Junkyard Science

by Karen Romano Young, David Goldin (Illustrator)

Pull on your gloves and experience the science of trashology! It’s all about the stuff that’s thrown away: analyzing the waste produced by your school’s cafeteria, understanding the decomposition rates of garbage bags, comparing the cost effectiveness of one-use batteries versus rechargeables. This book is peppered with enlightening extras and humorous asides, such as background stories from expert "trashologists." Plus, kids get tips on how to rock the science fair.

National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.
Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information. 

80 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2010

About the author

Karen Romano Young is the author of young adult novels as well as nonfiction books and magazine articles. Although Small Worlds: Maps and Mapmaking is her first book for Scholastic, she has contributed to Scholastic magazines for the past twenty years. Her other credits include Cricket, National Geographic World, and The Guinness Book of World Records.

Member: Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Authors Guild, National Marine Educators Association.

Honors Awards: Smithsonian Best Book Award, and Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Gold Medal, both 2002, both for Small Worlds: Maps and Mapmaking.

Reviews

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle-grade science fair projects and similar medium-scale experiments with recycling or environmental themes. Some of the text looks hastily put-together, and the color scheme was difficult on my adult eyes and patience.