Under The Microscope

UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE, BOOK 2, by Dewsnip, Oliver & Whitley; Longman Paul 1990; 360 pages; $39.95

This volume, by the heads of science at Waiuku College, contains what fourth-formers want to know -- how to make a battery, how not to get pregnant -- written at a fourth form reading level with lots of illustrations.

There are some minor criticisms -- the blue text provided for copying by students is a muddle of facts, orders and word puzzles. The "news clippings" are written badly enough to be genuine, but have no attributed sources and attract little comment. The photo captions are minimal.

However, there are some excellent features which offset the above: the cartoon possums whose discourse ligthens the text, Maori legends with a good scientific basis, later units which reinforce the earlier sections, the low reading age and the range of topics covered.

I'm using the book as remedial reading and remedial science for a new fifth former.

Ken McAllister