Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects

by Janice VanCleave

Overview

Let Janice VanCleave help you create your own winning scienceproject

Where can you find lots of interesting ideas?

How do you begin a project?

How can you create an eye-catching display?

What can you do to impress the judges?

Discover the answers to these and other questions in this completeguide to winning science fair projects. Learn how to develop atopic from any idea, and find out the best ways to create,assemble, and present projects—including special tips on how todisplay them. Try out some of Janice VanCleave's favoriteexperiments on topics from astronomy and biology to chemistry,math, and engineering. As you have fun completing theseexperiments, you'll be learning the secrets of science fairsuccess.

Praise for Janice VanCleave's books

"Stunningly clear, direct, and informative projects."—SchoolLibrary Journal

"[They] not only teach children the basics of science, but alsoentertain along the way . . . great for kids."—Parentguide

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471148029
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/06/1996
Series:	Science Fair Temp Series
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	8.55(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.48(d)
Lexile:	970L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

JANICE VANCLEAVE loves to teach kids about science. She's the award-winning author of more than 30 books, including the bestselling SCIENCE FOR EVERY KID and SPECTACULAR SCIENCE PROJECTS series.

Table of Contents

Partial table of contents:

A GUIDE TO SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS.

The Scientific Method.

Topic Research.

Project Research.

A Sample Project.

The Project Report.

The Display.

Presentation and Evaluation.

50 SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS.

Blackout (Astronomy).

Modified (Anatomy).

Climbers (Botany).

Light Seekers (Plant Behavior).

Nibblers (Ecology).

Boy or Girl (Genetics).

Bumpy (Microbiology).

Reflectors (Zoology).

Easy Flow (Geology).

Dew Drops (Meteorology).

Sun Dried (Oceanography).

Warm Up (Paleontology).

Lifter (Volcanology).

Collection (Mineralogy).

Supporters (Engineering).

Cleansing Power (Chemistry).

Attractive (Electricity).

Spool Racer (Energy).

Blowing Bubbles (Gravity).

Three Sided (Geometry).

Appendices.

Glossary.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 5-8The 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 sectionthe largest by farpresents 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

School Library Journal