Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges : Hands-On Early-Learning Activities

Let's Try It Out

by Seymour Simon, Nicole Fauteux

What keeps trees from falling over? How do skyscrapers stand so tall? What makes a bridge strong? Let's try it out! Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges contains fun-filled activities that encourage young children to use familiar and safe objects found in their homes or classrooms to make observations about how things work. Whether building a sturdy tower of blocks, creating a solid foundation with clay, or making a paper bridge span short and long distances without falling down, children will have fun while they begin to learn important and basic science concepts. In this innovative series for young children, acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon and Nicole Fauteux encourage children to explore the world around them as they play. Each book contains tips for parents and caregivers on how to create positive learning experiences for even the littlest of scientists. Charming and lively illustrations by New York Times best-selling illustrator Doug Cushman ensure that the LET'S TRY IT OUT series is as much fun to look at as it is to try out! What keeps trees from falling over? How do skyscrapers stand so tall? What makes a bridge strong? Let's try it out! Let's Try It Out with Towers and Bridges contains fun-filled activities that encourage young children to use familiar and safe objects found in their homes or classrooms to make observations about how things work. Whether building a sturdy tower of blocks, creating a solid foundation with clay, or making a paper bridge span short and long distances without falling down, children will have fun while they begin to learn important and basic science concepts. In this innovative series for young children, acclaimed science writer Seymour Simon and Nicole Fauteux encourage children to explore the world around them as they play. Each book contains tips for parents and caregivers on how to create positive learning experiences for even the littlest of scientists. Charming and lively illustrations by New York Times best-selling illustrator Doug Cushman ensure that the LET'S TRY IT OUT series is as much fun to look at as it is to try out!

Genres: Science, Picture Books, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science:] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association).

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York, where he lives with his wife Liz Nealon.

You can follow Seymour on Facebook and on Twitter, as well as on his website, which offers free, downloadable Teacher Guides to his books for educators, parents and homeschoolers, as well as the popular Seymour Science Daily Blo

Reviews

[Esther May · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great resource for teaching pre-k kids about bridges. I liked all the ways you can try things to see how it works at home.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6-year-old son picked this up at the library, read it and brought it home; he refused to return it until we sat down and worked through the 'Let's try it out'-- which is most of what the book is about. You'll need paper, straws, clay or playdough, tape, scissors, wooden blocks for building, and some toy people and cars to do the activities in this book.
Because of the writing style, it's hard to stop in the middle of the process if you're only reading/doing this with one child, though 2 or more would probably get involved in each building step and want to do a lot of building in each fashion rather than progressing forward.
Would be fun to do with a class or club (cub scouts?) but be aware that there is a step involving dropping torn up pieces of paper on your building's roofs (so have a vacuum handy!).

[RC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for parents, educators, or librarians who want to introduce engineering concepts to young children (I'd suggest ages 4-7 or so) but aren't sure exactly how. The book has about ten activities that introduce a structure or idea (say, bridge), ask a question (how will moving the bridge's supports further apart change how much weight it will hold?) and encourages children to "try it out." This is a great way to introduce STEM concepts and inquiry-based science to kids who already like to build. The front of the book includes a list of supplies to gather for the activities, but most will be easy-to-find without going out to buy them. It will be easiest to use with individuals or small groups rather than an entire classroom at once.

[Mandy E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring challenges for curious little builders

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We had a great time learning and doing the building experiments in this book. The writing was just ok, but what my boys really enjoyed was putting the knowledge into action.