My Car ¦ My Drum ¦ My Magnet ¦ My Shell

If you're thinking about the science curriculum, and the ways children can start investigations using familiar objects, then take a look at 'Simple Science'. It really is simple - but strictly to the point. The children's activities fill about twenty pages of each book, followed by two pages of information which suggests ways to extend the activities and check that children are observing the relevant details. Headings such as 'sliding down slopes' or 'floating and sinking' relate to attainment targets but the material could also be developed in other directions.

My Car uses toy cars, wooden blocks and different surfaces to introduce friction, gravity and related concepts. The photographs show children with the materials and have a few words of text such as 'in dry sand my car gets stuck'. The teachers' pages provide additional information, such as the differing effects of wet and dry sand or rough and smooth surfaces.

My Magnet follows a similar pattern, mainly using a horseshoe magnet but also showing others. This time, the final pages suggest ways of comparing the different strengths of magnets, examining magnetic poles, and testing materials for magnetic reactions.

My Drum is concerned mainly with sound levels and vibration, and drums are made to examine these. My Shell looks at patterns and properties of sea shells, eggs, nuts and other examples.

All the books are clearly and colourfully illustrated with the children's text providing simple clues to appropriate observations.