Perhaps the most frustrating experience for a teacher is facing a room full of kids who share a significant misconception. The misconception may even have been learned from an educator who was well intentioned but not well informed. Unfortunately, few preparation programs seem to provide all the science content background teachers need. That is precisely where the Stop Faking It! books come in.
This 107-page book is the fourth installment in the series designed to support core science concepts. This book centers on sound---how it is produced, transmitted, and how the ideas are applied. The focus on a single topic is refreshing, and limiting the scope of the core ideas helps to give the reader depth of understanding. The author presents the basic concepts in an entertaining fashion with plenty of interesting applications.
Stop Faking It! books model the way exceptional curricula should be presented---with limited breadth, significant depth, and tightly focused activities. The science is accurate and understandable. Appropriate mathematics is explained with surprising focus and accessibility. The illustrations are cartoonish, but they do help clearly illustrate the activity set up. The glossary is not as rich as other books in this same category, but that does not detract from the richness of this volume.
There are few other books that tackle this subject in such a useful way. The accurate science and the engaging writing style place this book high on my recommended list.