30-Minute Rainy Day Science Projects (30-Minute Makers)

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Why not build a paper rocket?

Detailed, step-by-step instructions and photos make these projects fast, easy, and fun! The activities in this book use common items from around the house and keep readers learning while they're busy having fun!

Projects include:

• Cipher
• Kazoo
• Thaumatrope
• Ear trumpet
• Foil ship
• Paper rocket
• Cardboard scissor lift
• Color experiment
• Disk siren

Gr 2-5-Simple instructions, well laid out and illustrated, make the eight to 10 projects in each of these books attainable and interesting. Most include two components: setup or construction and running the experiment. While all of the projects can be completed in 30 minutes, many can be extended by altering variables and running additional trials. This offers excellent scientific method practice. There's lots of timing, measuring, observation, and comparison of results. Materials are drawn from on-hand items, with a few special purchases needed-citric acid, black light, borax, and activated carbon. Some procedures are fairly exacting, and some require real dexterity. This is not necessarily bad, just something to note. Check the table of contents before buying; many projects may appear in books you already own. Online content, accessed via QR codes, includes links to supplies, related media, careers, and some truly wonderful next-level projects. VERDICT A good choice if your project books need refreshing.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.