study into an engaging look at several after-school science programs that have turned into community-building experiences. The stories show how giving youth power over what and how they learn transforms them from students who “can’t do science” to ex- cited designers and builders of projects (picnic tables, a butterfly garden, play structures). This is an excellent profes- sional development resource for any educator striving to make a science program relevant and meaningful to a diverse group of students at any level. – (KG)
Teachers College Press, 2003, ISBN 0-8077-4383-6, 197 pp., US$24.95 plus $5.25 s&h from Teachers College Press, (800) 575-6566, <www.teacherscollegepr
ess.com>.
Practical Science for
Gardeners Ever wonder why compost piles get hot or how plants grow towards light? If so, Mary Pratt’s Practi- cal Science for
Gardeners would be a great resource to have on your shelf. Believing that understanding the science of plant growth can make us better gardeners, Pratt gives scientific explanations of the chemistry and biology of soil com- position, plant structure and growth, and pest defenses, along with practical tips worthy of a master gardener. Al- though she warns us not to get scared off by the simple science, much of the information, as well as the diagrams and charts, would be best suited for use with a high school chemistry or biology class or as background reading that help teachers to prepare lessons. – (KG)
Timber Press, 2005, ISBN 0-88192-718-X (hc), 176 pp., US$24.95 from Timber Press, (800) 327-5680, <
www.timberpress.com>.
Animal
Architects From the intri- cate beauty of spiders’ webs to the cozy under- ground chambers of prairie dogs, John Nicholson’s
Animal Architects introduces children ages 8 and up to the fascinating world
of animal shelter building. The book’s five chapters classify animal archi- tects into the categories of Nomads, Diggers, Weavers, Bricklayers and Carpenters, with each chapter pro- viding several examples of selected animals’ building designs and tech- niques, as well as glimpses of the adaptive advantages of some of these structures (e.g., temperature control, escape from predators). Because the text and illustrations focus on the animals’ creations, we do not always learn where on the planet each of them lives or what the animal looks like. In addition, the book would be more compelling if it included illustrations showing the construction processes. Overall, it is a worthwhile book, but teachers would want to supplement it with resources about the building behavior and ecology of local species. – (SK/TG)
Allen & Unwin, 2003, ISBN 1-86508- 955-9, 32 pp., US$15.95 from Indepen- dent Publishers Group, (800) 888-4741, <
www.ipgbook.com>.
Nature’s Operating Instructions This is the most hopeful book I have read in a long time. A “reader on so- cial disturbance ecology,” it contains 26 essays on technologies that mimic natural systems, drawn from presenta- tions at the annual Bioneers Conference. Edi- tor Ken Ausubel has organized the essays into sections that
delve into biomimicry and its capacity to heal the land; ecology/anthropology and what these disciplines can teach us about making the land more naturally productive; the perils and problems of genetic engineering; the merg- ing of biology and business in ways that are good for the Earth; and the values of true spirituality and ethno- biodiversity. Practical visionaries like Janine Benyus, Malcolm Margolin and Amory Lovins are among the writers. The book is at its best when it deals with specific technologies and gives examples of cost-effective bio-in- novations that have actually left the Earth a better place. Imagine taking a reeking pile of contaminated soil, inoculating it with spores, and coming back to find only a crop of mushrooms
GREEN TEACHER 83
and a pile of useful compost. If we just ask ourselves,What would nature do here?, and implement the answers as best we can, the Earth will have a fighting chance. – (AC)
Sierra Club Books, 2004, ISBN 1-57805- 099-5, 236 pp., US$16.95, from the Cali- fornia Princeton Fulfillment Services, (800) 777-4726, <
www.sierraclub.org/books>.
Biodiesel
Power With increasing public interest in alternative energy sources, books such as Lyle Estill’s Biodiesel Power: The pas- sion, the people,
and the politics of the next renewable fuel are important sources of informa- tion and expertise. Estill’s narrative combines informative postings from an Energy Blog that he created for community college students with a chronicle of the experiments of a group of committed individuals as they go from making biodiesel in a blender in Estill’s yard to producing it on a commercial scale in North Caro- lina. Anecdotal and often humorous, Estill’s account also deals with the political and economic challenges of developing an alternative fuel source. This book would be an inspirational read for any high school student or teacher interested in the development of the biodiesel movement in North America. – (KG)
New Society Publishers, 2005, ISBN 0- 86571-541-6, 272 pp., C$19.95/US$16.95, (800) 567-6772, <
www.newsociety.com>.
Let’s Get
Going! Whether you are visiting a museum, a farmer’s mar- ket or a nature center, Candace Weisner’s Let’s
Get Going: The step-by-step guide to successful outings with children will turn any excursion into an educational experience. For each of 12 selected destinations, she outlines activities that kids of different ages (2-5 and 6- 10) can do before the trip, on the ride there, and during and after the visit. Covering all the bases, she includes practical cost-saving tips, pre-trip
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