Earth, Water, Fire, and Air : Playful Explorations in the Four Elements

by Kraul, Walter

• ISBN13: 9780863154898
• ISBN10: 0863154891
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-01
• Publisher: Floris Books

Summary

This book encourages children's interest in the natural world by showing them how to make things such as a waterwheel, paddle-steamer, propeller plane, parachute, windmill, simple pendulum clock, spinning tops, a hot-air balloon and much more.All the activities make use of one of the four elements: earth, water, fire or air. Some are simple enough for a six-year-old; others are challenging enough for a twelve-year-old to enjoy.

Table of Contents

Introduction	9	(2)
Playing with Earth	11	(32)
Guessing weights	12	(1)
Domino downfall	13	(1)
The tumbler	13	(1)
The yo-yo	14	(1)
Tops	14	(2)
A Japanese top game	16	(1)
The Zaptarapp	16	(1)
The cotton-reel	17	(1)
The walking men	18	(1)
The acrobat on parallel bars	19	(1)
Ball-runs	19	(5)
Rolling eggs	24	(1)
The slide	24	(2)
The gravity-car	26	(1)
The somersaulter	27	(1)
The earth-moon game	28	(1)
Funiculars	28	(4)
Self-propelled cable-car	32	(1)
Clocks	33	(1)
The ball wheel	34	(1)
The ball see-saw	35	(2)
Concerning balance	37	(1)
Puzzles	38	(2)
The sand-wheel	40	(2)
A roundabout with a sledge	42	(1)
Playing with Water	43	(28)
Building dams and channels	44	(1)
Gutters and pipes	44	(2)
General remarks about water-wheels	46	(2)
A water-wheel made of box-wood	48	(1)
A water-wheel made of forked twigs	49	(1)
A wheel of bowls	50	(1)
The wheel with cones	51	(1)
The water-wheel with compartments	51	(2)
Making water-wheels work things	53	(3)
Bucket-wheels	56	(1)
Underwater-wheels	56	(1)
The `snipe'	57	(1)
Hydraulic power transmission	58	(1)
Submarines and fish	59	(1)
The water-demon	60	(1)
The diver	61	(1)
The ferry	61	(1)
Little boats	62	(2)
A paddle-steamer	64	(1)
A boat to sail against the current	64	(2)
A balloon boat	66	(1)
A water rocket	66	(1)
Floating stones	67	(2)
A vortex	69	(1)
The colour of water	69	(1)
A game of skill and patience	70	(1)
Playing with Fire	71	(14)
Experiments with candle-flame	72	(1)
The spiral	73	(1)
The hot-air roundabout	74	(2)
The shadow-roundabout	76	(1)
The hot-air balloon	77	(3)
The sun balloon	80	(1)
Bimetallic see-saw	80	(1)
The sounding pipe	81	(1)
Shadow games	81	(2)
Coloured shadows	83	(1)
The rainbow	84	(1)
Playing with Air	85	(30)
Blowing soap-bubbles	85	(1)
The air-balloon	86	(1)
Sounds from air	87	(1)
Humming wood	88	(1)
The humming button	88	(2)
Mobiles	90	(1)
Paper darts	90	(2)
The wind-ball	92	(1)
Parachutes	93	(1)
Helicopters	94	(1)
Wind-wheels and propellers	95	(3)
Horizontal wind-wheels	98	(3)
Weather-vanes	101	(2)
The running-wheel	103	(1)
Wind-driven bogeys	103	(2)
Kites	105	(1)
The boomerang	106	(1)
Sailing boats	106	(3)
Cable cars	109	(3)
And finally a game of skill	112	(3)
Conclusion	115	(1)
Picture credits	116