This addition to NSTA's very popular series of books is a must-have for teachers who wish to thoroughly understand the concepts of magnetism and electricity. Even teachers with strong physical science backgrounds will find the clear explanations and relevant examples in William Robertson's series invaluable as they share these topics with students.
The author begins by comparing electricity and magnetism, then discusses circuits. Each chapter summary is followed by a section on applications that makes the topics real for students by relating them to experiences they have heard about, seen in movies, or even experienced themselves. The last chapter wraps everything up with discussions about alternating current, generators, and transmission of power to home from power plants. The information presented in each of the seven chapters is arranged incrementally from the very basic to the more complex.
SciLinks codes throughout each chapter connect the reader to hundreds of science websites to extend learning, and numerous labeled diagrams enhance the explanations. A free virtual lab enables the learner to create circuits with interchangeable parts or just play and discover concepts without having to purchase equipment. Several simple activities, such as how to make an electroscope, are also provided, making the book practical not just as a reference but also as a source of classroom ideas. The book ends with a glossary and an index to the text and the diagrams.
Robertson's humorous style makes this book a pleasurable way to deepen one's content knowledge. I highly recommend this excellent book for classroom teachers who want to be better prepared to teach the topics of electricity and magnetism.