Do you like to collect things? Many people do. Some people collect art. Others collect objects from history. Some people collect cars or toys. You can collect just about anything! There are almost as many museums as there are things to collect. Take a trip back in time and learn more about these amazing places.
When you hear the word "playground," what do you think of? Do you picture slides and swings? Do you think of climbing walls and tunnels? Or do you picture pirate ships and space to run? Over the years, playgrounds have changed in many ways. But they have always been a place where children can enjoy themselves and learn important lessons about safety and getting along with others. Discover how playgrounds came to be and how they have changed over the years.
Today's amusement parks are filled with amazing, high-tech rides. Some even take the fun to the water! Amusement parks of the past were exciting places as well. Amusement parks have been around for hundreds of years. Readers discover the history of these fun-filled places!
The mighty ant has been around since the age of dinosaurs. These hard-working insects can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Readers discover how ants work as a team and why they've been able to survive so long as we explore an ant colony.
Have you ever laid on the ground at night looking up at the twinkling stars? Those stars are the millions of planets, moons, suns and space dust that make up the Milky Way Galaxy. Imagine what it must be like to zip through space and look back to Earth where kids around the globe are gazing into the night sky. Includes the most up-to-date findings from the New Horizons satellite.
If you’ve eaten a strawberry or a tomato, then you've swallowed a seed! But why didn’t a new plant grow inside your stomach? In this book, readers discover what a seed needs to grow into a fruit-bearing plant.
Millions of years ago there was a dinosaur on Earth called Brachiosaurus. One Brachiosaurus weighed as much as 17 elephants! Can you imagine how big some dinosaurs must have been? In this book, readers explore a world where dinosaurs roam. And learn fascinating facts about dinos along the way.
Have you ever wondered what the coldest place on Earth is like? Antarctica is a large ice-covered continent at the southernmost point on the planet. Readers will explore this icy land and learn about the various types of glaciers and icebergs.
Volcanoes are more than just fiery mountains spewing smoke and ash into the air. In this book readers will get a close-up look when these majestic mountains blow their tops. Readers learn about magma and lava flow, and how volcanoes form.
It may be a parent's dream, but imagine life without the internet or world wide web. Would airlines be able to fly? Would our nation's security be at risk? What can be done to safeguard the internet?
It seems they're everywhere. But scientists believe bees are at risk of survival. What has put bees at risk and should we care? Imagine a world without these important pollinators and you'll see a world with fewer and fewer critical food sources.
Empires have been built from it, Wars have been fought for it. Imagine a world without oil. What alternatives do we have in a future with limited oil and other fossil fuels?
Look around. Plastic is everywhere. But some experts say today's plastic will be in our landfills for thousands of years to come. Imagine a world without plastic, in some communities, it's a new reality. Explore the good and the bad of plastic in our lives.
Do you like helping people? Would you like to help feed hundreds of people each day? Then you might like to go On the Job at a Farm. Discover what the key business of farming is all about.
Do you like to eat different foods? Maybe you like to help in the kitchen by cooking or bringing food to the table. Running restaurants large and small is no easy task as you will discover when you go On The Job in a Restaurant.
Are you interested in performing? Do you like dancing or singing? You might wonder how the stage gets set. How do the actors know where to go? So many workers behind the scene. Let’s jump in and go On The Job in the Theater.
Coaches, referees. Some jobs in sports are easy to name because we see them on the field of play. But who makes sure we stay safe when we play? Let’s take a look at all the important players beyond the field by going On The Job in the Game.
Have you ever thought about how all the buildings and bridges in your community get built? Who designs them? How are they built so they don’t fall down? Let’s learn about the jobs and skills needed to go On The Job in Construction.
You may think you know who keeps your school running. You know teachers and coaches, but there are many important careers in education. Let’s do our homework by going On the Job at School.
La Llorona (The Crying Woman) is a sad and haunting tale from Mexico. Parents have told the story for hundreds of years to misbehaving children and to guard against vanity. Some say the story is about Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and a native Mexican woman who served as his translator. Her loss can be compared to the loss of native Mexican culture after the Spanish conquest.
The 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was killed by an assassins bullet on April 15, 1865. Lincoln preserved the union of the nation, but after the Civil War he struggled with Congress and the people over Reconstruction. Despite the war and political strife, Lincolns life and legacy touched the hearts and souls of millions then as it does today. This play draws from the writings of many of those people and from Lincoln himself.
Slavery in the United States became illegal in the 1860s. Before that, many slaves found their way north by following the Big Dipper, or the Drinking Gourd as they called it. Our story begins in 1880 with Old Ellie and Old Sam, two escaped slaves who share their brave story along the path to freedom called the Underground Railroad.
In the early 1800s, white settlers and missionaries were intent on bringing the English language to the illiterate Native Americans. Sequoyah was intrigued by these leaves of paper with strange marks that talked. Doing what no one had ever done before, Sequoyah set about creating a written Cherokee languagehelping preserve the tribe's history and culture even today.
In 1845, Frederick Douglass's first autobiography became a bestseller. Many readers could not believe that such a brilliant writer was ever a slave. When Douglass wrote the book, slavery had not yet ended so he kept secret how he escaped from Maryland. By 1881, the Civil War had ended slavery and Douglass felt the time was right to reveal how he escaped. This play is adapted from Douglass's own words from The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.
Most people take it for granted: riding a bike. In the late 1800s, the bicycle first came to the United States from Europe. This new "steel horse" was wildly popular. But for women, who either worked in factories or stayed at home, the bicycle liberated them like nothing ever has. One two-wheeled invention changed fashion, opened doors, and led to a movement in women's rights still felt today.
