Eco Kids Self-Sufficiency Handbook: STEAM Projects to Help Kids Make a Difference (Happy Fox Books) 28 Fun Ways to Get Involved that Support Learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math

by Alan Bridgewater, Gill Bridgewater

Everyone's interested in becoming more green these days--why should kids miss out on the fun? By cleverly combining creativity with eco-awareness, this timely book encourages children aged 7-14 to put down their mobile devices and get involved. From building a wind turbine and a go-kart to creating light, growing vegetables, and making green gifts, Eco Kids Self Sufficiency Handbook offers a wide range of ways to capture the imagination and make a positive contribution to the world around us. Thirty exciting projects support integrated STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, art, math). With easy to follow step-by-step instructions and photographs, no project is too difficult for children to complete with adult supervision.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Shikara Walker]

Text-to-World Connection:
This informational book was one I pulled off the library self to use for my environmental rights project. It has loads of information on recycling, getting involved with keeping this planet healthy and clean, the importance of self-sufficiency and what it means to do so. The book is a great tool for the mini environmental activists out there! Recently there has been a surge of people sharing the importance of environmental rights and the most popular topic seems to be climate change and the clean air campaigns. While all are equally important, there are many things we can do that can make changes globally and not just for our neighborhood much like a project in the book that details how to build your own go-kart. Yes, you read that correctly! Of course that is not a solution but take a moment to imagine a world with less cars on the road and how that could benefit our lives on a global scale.

[B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The activities in this book would have been plausible in the late 80s-90s - namely the author's insistence that most of the materials can be acquired for free. I should know - that's how we made a giant playhouse in the back yard when I was a kid - what this book calls an "eco-den." There's a lot of pretentious nonsense like that. That being said - the projects in this book would cost 100s, if not thousands of dollars to complete on their own. So, while the idea is great in theory, it's not practical at all, at least, not any longer. Fun, cheap ideas for kiddos, my butt.
Other ideas are either not feasible due to geographic location, and for many won't be feasible due to zoning laws, hoas, or other similar considerations. This is one of those 'nice idea in theory, doesn't work at all in practice' books.