Hello everyone:

My DS8 has developed a thirst for knowledge in some new areas, and I'm hoping you can help me find some appropriate reading material.

He has been asking lots of chemistry- and physics-related questions for several months. Each answer to a question seems to bring up more questions -- and I only took h.s. physics and freshman college chem., so thank goodness for google.

Can you recommend any good books covering these subjects, including text books? He reads at about 9th grade level, so perhaps something designed for middle school? That discusses dark matter? What keeps sub-atomic particles together? What the difference is between an alloy, and a chemical bond (if I have the terminology right?)

If all else fails, a book that explains what causes explosive reactions?

I'm also looking for the following resources:
Books (on 8-9th grade level) on military history, especially medieval/renaissance era?

Thanks

bk

I have been trying to find time during the last year to teach my DD8 some chemistry. We bought a chemistry set but I was not happy with it. I found an introduction to Chemistry book at the book store that I have started working through with her when I have time. It is nothing that I would recommend. I have been looking for some material that teaches at a high level but is more accessible to a young visual-spatial child. Basically I want something with lots of good visuals and good practical hands-on applications. In general, the materials designed for kids do not take the information to a high enough level and the higher level material does not provide the hands-on applications for which I am looking.

Therefore, I have been looking at the basic concepts taught in chemistry and creating my own hands-on kid friendly activities to explain the concepts.

I found a great way to make molecular models using Magnetixs. I lined all the rods up and for each rod I mark one end with a "+" and the other with a "-". I marked the balls with the names of the common elements. With the balls and rods you can create the elements with the appropriate charges. Then you can create molecules with the elements which magnetically "form" bonds with each other. It also requires energy to break the bonds.

I searched and search for a good periodic table that provided the information I thought was important. I finally found one with combining capacities that I felt had everything I needed at this stage without the stuff that I didn't need.
http://members.shaw.ca/cpf99/Periodic-Table-Of-The-Elements-With-Capacity-PDF.pdf


I also found this fun periodic table that is great as an introduction to the periodic table.
http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/pages/pertable_fla.htm

Summer

Thanks Summer!

The second table does look fun.

We are really having the same problem as far as texts. If I find anything that seems to be what we are looking for, I'll report back.

bk

BK-

Around that age, my boys started enjoying Larry Gonick's Cartoon Histories and Guides. We have all of his history books (and they do contain some controversial bits, such as descriptions of Spartan warriors having sexual relations with young boys, so you may wish to preread or avoid for a few more years) and the cartoon guide to physics and chemistry. My daughter doesn't care for these books, but my boys eat them up.

I reviewed a periodic table book for kids recently. See here:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52723.asp

Old college textbooks can be fun to peruse too. If you don't have any, you can try asking for them on freecycle or at the local college. When required books are replaced with newer texts, the older books may just get tossed.

hth-

Lorel