From the first cells to the appearance of humans on Earth, here is the great history of evolution in a single illustrated book. The most recent scientific information is made available to young readers through simple prose, with many anecdotes and concrete examples given by this team of three authors: a journalist, a specialist researcher, and a designer illustrator. From chapter to chapter, the reader understands that each part of his body comes to him from distant ancestors, some of them...

Help kids ace science with this revolutionary study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest.Everything You Need to Ace Science ... takes readers from scientific investigation and the engineering design process to the Periodic Table; forces and motion; forms of energy; outer space and the solar system; to earth sciences, biology, body systems, ecology, and more.The Big Fat Notebooks™ series is built on a sim...

Have you ever wondered how the planets came into being? Or what causes some people to have freckles? Ever wanted to know why mosquito bites itch and swell? Over his long career as a high school science teacher, Martin M. Goldwyn kept track of the smartest, most challenging questions his students ever asked him. Now the answers are all in your hands: What is the oldest living thing on the planet? Do fish ever go to sleep? What exactly is a brain wave? Can a single tree grow more than one ki...

Fungi, protists, and algae are among the most diverse life forms on the planet. Tiny protists range from plants to animals. Algae range from single celled plants to 60-foot-long kelp. Fungi occupy a kingdom of their own. Although their place in nature—neither truly plants or animals—may make them seem strange, they are actually quite familiar to us for their use in various foods, medicines, and biotechnologies. Indeed, our consumption of bread or reliance on penicillin would not be possibl...

Bacteria, algae, and protozoa—microorganisms that are easily overlooked in our daily lives—can be found in a wide variety of locations and serve innumerable ecological purposes. While some such organisms have been associated with disease, they have also been invaluable in agriculture and in the production of certain foods, medicines, and other necessities. This informative volume examines the properties and uses of these powerful and essential life forms. Graphic organizers and detailed im...

Knowledge of ancestral species and of the places in which humans evolved provides context for an understanding of human genetic and evolutionary relationships with other species. Knowing how early humans survived and how they used available resources offers insight into human instinct and behavior. Readers are treated to a general overview of evolution, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, and an introduction to the relevant fossil record. They will also consider the likely beginnings of ...

Distinguished by their highly developed mental faculties and their capacity for reason, humans are often said to reign sovereign in the animal kingdom. With their complex interactions, intricate social structures, and extensive range of displayed emotions, however, all creatures can be said to contribute uniquely to the planet and to the subsistence of all other beings. This colorful volume surveys the various members of the animal kingdom and the habits, behaviors, and physical characteri...

Minerals are solid, naturally occurring substances that make up much of what we use in our daily lives, from household items and medicines to food and computers. Readers will learn how minerals form, how scientists identify and classify them, where they can be found, and how they are mined from the earth. Full of fascinating facts, content-specific vocabulary, and instructive images, this resource is a valuable look into how substances from the earth shape the world we live in.

Rocks and minerals are all around us, but they're not all the same. Discover minerals and find out how they form, what makes them unique, and how we use them. Explore some marvelous minerals in places around the world, such as the lakes of Mount Kelimutu, Indonesia. Includes a support page of teaching tips for caregivers and teachers. Downloadable Teacher's Notes available.

The amazing diversity of fungi, protists, and algae is, in many instances, difficult to detect with the naked eye. Readers will learn all about the internal structures, genetic material, biochemical processes, and taxonomy that define these varied, small yet complex eukaryotic organisms. This volume demonstrates the many important functions that fungi, protists, and algae serve in the natural world, as well as in the lives of humans through various foods, medicines, and biotechnologies.

Life comes in all shapes and forms, and living entities dwell in all types of habitats. There are seven characteristics that all life forms share—the ability to move, to sense, to respire, to consume nutrition, to grow, to reproduce, and to excrete waste matter. Complete with annotated illustrations that clarify complex structures and life processes, this volume surveys the parts, characteristics, and classifications of various living things and explores the evolution of life in general.

Why do humans walk on two legs? Why do fish have gills? Life on Earth is incredibly diverse and part of the reason for this is evolution, or the theory that living things change with time. Evolution: How Life Adapts to a Changing Environment explores the theory of evolution, its history, how we think it works, examples of creatures who have evolved in response to specific circumstances, and what this might mean for the future of our planet.For billions of years, the amazin...