Energy Lab for Kids offers 40 discovery-filled and thought-provoking
energy projects by Emily Hawbaker, a science educator from the NEED
(National Energy Education Development) project--with a foreword by Liz
Lee Heinecke, author of Kitchen Science Lab for Kids. Using supplies
that you can find around the house or in the grocery store, these
exciting projects let you observe, explore, discover, and get
energized!
We hear about energy on the news, we use it every day, and sometimes
we're told we have too much of it. But what is energy--potential,
kinetic, chemical, radiant, and thermal? The lab activities in this book
will let you explore almost everything about energy--what it is, how
we find it, how we use it, and how we can save it.
Uniting this collection of science experiments for the kitchen,
backyard, or classroom is the goal to explore and discover real energy
solutions. The chapters cross all categories--from steam,
electricity, and chemical reactions, to water, solar,
and wind power--allowing kids to compare and test the different
sources and to discover their strengths and failings. Why is one source
of energy is more efficient for a one situation but not for another? Why
might two energy sources combined work better than a single source?
Which sources are renewable? Projects are geared to understanding
actual issues in the news today. With an emphasis on inventive
exploration, you'll discover that creativity leads to breakthroughs.
Learn about:
- chemical, radiant, and thermal energy by activating a glow stick
and watching it get brighter in hot water.
- viscosity by sucking soda and chocolate syrup up an "oil pipeline"
made from straws.
- solar energy by melting s'mores in a pizza box solar oven.
- wind power by lifting paperclips with a wind turbine made from a
cup, paper, tape, and straw.
- calories by burning cheese puffs (and other food) in a homemade
calorimeter.
The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books
that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of
topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to
create your own circus--all authored by established experts in their
fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear
step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished
samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a
yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are
open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different
results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are
enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge
on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.
