A great science activity book to keep kids entertained in the warmer months!
Summer is nearly here and with the warmer weather comes playing in the dirt. Whether the kids are getting out their toy cars and making tracks through the mud or they’re dreaming of starting a marigold garden, now’s the time to get them learning about the importance of dirt.
The Dirt on Dirt by Paulette Bourgeois (Kids Can Press, ISBN 978-1-55453-101-1) is a great resource to get kids thinking about dirt between their toes and under their feet. Written for ages 8 to 12, kids will get to learn the science of dirt and why dirt is important while doing fun activities such as growing a pole bean hideaway.
Getting Dirty
Ever wonder how soap gets rid of dirt? The Dirt on Dirt starts off with every parent’s nightmare: a dirty kid. Find out how people get dirty and how soap is able to wash away the dirt. Of course, an elephant doesn’t want a soap and water bath. It’s one of the many animals that actually takes mud baths!
Getting Closer to Dirt
What’s dirt made of? Discover how dirt is made of many organic and inorganic materials. Dirt is also different from place to place. In some places, the dirt is dark and rich, perfect for farming. Drive 30 minutes away, and the dirt may be too sandy or rocky for farming.
There are interesting bits of our history in dirt. Archaeologists have found old settlements, pottery shards, and even tombs by carefully digging in the dirt.
What else is under our feet? Long buried garbage, bones, fossils, and, yes, even long lost pirate treasures.
Dirty Activities
The Dirt on Dirt is filled with fun activities involving the study and use of dirt. Kids will get to take a closer look at the dirt in the garden and try to identify the materials in it. They’ll also get to bake a tasty mud cake and preserve a footprint in the mud.
At the end of the book, kids will find out how to grow a rainforest in a bottle and grow a hideaway using 6 poles and a packet of pole beans.
Educational and Fun
The Dirt on Dirt makes readers want to head outside and get dirty. The science, mixed with interesting facts, is easily related to every day life, without any of the scientific big terms that sometimes seem intimidating to kids. The activites are easy to do and the projects produce results. This is a great book for the home, home schooling environment, and the classroom!
