The world came to a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 virus. This timely book looks at how governments jumped into action, adapting their strategies as the pandemic evolved and changed. It also explores historical pandemic responses, the problems and challenges related to carrying out pandemic strategies, and how we can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for the future. Free downloadable Teacher's Notes.
The flu is so common that people don't often see it as a deadly and debilitating disease. Despite the advances made by science, each year 5 million people worldwide get the flu, and thousands die from complications. This fascinating book sheds light on what the flu is, and the role of medical technology in diagnosing it and developing treatments such as drugs and vaccines.
Like many viruses, smallpox is highly contagious. It's also dreadful, deadly, and thanks to microscopes and modern technology--now officially eradicated. This fascinating book explains how a concerted effort to produce a vaccine and distribute it around the world helped eliminate the deadly scourge by 1980.
Polio plagued humans for thousands of years with no cure and few effective treatments. This informative book describes how there was no real understanding of what it was until scientists were able to do research on the disease using microscopes. It was not until 1961 that a vaccine was developed. Since then, polio has been eradicated in most of the world.
Malaria is an ancient disease caused by a parasite passed through the bites of infected mosquitoes. It is only now--through extensive scientific research--that malaria can be prevented, treated, and cured. This fascinating book examines the difficulties malaria still presents and how science is working on a "zero malaria plan" that will one day eradicate the disease entirely.
A rare and deadly disease, Ebola is one of a number of different viruses that have "jumped" from animals to humans. This informative book shows how scientists studied the virus and began working on treatments and vaccines that will not only make Ebola less deadly, but will further the knowledge of other diseases.
This timely book follows the emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019, and describes how, within a few short months, it transformed the way the world was living and working. The first major world pandemic in more than 100 years brought new testing and technology to the forefront, resulting in the fastest-ever vaccine creation.
Taxing carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming, is one method governments are using to help decrease or control climate change. This informative title looks at the costs and benefits of this sometimes controversial tax and how different jurisdictions are implementing them.
When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in 2020, nearly every country in the world went into some form of lockdown. Yet each was different. With fascinating images and informative text, this book looks at the rules and restrictions people lived under and how they affected work, school, commerce, and daily life. A detailed final chapter examines the success and failures of lockdown and how countries could approach future pandemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the problems and flaws in the way we live in modern cities and communities. This useful book analyzes why some cities and countries suffered more than others by the harms inflicted by the pandemic. By exploring historical and contemporary pandemics, we can learn how cities and countries can assess their vulnerabilities and find ways to reduce the risk to citizens in future pandemics.
When people boarded the Diamond Princess cruise ship in February 2020, they had no idea their luxury vacation would turn into a nightmare of quarantine, sickness, and death. Using real examples of living through the pandemic, this fascinating book gives an overall inside look at how much changed and how quickly during COVID-19--the first major pandemic since 1918. A useful timeline will help readers keep track of the major events during the pandemic.
The statistics tell a horrific story: one in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Over 93 percent of juvenile sexual assault and rape victims know their assaulters. Written by a therapist, Date Rape helps readers understand this sensitive issue and gives those who have experienced it advice and coping strategies. Topics include the effects of rape, from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide, as well as the benefits of disclosure and trust.
Finding yourself pregnant as a teenager is a scary thing. There are so many issues involved. Teen Pregnancy examines the fact that about one third of girls in the United States will get pregnant before the age of twenty. Yet it is still difficult for teens to talk about sex. Teens share their own personal experiences to provide further insight on this issue. A further resources page gives readers assistance in finding other books, Web sites, and organizations that provide additional information on teen pregnancy.
Did you know about one third of high school students take steroids to improve their looks, not just their athletic skills? Steroid use is becoming a major issue among 12- to 18-year-olds today. This helpful and informative book looks at the pressures young people are under to look cut and perform well in sports. Special chapters examine the effects of anabolic steroids on the developing bodies and minds of young people and how difficult it can be to quit when you've got the edge.
Crystal meth is more addictive than heroin or cocaine and is widely available on the streets of North America. This helpful book looks at the use and abuse of meth, an inexpensive and accessible drug that takes an unbelievable toll on the bodies and brains of users. Special chapters on seeking help, and treatment and recovery provide accurate and useful information on meth addiction and treatment.
In this thought-provoking title, readers learn about the commercial journey behind their favorite clothing and how their own buying choices impact the world. Learn all about the supply chain, the conditions workers endure in sweatshops, and who makes money on the final purchase price of a garment.
In this fascinating title, readers find out about the food supply chain, fair trade, and how our eating habits affect our health. With debate boxes and contemporary case studies, readers also discover the environmental impacts their food purchases have on the planet.
We use it every day in products as varied as prescription drugs, toys, and toothbrushes. In less than a century, plastics have become integral to our daily lives. But plastic waste also clogs Earth’s oceans and other water bodies. Research has shown that microplastics have even accumulated in our bodies. This timely book investigates our increasingly problematic use of plastics in all areas of our lives and how our attempts to curb use and mitigate the harm of plastics are not working fast enough.
Pollution is seriously damaging our planet. Human activity and waste are harming the environment by polluting the air, water, and land. Discover the facts about where pollution comes from, where garbage really goes after we throw it away, and how we can reduce waste.
Human overpopulation is putting pressure on our planet and its natural resources.The more people there are, the more resources are consumed, harming the environment and depleting the world's supplies. Discover the facts about the world's growing population, which countries have the highest and lowest birth rates, and how overpopulation affects climate change.
Natural resources on Earth are at risk of running out. Using too many natural resources, such as water, trees, and fossil fuels, is putting pressure on our supplies and damaging the environment. Discover the facts about how resources are used around the world, which resources are renewable and non-renewable, and what the future of natural resource management looks like.
Our modern world runs on energy to power our homes and industries. We all know the problems with burning fossil fuels to create energy— it pollutes the planet and we are running out of these resources. Discover the facts about renewable and non-renewable energy resources, how our energy use contributes to global warming, and what the future of energy looks like.
Climate change is reshaping the planet before our eyes. From melting ice caps and rising sea levels to drought and destructive hurricanes, no corner of Earth is protected from the effects of global warming. Discover the facts about what climate change is doing—and will continue to do—to our planet, and how we might reduce its impact.
The huge variety of plants and animals that live on Earth is called biodiversity. As ecosystems are destroyed by climate change and human activity, plants and animals are becoming endangered and even extinct. Find out how the loss of biodiversity affects food chains and natural habitats, why it is important to humans, and how its loss threatens the health of all living things on the planet.
Cultural beliefs surrounding illness and societal beliefs about how we should offer health care are discussed in this fascinating addition to the Our Values series. Discussions about the treatment of common diseases, as well as topics of interest, such as how a cast is made, are compared and contrasted with the way health care is provided throughout the world.
