Did you know that a Saguaro cactus can live for more than 200 years and grow as tall as 50 feet (15 meters)? Readers will discover how these desert giants are used for shelter by animals such as woodpeckers and owls, and provide food for animals such as bats and other small mammals. This captivating title provides a close-up look at the plants and animals that live in and around the Saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert.
One of the biggest adaptations made by some animals is to live and work together as a group to ensure their survival. This intriguing book shows how social animals communicate and interact with members of their own species. Elephants, dolphins and orcas, monkeys, apes, lions, and wolves, educate their young, work together to find food, and take care of their group members. Smaller animals that work together in microsocieties include termites, ants, bees, and wasps. Students will have fun comparing their own social groups to those found in nature. Fascinating photographs accompany thought-provoking questions and activities.
As we reflect in 2016 on the 30th anniversary of the Shuttle Challenger tragedy, it is fitting that we remind ourselves why all of these brave and daring pioneers go into space. From the first unmanned spacecraft to the planned mission to Mars in 2030, this awesome book celebrates the milestone achievements of space travel, the agonizing - but no less important - failures, and the pioneers who made it happen - sometimes giving their lives to do it.
From croaking frogs and quacking ducks to floating lily pads and buzzing dragonflies, ponds are bursting with life. Dynamic photographs and descriptive text help budding young scientists discover the plants and animals that live in these freshwater ecosystems.
Tide pools form from water left on rocky shores when the tide withdraws. From seaweed and sea snails to shore crabs and seabirds, readers will discover some of the plants and animals that live in and around these ever-changing ecosystems.
Vibrant photographs and descriptive text guide readers on an underwater journey through coastal waters to explore coral reefs. Home to more than one million kinds of plants, fish, and other ocean life, readers will discover how living things meet their needs for shelter, food, and more in this dynamic ecosystem.
When tanks roared onto the battlefield for the first time in World War I, these mechanical beasts changed how battles were fought and how wars were won. Tanks at War looks at the history of tanks, the always-changing technology of weaponry and armor, and how tactics for the use of tanks in battle have changed from a hundred years ago to modern conflicts today. Read about new technologies in the works for the future including robotic tanks and invisibility cloaking devices.
Wild animals are facing huge challenges in the natural world today. Many are endangered - some critically. This eye-opening book shows how animals are being threatened by habitat loss, climate change, non-native species taking over their habitats, pollution, over-fishing, poaching, collisions with cars and boats, and human diseases. Many recovery efforts are in progress to bring back the populations of some nearly extinct animals and to reintroduce some captive ones to their natural habitats. Readers will learn how scientists are working to save blue iguanas in the Cayman Islands, black-footed ferrets in the Canadian prairies, penguins and albatross in Patagonia, and great apes in Africa. This engaging book also encourages students to compare their life challenges to those of animals in the wild.
This fascinating book, illustrated with colorful photographs, makes the topic of symbiosis easy and fun. It looks at the positive, negative, and neutral effects that result when different kinds of animals interact with each other. Symbiotic relationships highlighted include birds and fish that clean parasites off other animals, bacteria that help keep animals and people healthy, mosquitoes that pass diseases such as malaria, predators that hunt prey, and scavengers that help clean the earth. Other examples of symbiotic relationships include several kinds of animals. Students are asked to illustrate symbiosis in human relationships that are similar to those found in nature.
Foxes, rabbits, mongooses, rats, starlings, turtles, Burmese pythons, and Asian carp are just a few of the invasive animals introduced by people into countries and ecosystems to which they do not belong. This important book describes how these animals are destroying habitats and endangering the lives of native animals, some of which have been brought close to extinction. Students will learn how some arrived accidentally on boats, while others were brought in by people, to be used either as a form of pest control on farms, for hunting or hobbies, or as pets that sometimes get abandoned in the wild by owners. Many native animals, such as raccoons, squirrels, and coyotes have also become invaders in cities, back yards, and homes. Students can research invasive species in their areas and help find ways to stop these wild invaders from taking over the natural habitat.
Why are the first years of learning so important? What happens at puberty, and how is it different for boys and girls? Your Growing Body and Remarkable Reproductive System is a frank and sensitive journey through the body's developmental stages: how we are born, grow, and age. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
Travel back in time to the big bang, and learn about the formation of the universe. Explore the baffling world of black holes, and find out how scientists are searching for alien life. Discover the strangest sights of the universe, from quirky quasars to clouds that smell like raspberries.
Students will love learning about the way of life of polar bears and the challenges they face as babies and adults. An exciting narrative format supported by fun facts, questions, and activities, tells the story of two polar bear cubs born in a den dug by their mother deep under the winter snow of the Arctic. The cubs snuggle up to their mother to drink her milk and keep warm. In spring, the mother and cubs emerge from the den and face the challenges of moving onto sea ice, where the hungry mother hunts for seals to eat. The cubs are given hunting lessons and have their first taste of seal. They ride on their mother’s back in the ocean, wrestle and play, and explore their cold habitat. Readers will love these majestic animals and learn to write their own stories about them.
What are bones made of? Which is the biggest and which is the smallest? What different types of muscle are there, and what jobs do they do? Your Strong Skeleton and Amazing Muscular System takes readers on an entertaining tour of the body's skeletal and muscular systems. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
Students will love learning about the way of life of raccoons and the challenges they face as babies and adults. An exciting narrative format supported by fun facts, questions, and activities, tells the story of one of the most adaptable animals on Earth. Raccoons eat almost anything, live in many kinds of habitats, including cities, can climb buildings as well as trees, and are able to change to overcome many challenges. This story follows a raccoon family’s nightly adventures in a forest near a suburban community, as they look for food in both their natural habitat and people’s back yards. What other animals will they meet? Readers will be asked to write about their own experiences with these cute but often challenging animals.
Learn all about the sparkling world of stars from their beautiful births to their dramatic deaths. This fun book describes our very own star, the Sun, as well as best-friend binary star pairs and dense neutron stars. Gaze at gorgeous galaxies and marvel at the Milky Way.
Uncover the amazing story of astronomy from telescopes in space to outstanding observatories. Learn about the latest space probes, how rockets lift off, and what it's like living in the weightlessness of space. And find out about the remarkable astronauts who have spacewalked their way into history.
Students will love learning about the way of life of foxes and the challenges they face as babies and adults. There are gray foxes, arctic foxes, fennec foxes, cape foxes, swift foxes, kit foxes, and red foxes. An exciting narrative format supported by fun facts, questions, and activities, tells the story of a red fox family. Found all over the planet, red fox families start with the birth of four to six kits. Born in a den, the baby foxes leave the den with their mothers after two to three weeks and start to play, pounce, and hunt. What adventures will they have? Will they meet some other animals along the way? Readers will love these adorable animals and learn to write their own stories about them.
What is blood made of? Is it always red? How does blood reach your toes and travel back to the heart again? Your Hardworking Heart and Spectacular Circulatory System takes readers on an entertaining tour of the body's heart and circulatory system. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
Why is breathing in harder than breathing out? Why does talking depend on breathing? Your Breathtaking Lungs and Rocking Respiratory System takes readers on an entertaining tour of the lungs and the process of breathing. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
What does the liver do? What happens to all the food we eat? Why does the small intestine need to be so long? Your Growling Guts and Dynamic Digestive System takes readers on an entertaining tour of the body's different digestive organs and the process of digestion. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
Students will love learning about the way of life of wolves and the challenges they face as babies and adults. An exciting narrative format supported by fun facts, questions, and activities, tells the story of gray wolves who live in highly structured social units called packs. A pack has one breeding pair and their offspring, and may include older siblings or wolves from other packs. This delightful adventure story starts with the excitement created by the birth of newborn cubs and how the other members of the pack bond with them. The cubs are taught vocal and physical communication and soon learn to hunt with the pack. This exciting story will enrich students' understanding of the importance of gray wolves to ecosystems in North America. Young readers will be amazed by how much the lives of wolves mimic their own lives!
How are memories formed? How do we learn? How does your brain control your body functions? Your Mind-Bending Brain and Networking Nervous System takes readers on an entertaining tour of the body's brain and nervous system. Every spread opens with an amazing science fact about the human body, then goes on to explain the science behind the fact. Detailed diagrams and amazing images illustrate the lively text.
Explore our stunning solar system and learn about its eight planets from mini Mercury to giant Jupiter. Find out about marvelous moons and mighty meteorites, and be dazzled by curious comets and eccentric exoplanets.
In this exciting title, Joe and Dr. Bea blast off on an expedition into space! Join the two scientists as they explore life on board the International Space Station (ISS), experience a spacewalk, study the planets, and discover the beauty - and dangers - of our solar system.
