The Value of Science Projects Science projects are an especially effective way of teaching students about the world around them. Whether conducted in the classroom or for a science fair, science projects can help develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. In a classroom setting, science projects offer a way for teachers to put “action” into the lessons. The students have fun while they’re learning important knowledge and skills. And the teacher often learns with the students, experiencing excitement with each new discovery. Science projects are generally of two types: non-experimental and experimental. Non-experimental projects usually reflect what the student has read or heard about in an area of science. By creating displays or collections of scientific information or demonstrating certain natural phenomena, the student goes through a process similar to a library research report or a meta-analysis in any other subject. Projects of this type may be appropriate for some students at a very early level, but they usually do not provide the experiences that develop problem-solving skills related to the scientific process. On the other hand, experimental projects pose a question, or hypothesis, which is then answered by doing an experiment or by modeling a phenomenon. The question doesn’t have to be something never before answered by scientist—that is not necessary to conduct original research. The process of picking a topic, designing an experiment, and recording and analyzing data is what’s important.

This expanded fourth edition defines and cross-references 9,040 homophones and 2,133 homographs (up from 7,870 and 1,554 in the 3rd ed.). As the most comprehensive compilation of American homophones (words that sound alike) and homographs (look-alikes), this latest edition serves well where even the most modern spell-checkers and word processors fail--although rain, reign, and rein may be spelled correctly, the context in which these words may appropriately be used is not obvious to a computer.

This cultural journey down memory lane showcases how major Western figures, events, and places have been portrayed in folk legends, art, literature, and popular culture. Ever since the days of the 49ers and George Armstrong Custer, the Old West has been America's most potent source of legend. But it is sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction. Did you know, for example, that Annie Oakley was a talented marksman who shot an estimated 40,000 rounds per year while practicing and performing for Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show in the late l800s? Or that many interpreters believe that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not just a fairy tale, but also a Populist allegory? These are just two of the folk legends dissected and examined in this veritable cultural geography. The volume covers everything from billionaire Howard Hughes and composer Aaron Copeland to Aztlan (the legendary first city of the Aztecs) and Area 51, the top-secret U.S. Air Force base at Groom Lake, Nevada, that has fascinated UFO and conspiracy buffs.

Give me a hand . . . hold your tongue . . . scream your lungs out . . . what's a kid to do if he wants to keep all his body parts in place? Well, one thing is for sure, he'll have to be creative. Like, if you want to keep your heart from breaking, just make sure it's well padded and protected by tying a pillow around your chest. Want to keep your hands attached? Simple-stick them on with gloves and lots of glue. Just be careful not to laugh your head off!

Accounts of all known fatal mishaps in Yosemite National Park.

Reviews of the first edition: The best roster of these phenomena--Wilson Library Bulletin; a good choice for any library--RQ. Now greatly expanded, the second edition includes over 7,000 (up from 3,500) homophones (words that sound alike) and over 1,400 (up from 600) homographs (look-alikes). Words are defined and cross referenced.