2/1/05 Library Media Connection
This series seeks to make the concepts of elements and compounds understandable to elementary students. Each starts with a seemingly unrelated example to understand characteristics of elements: your friends are similar to as well as different from each other. Beginning with the basics of each element, including its chemical symbol, readers are introduced to the element's color, appearance, and other characteristics. Then compounds that include the elements are introduced. Calcium is part of Australia's Great Barrier Reef; it's part of seashells, which becomes limestone, which becomes marble. Calcium's importance in building strong bodies is shown through experiments and photos of healthy foods. Carbon is part of every living thing on earth; it is essential to life, as well as harmful to living things when it's part of poisonous pollutants. The carbon cycle and organic compounds are defined and shown photographically. Each book reviewed contains two well-defined experiments and a list of fun facts. Bibliography. Web sites. Glossary. Index. Recommended.