By Copernicus Toys

Reviewed for Fourth Grade, 2013

Quirky Physics

The quirky physics props in this box are all seriously entertaining. Most are also examples of what science educators refer to as “discrepant events”—phenomena which don’t make immediate intuitive sense to kids, challenging young people’s assumptions about the physical world and how it works. Favorites include the rattleback (a top that appears to violate Newton’s laws) and the balancing bird, a classic toy that seemingly defies gravity while illustrating the important concept of center of mass. (Copernicus Toys, $13.86)