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Rating: 
Summary: Uncovering the "magic" behind simple optical illusions
Review: If kids saw "Sleepy Hollow," then they will probably remember Icabod Crane playing with the two sided picture of a bird and a cage. That is one of the 50 "Simple Optical Illusion Experiments with Everyday Materials" found in this book by Michael A. DiSpezio. The idea here is to uncover the "magic" behind optical illusions, but DiSpezio goes to pains to explain the science behind these experiments, such as why colors on a disc combine to create a white or light gray mix and why the lines on a ruler look to be different lengths even though they are the same one. DiSpezio divides his book into five main sections: (1) Sticking Around, looks at illusions of motion, which relates to persistence of vision and key frame images; (2) Eye Tricks, which are hardwired illusions, which take advantage of the way your visual system is put together; (3) Stretching the Truth covers distortions of length and size by playing with perspective; (4) Tilts, Twists, and Tospy-Turvies, what DiSpezio calls "Jumble of Bumble"; and (5) Fantastic Flat-Screen Phantoms, have to do with illusions of depth. Teachers will easily find a few choice experiments from any one of these categories that they can use in class to not only provide students with some fun activities, but to open them up to some interesting scientific principles. The illustrations by Frances Zweifel are technically competent, which matters in a "how to do it" type book such as this one. Still, most of these experiments are simple enough that teachers can easily talk their students through them.
Rating:
Summary: Uncovering the "magic" behind simple optical illusions
Review: If kids saw "Sleepy Hollow," then they will probably remember Icabod Crane playing with the two sided picture of a bird and a cage. That is one of the 50 "Simple Optical Illusion Experiments with Everyday Materials" found in this book by Michael A. DiSpezio. The idea here is to uncover the "magic" behind optical illusions, but DiSpezio goes to pains to explain the science behind these experiments, such as why colors on a disc combine to create a white or light gray mix and why the lines on a ruler look to be different lengths even though they are the same one. DiSpezio divides his book into five main sections: (1) Sticking Around, looks at illusions of motion, which relates to persistence of vision and key frame images; (2) Eye Tricks, which are hardwired illusions, which take advantage of the way your visual system is put together; (3) Stretching the Truth covers distortions of length and size by playing with perspective; (4) Tilts, Twists, and Tospy-Turvies, what DiSpezio calls "Jumble of Bumble"; and (5) Fantastic Flat-Screen Phantoms, have to do with illusions of depth. Teachers will easily find a few choice experiments from any one of these categories that they can use in class to not only provide students with some fun activities, but to open them up to some interesting scientific principles. The illustrations by Frances Zweifel are technically competent, which matters in a "how to do it" type book such as this one. Still, most of these experiments are simple enough that teachers can easily talk their students through them.
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