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Web Stats Since: 09/03/2009
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*TimeZone: Eastern TimeZoneHelp
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Contact Vicki Cobb directly: email@vickicobb.com phone: (914)949-1104; cell (914)500-5429
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Author Vicki Cobb

302 Pondside Drive
White Plains NY 10607
United States
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Contact: Vicki Cobb
Email: email@vickicobb.com
Phone: (914) 949-1104

Description:
Vicki Cobb is the author of more than 90 popular, award-winning science books for young people, including Science Experiments You Can Eat. With degrees from Barnard College and from Columbia Teachers College, Vicki Cobb enjoyed an early career as a science teacher. She now devotes all her time to writing and to speaking to teachers, children, and librarians all over the country

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Educator Comments:
Here's what one media specialist said aboout the We Dare You! Video Project:

This whole experience, first connecting with Vicki Cobb via video-conference, then meeting weekly for an after school science club has been exciting for our students, to say the very least. After Vicki and I discussed the idea initially, I went to third and fourth grade classrooms to promote the club to our students. The interest level was overwhelming. I think that our students would have jumped at the opportunity for an after-school science club, period--Kids love science experiments! But adding to the allure of this particular science club was the possibility of movie-stardom, and the opportunity to connect virtually with a "real, live, author." I had initially wanted to limit the group to about 12 students, to keep it manageable, but after receiving over 30 permission slips the very first morning, I decided to rethink this number. After all, a number of the students who signed up were those who didn't tend to express a whole lot of interest in school-related things, and I wasn't about to turn them away. So, we ended up with two science clubs, and a total of about 40 student participants.

The greatest thing about, We Dare You: Hundreds of Science Bets, Challenges, and Experiments You Can Do at Home, the text that is guiding our science club activities, is its user-friendliness. The experiments in this book are not hard or confusing or complicated. Rather they use mostly common materials that kids can find around the house. No special trips to the store required! Instructions are clear and, in many cases, are accompanied by an illustration. Kids not only learn how to do "tricks" that are sure to draw "oohs" and "aahs," but they learn the science behind it as well. After being wowed by a science trick, the natural response is to ask "why" and "how." This text provides those answers in a way that is accessible to students. Students who ordered their own copy were so excited upon their arrival. One girl, hugging her book tightly, said "I cannot wait to read this book. And I mean every page of this book."

The science is great and the filming aspect is cool as well. But what makes this opportunity truly special is that students feel very connected with the author. Video-conferencing technology has allowed them to speak with her "face to face" and when questions arise, she is no further than an e-mail away.

It is so fun to see students so excited and motivated by science and learning!

And here's what teachers and librarians say about Science That's Fun to Read and Teach:

- Already I have plans to incorporate more science into the library's story hours and school-age programming.
- I am planning programs utilizing the info and her books. I felt that the info provided was very clear in helping me to do this.
- I will add discovery of the natural world to develop programs and encourage children to keep asking questions!
- I love to use "science" experiments in my preschool story times, but I have been reluctant to actually explain the science concepts. Ms. Cobb's web seminar has taught me that I can successfully incorporate not only the fun experiments, but also the educational science as well - they are not too young!
- Science interest seems to be high in my town, so I may use them in a program in the spring.
- New ideas to incorporate into my library program "Mad Scientists". She also gave me quite a bit more confidence in my abilities to present science in a fun, hands-on way to kids at my library.
- Many children come to the branch I work at for personal homework help and for assistance with the Science Fair. I will be suggesting some of the simple experiments recommended by Vicki Cobb for the kids to utilize for their presentations.
- I will be planning to use some of the ideas in story times for the preschool age i.e. the wind ideas along with picture books that fit the theme, i.e. Who Took the Farmer's Hat, etc.
- I hope to be able to incorporate some of the things I learned into summer reading program next summer.
- I plan to present an after-school science program.
-For school-aged children in science programs during Summer Reading Program at our public library.

This information was last updated on: 07/07/2009