Why do people need rivers? What causes rivers to flood? These are just a few of the questions answered by this fascinating introduction to rivers.
Minerals are chemicals that are the building blocks of rocks. Metals, crystals, and gemstones are all minerals found in rocks. This interesting book describes how to identify minerals, where they can be found, the rock cycle process, the uses of minerals, and how they are mined.
Rock collecting is a hobby that is easy to start. This engaging book describes how to dig, where you can and can't dig (restricted in national parks), the necessary equipment, how to identify rocks and gems, and the proper recording and storage of your collection.
What is the Rock Cycle describes the natural transformation of one type of rock into others. Beginning with igneous rocks made in volcanic eruptions, rock is weathered and eroded gradually to form a sediment. This sediment is then deposited and pressed into layers making sedimentary rocks. These in turn are transformed by heat and pressure into metamorphic rocks. Heat makes these melt into magma which, together with molten rock from the core of the Earth, make new igneous rocks.
It all starts with erosion for sedimentary rock. Worn down bits of rock become pressed together under pressure into strata, or layers. The formation of rock such as sandstone, shale, limestone, and dolomite is explained in this fact-filled book. Readers will also learn that this type of rock is useful in determining the Earths geological history because its layers often hold fossils and other geological clues.
Crystals are made up of minerals hardened into distinct shapes with regular repeating patterns. This informative book takes a look at the underground process that creates crystals, from sparkling quartz to ordinary salt, as well as where they are found and how they are mined.
This fascinating book explains how plants and animals become fossils, how they are extracted from excavation sites, and how paleontologists and geologists piece together Earth's history by studying these ancient clues.
Igneous rock has a dramatic beginningit requires red-hot volcanic activity. This fact-filled book explains how granite, lava, basalt, silica, quartz and feldspar are formed after hot, molten rock cools. Readers will also learn about volcanoes and tectonic plates, the minerals that make up igneous rocks, and the crystallization of rock material.
Who are we, really? We share traits with our parents, but our genetic makeup is unique. Each one of us is a one-and-only creation. Through colorful photos, diagrams, and text, you can learn about genetics. See how the simple pea plant taught us the rules of inheritance. Find out how our genetic code is unlocking the mystery of where we came from and our connections with all living things.
Heat, pressure and stress can also change some igneous or sedimentary rocks into other kinds of rocks. This fact-filled book describes the process that turns limestone into marble, shale into slate, and granite into gneiss. Metamorphic rocks are often used as materials for floors, roofs, and counter tops because of their beauty.
All life starts with a set of instructions that can turn basic cells into hearts, tails, flower petals, or toenails. DNA is the amazing code of life that is found in every organism. Through colorful photos, diagrams, and text, you can learn how DNA is passed from cell to cell, controlling growth and change in all living things. Find out how we can use the properties of DNA to save endangered animals and even to catch criminals!
From insects to elephants, every living thing on this planet is made up of cells, the tiny building blocks of plant and animal life. Each cell is alive-and each has work to do! What do cells look like? How do millions and billions of cells work together to form one plant, one animal, or one human being? Guided by colorful photos, diagrams, and text, you can take a closer look at the amazing world of cell science-and see what's next.
Mining People mine for coal, oil, minerals, and metals. These are used for energy and as raw products to make things. In various parts of North America there are huge areas rich in one or more of these natural resources. Gillette, in Wyoming, is the coal-mining capital of the USA. Nearby is the small community of Moorcroft. The community developed from an old wild west cattle-ranching center and is now largely based on oil and coal-mining. About 900 people live in the small town.
Trees were one of the first natural resources used by man. In North American, most native and early European settlements were set up near forests from where wood was harvested for firewood, building homes and boats, and for fortifying villages. Western Canada had, and continues to have, huge coniferous forests. McKenzie in British Columbia, Canada, is a community based on timber mills, timber supply and tourism. It has a population of 5,450 people.
This title looks at offshore fishing. Around the coast of much of North America, fishing stocks have greatly declined as a result of overfishing, pollution, and global warming. Nova Scotia, in the northeast of Canada, once had a huge fishing industry. In 1753, people from Germany, Switzerland, and France came from Europe to set up colony at Lunenburg on the coast. They soon set up a fishing and shipbuilding industry. The community grew until about 1980, when the fishing industry largely stopped. Since then, the community has had to reinvent itself. It is still largely based on the old industries, but tourism is as important. Lunenburg has a population of about 3500 people.
People first domesticated wild animals and plants more than 10,000 years ago. The first peoples of North America quickly learned to farm using hand- and animal-power. As technology developed, farming machines were invented. These helped develop farming in many regions of North America previously too difficult to cultivate. From 1840 to 1880, Wisconsin USA became the breadbasket of America, and crop- and livestock-farming developed quickly. The village of Monticello is famous for its dairy farming and cheese. The community is still largely based on this. It has a population of about 1,200 people and is the focus of this book about life in a farming community.
Children will love reading about these familiar rodents who are members of the squirrel family. Adorable images highlight this introduction to the basic chipmunk facts: parts of the body, where they live, how babies are raised, and their life cycles.Funny photographs of real baby chipmunks spelling, playing baseball, taking photographs, dressing for Halloween and Christmas, and kissing will make children squeal with laughter.
Close-up images of adorable raccoon kits, or babies, accompany the basic facts about these familiar mammals. Children will learn about the parts of the body, how babies are raised by their mothers after they are born, and how raccoons survive in forests, wetlands, and even cities.
Children will love learning about these cute members of the dog family. Easy-to-understand text and appealing photos show the different parts of a wolfs body, where wolves live, how babies are cared for by their mothers, and how they are raised in a pack, or family. A fun activity asks readers to identify which photos on the page are of wolves and which are not.
Children will be drawn to the adorable photos of these incredible endangered mammals. Young readers will be fascinated to learn about the five main families of lemurs, all of whom live on the island of Madagascar. Appealing text describes their habitat, physical characteristics, and how mothers raise their babies. A special section also features the dancing sifaka lemurs, known for theirentertainingway of moving from place to place.
Children will be delighted by images of these giant mammals of the Arctic. Fascinating text explains how a polar bears body is suited to living in an icy climate and swimming in freezing oceans. Young readers will learn how baby polar bears areraised by their mothers and how the melting of pack ice is threatening their way of life.
This fun book features delightful photographs of baby pigs, or piglets, growing up on the farm and in the wild. Children will learn about a pig's body, how a pig changes as it grows, and where wild pigs live.
Children will be delighted by the beautiful photographs of the amazing variety of species of foxes. Easy-to-understand text explains where foxes live and how babies are born and raised. Young readers will also learn why large ears on a fox can help beat the heat or help some locate insects to eat, and how brown fur in the summer and white fur in the winter helps protect some from predators.
Entertaining photographs of baby elephants playing, swimming, and rolling in mud highlight this introduction to elephants. Basic facts are briefly and simply explained including how calves are born, what their bodies are like, how they change as they grow, and what life is like in the herd.
Children will love reading about different breeds of rabbits and how they raise their babies. This captivating introduction features wonderful photographs of both wild and pet rabbits as well as facts about their bodies, where they live, and how they change as they grow.
