Simple Machines »

Deborah Hodge is a former educational consultant and curriculum designer and the author of the Kids Can Press Wildlife series. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Hands-on science activities help kids explore how simple machines work in this title from the Starting with Science series.

Children's Literature

Despite what you may remember from your own childhood, physics can be fun. And you don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get the point across either. In fact, if you've got some thick books, empty milk cartons, thread, scissors, tape, boards, marbles, eggs, and a few other things around the house, you can set up your own fully-stocked science lab in a jiffy. Easy-to-follow directions immediately engage kids in learning how levers, gears, wheels, pulleys, screws, and wedges work. There's a more adult explanation of each experiment in the back of the book as well as a brief glossary of terms covered. A great addition for any early grade school science class.