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Posts Tagged ‘books’

Candy Experiments

Monday, October 14th, 2013

Need a way to get rid of that trick-or-treating candy? Just squash it. Squash it to learn about air pressure or the molecular structure that is.

Loralee Leavitt’s book Candy Experiments is a great science activity book for kids. Leavitt uses candy as the subject to study a variety of scientific principles. This journey began when Leavitt’s four year-old daughter was sorting through her Halloween candy and asked, “What would happen if I put these Nerds in water?” This simple question gave birth to the website Candy Experiments, where many of the book’s activities come from.

The book is separated into nine segments; Secret Ingredients, Color, Sink and Float, Blow It Up, Squash It, Hot and Cold, Dissolve This, Crystals, and Sticky, so that your child can explore all the possible facets of the candy. With 70 different experiments, the book can be used throughout the year, and is applicable to Valentine’s and Easter treats. The book is also very visually engaging with bright, glossy pages and photographs of the various chemical reactions and transformations.

Not only is Candy Experiments a great way to find a healthy alternative to gorging on Halloween candy bars, but the book also makes science fun and accessible. It is important to engage your child in science from a young age. According to Students First, in an assessment by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the U.S. placed 21st out of 30 countries in science performance. The study of science not only develops critical thinking skills and sparks interest in possible career paths, but children with a grasp on science will be better equipped to find solutions to the environmental problems we face. So encourage your child to discover how Pixi Sticks cool water with an endothermic reaction, that knowledge might just help them later in life (and get rid of some of that Halloween candy).

Candy Experiments has been featured in publications like Parents, Mothering, and kidshealth.org. Leavitt also regularly performs these experiments at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC, and is currently raising funds for the next Festival in April, 2014.

Still want to know what happens when you put Nerds in water? You’ll just have to read Candy Experiments to find out!

Warning: This book will induce candy cravings.  For some feel-good candy options, check out our twitter party tips and Candy Cheat Sheet.

To learn more about Candy Experiments check them out at facebook.com/loraleeleavittauthor or Twitter @candyexperiment

For book recommendations follow us on Facebook facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

A Wicked Good Read

Saturday, September 21st, 2013

As school is back in session, there are a lot more reading assignments to do. Your little scholar might have to trudge through a few different novels, textbooks, and workbooks. It’s tough stuff! What better way to help them through it than by having a little book-themed fun with a Halloween twist? These scary origami bookmarks are a roar! You can make a whole family of paper creatures. Use scrap paper, old newspapers, or magazines to make this more eco-friendly

Find the instruction here at the blog CT Baker in the Acres. She gives great pictures of the step-by-step process.

Check out this list of inspiring “green reads.” However, The Secret Garden will always be the book that inspired by love of nature.

So this weekend, dig through some scrap paper, fold up a new friend, and plop down with some of that school reading.

For more creepy crafts  follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween