Janice VanCleave's Constellations for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Science Fun (Science for Every Kid...

Features

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Cover Type: Paperback with 256 pages
• Published by: Jossey-Bass July 15, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0471159794
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0471159797
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 12.6 ounces

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8. VanCleave turns her attention to the stars in this series entry. Each chapter begins with "What You Need to Know," followed by a "Let's Think It Through" example or two, and includes an activity (most commonly something to make) and several exercises with answers. Simple drawings and diagrams illustrate the various points and principles. After introducing some general concepts ("Night Lights," "Milky Way," "Sky Address," etc.), the author then focuses on a different constellation in each chapter. While ostensibly describing how to locate that constellation, she introduces an impressive array of topics and provides a variety of activities such as constructing an astrolabe and measuring azimuth and altitude, demonstrating precession, and simulating a dark nebula. On the whole, the presentation is clear if a bit dry. However, readers will need to pay careful attention and refer to the diagrams to follow some parts of the discussion. Students looking for the stories associated with constellation names will not find them here, but if they take the time to do the exercises and activities they will learn a great deal about observing stars. With its simple line drawings and "textbooky" format, Constellations probably will not attract browsers, but serious students and teachers will be well rewarded.?Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Where can you find Leo the lion?

How can you bring a constellation into your room?

What are the oldest stars?

How did the Milky Way Galaxy get its name?

Now you can explore the answers to these and other questions in Janice VanCleave's Constellations for Every Kid. Find the constellations Draco, Libra, Hydra, Hercules, and many more from your own backyard. Make a star disk that can track star movements. Find out what a balloon can tell us about stars. With activities like making an astronomer's flashlight and a shoebox planetarium, Janice VanCleave's Constellations for Every Kid will have you reaching for the stars.

Each of the activities begins with a statement of purpose, followed by a list of materials, step-by-step instructions, expected results, and an easy-to-understand explanation. Every activity has been pretested and can be performed safely and inexpensively at home or in the classroom.

Also available in this series from Janice VanCleave:

• ASTRONOMY FOR EVERY KID
• BIOLOGY FOR EVERY KID
• CHEMISTRY FOR EVERY KID
• DINOSAURS FOR EVERY KID
• EARTH SCIENCE FOR EVERY KID
• ECOLOGY FOR EVERY KID
• GEOGRAPHY FOR EVERY KID
• GEOMETRY FOR EVERY KID
• THE HUMAN BODY FOR EVERY KID
• MATH FOR EVERY KID
• OCEANS FOR EVERY KID
• PHYSICS FOR EVERY KID

Reader Reviews
Janice VanCleave's "Constellations For Every Kid" is one of the books I used to teach an astronomy unit to the boys I help homeschool. It is quite limited in its scope -- containing only the northern constellations and no complete star maps -- but is very useful for basic constellation identification. I used it mostly as a source of seasonal star maps for the boys to copy. It also helpfully identifies some key stars in various constellations, and provides tips for finding various constellations once the positions of others are known. However, this is about all the book is good for. The explanations of various phenomena are extremely limited, VanCleave provides none of the legends behind the constellations, and her suggested questions and activities are often impractical or pointless. (She also turned Saggitarius into some unholy thing she dubbed 'The Teapot.' Sheesh.) The book wavers between being a teacher's handbook and a student's textbook -- and fills neither purpose very well. In other words, don't buy it. Skim through it and take any useful activities and explanations, but don't be too disappointed if you come away with only a few ideas. Comment | | (Report this)