LATEST SCIENCE BOOK BEING USED TO GET YOUNGSTERS INTERESTED

Hello readers. We thought you might like to see a novel review of one of Keith's latest books, SCHOOLBOY SCIENCE REMEMBERED. This was published in the Whitby Gazette on 3rd February 2012.

Lab man’s

rocket

science

lunch club

A CAEDMON lab technician decided

that the best way to review a new

science book would be for him to

conduct a series of experiments, with

the aid of some pupils.

Roger Hartley runs the Caedmon

Science Club at lunchtimes and said

that bringing the textbook alive by

conducting such experiments would

be a great way for children to get

enthused about science.

He added: “Practical work in science

is probably more important now

than it’s ever been. It’s what’s going

to enthuse them so they go on to

become scientists. Seeing something

go flash-bang is really what captures

their imagination.”

Using an experiment from the book,

Mr Hartley showed the children how

to make batteries using just twopence

coins, kitchen foil and some

vinegar.

Mr Hartley started the science club

to prove that rocket science does not

have to be impossible and he proved

this by showing the children basic

chemistry experiments, such as firing

fizzy pop bottles across the classroom.

Schoolboy Science Remembered

is a new book by Dr Keith Souter and

Mr Hartley has reviewed it for the

Gazette.

He said: “Dr Souter writes with an

easy style that veils the subject’s

complexity.

“His heroes, the old chemistry

teacher Prang, Sherlock Holmes and

Patrick Moore help lead us from one

discovery to another.

“With their help we find our way

from “The Kitchen Laboratory” to the

quantum theory, we pass through

cooking chemistry, many good “Eggsperiments”,

atomic theory and the

periodic table, acids and alkalis, and

DNA to name but a few.

“This book is so much more than

a list of tricks, experiments and illusions;

it would give any reader a good

grounding in basic science. So much

so that chapters such as “Magnetism

and Electricity” could have come

straight out of the year 7 curriculum.

“If I had owned this book at the age

of 12 I would undoubtedly have been

banished to the shed at the end of

the yard and I would have loved every

minute of it.”

Schoolboy Science Remembered is

published by Pen and Sword Books

for £14.99.