Junk Drawer Physics: 50 Awesome Experiments That Don't Cost a Thing [Paperback]

A children’s instructional book on how to use readily available materials to turn the house into a science lab

Physics teacher Bobby Mercer provides readers with more than 50 great hands-on experiments that can be performed for just pennies, or less. Turn a plastic cup into a pinhole camera using waxed paper, a rubber band, and a thumbtack. Build a swinging wave machine using a series of washers suspended on strings from a yardstick. Or construct your own planetarium from an empty potato chip canister, construction paper, scissors, and a pin. Each project has a materials list, detailed step-by-step instructions with illustrations, and a brief explanation of the scientific principle being demonstrated. Junk Drawer Physics also includes sidebars of fascinating physics facts, such as did you know the Eiffel Tower is six inches taller in summer than in winter because its steel structure expands in the heat? Educators and parents will find this title a handy resource to teach children about physics topics that include magnetism, electricity, force, motion, light, energy, sound, and more, and have fun at the same time.

It’s the perfect book for the curious kid 9 to 14 who enjoys learning by doing and loves investigating not only how things work but why they work.  With straightforward instructions, inexpensive and easy to find materials, plus photographs that illustrate key steps in each experiment, the book is definitely user friendly. The Science Behind It section sheds further light on each experiment and the science principles and terms it illustrates.  This is an excellent book to keep your fourth to eighth grader busy, engaged and learning throughout the summer, as well as any other time of year. —About.com Children's Books