was then only 2) enjoyed participating in the experiments. Nearly all the experiments can readily be done with things you already have at home and the scientific explanations are clear enough that even a "science-challenged" mom can understand them. I would heartily recommend this resource for homeschooling parents, school science projects, or just plain rainy day fun!

I am never disappointed by a Janice VanCleave Book!

This book lends itself well to experimenting with earth science using the scientific method. It outlines the purpose, materials needed, procedure, results expected, and explanation of results for each experiment. Experiments are included in the areas of space, rocks and minerals, movement of the earth's crust, erosion, atmosphere, weather, and ocean. The best thing is that they use common, easy to obtain materials!

I use these books in my classroom a lot!

I first saw this book on sale at the Liberty Science Center and decided I could use it as a source of ideas to help me teach earthquake science. There are not a great deal of hands-on activities suggested by text books to help students relate to the ideas underpinning earthquake science. This book satisfies a void by suggesting many relevant experiements. I would have loved to receive this book as a gift when I was a student.