Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Quarto Publishing, via Edelweiss, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.
Summer is HERE!
And the I'm Boreds are soon to come!
So why not head 'em off at the pass, with a book of Summer fun, that actually teaches your kids, and keeps those minds working ALL Summer long?
Welcome your new bestie:
Synopsis:
Brain Lab for Kids is an interactive and hands-on book that takes readers on an exciting journey into the functions of the brain through enlightening experiments and creative activities.
Riding a bicycle, learning a new language, catching a ball, reading a book: these activities and everything else we see, hear, feel, and do are made possible by the soft, whitish-pink substance inside our heads called the brain.
And yet, we take for granted many of the amazing things our brain does for us. And so, Brain Lab for Kids offers 52 family-friendly activities, science experiments, and models to help us understand how the brain accomplishes all that it does.
Each lab in this book is divided into several sections. After the title of each lab, the approximate time it will take to do the experiment is listed. The “Methods” section provides a step-by-step guide of the procedures and materials you will need to complete the lab. The science behind an experiment is explained in the “What’s Going On” section. “Brain Facts” are interesting, fun, and perhaps surprising bits of trivia related to each lab. Finally, “Thinking Deeper” has suggestions that you can use to take each lab further.
The expanding field of brain science, also called neuroscience, offers the opportunity for all of us to learn about ourselves and others, and how we can better communicate, motivate, inspire and just plain collaborate together.
Review:
One of the topics up for study this year for Miss Grace is biology, looking into different aspects that she hasn't covered so far in her science classes, and looking at the brain is one of the areas she wants to cover! In fact, we bought a book about different brain facts 2 weeks before I was offered the chance to review this one! Fate, karma, or just really good timing, I'm sure the author could tell us!
Miss Grace has had a blast checking out this book so far. her favorite has been 'Make your own perfume'. We are saving some of the experiments for when she starts her lessons on the brain itself, but in the meantime, she's still LEARNING, as she's having fun! The topics covered include: neurons, brain, reflexes, taste, smell, vision, touch, hearing, sleep, body rhythm, and memory- essentially everything about your brain! As you can see, above,it is laid out similar to other 'lab' books from Quarto Publishing that we've reviewed before- which means it is VERY kid and parent friendly!
As a parent I love that it has need materials and TIME needed, right at the front, so you know immediately if you have materials/time for it. if not, you can move on and come back to it, after you do. As you can see, the instructions are very basic, and thanks to the included color photos, very easy for kids to follow along and complete by themselves (the book is aimed at kids grades 2-5, but I'd say grades 4-6 would love doing experiments alone the most, and get more from the added material).
As a homeschool teacher, I really appreciate the 'what is going on' section that explains what they are learning. I read that and then was able to point things out to her, as she did each experiment. Together we went over the 'thinking deeper' section, and it allowed me to see what she understood and kept. It also allows for logical and critical thinking, which some kids don't get much of anymore (homeschool kids tend to get an over abundance, as it tends to be a core skill we all teach non stop). The additional brain facts let kids learn more, and even glean a few facts to stump the adults with! LOL.
All in all this is a really FUN book, it's perfect for Summer brain drain abatement, for homeschool science experiments, and even for adding some STEM to your VBS this Summer! So be sure to check it out!
About the Author:
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D. is a research neuroscientist at the University of Washington with appointments in the Department of Bioengineering and Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine; he is also the Executive Director/Education Director at the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering. In addition to Eric’s basic research into the how the brain processes sensory information, Eric has worked with precollege students and teachers for more than 20 years to develop resources and materials to help people learn about the brain. In 1997, with support from the National Institutes of Health, Eric established “Neuroscience for Kids,” a website with information and interactive activities about neuroscience that can be used in the classroom or at home. Eric continues to expand the web site and develop new materials and programs. Dr. Chudler has received several awards for his education and outreach efforts as well
In addition to the creation of online materials, Eric has published several books, written articles, developed television programs (“BrainWorks”) and contributed chapters to help students, teachers and the general public understand neuroscience and brain research. Eric is currently working with middle school teachers on the “Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience” program that brings neuroscience and botany together in the classroom. Other neuroscience education efforts include coordinating the annual UW Brain Awareness Week Open House and working in India to teach Tibetan Buddhist monastics about neuroscience.
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