The Revolutionary War was a bloody eight-year battle. Follow the war from the first gunshot in Lexington to the signing of the Treaty of Paris, and see how America's fight for independence unfolded. Meets Common Core standards for analyzing chronology text structures.

Millions of tons of plastic slip into oceans every year. Some floats and travels slowly with the currents, endangering the health of marine animals. The rest is hardly visible but is far more dangerous. Tiny bits of plastic sprinkle the ocean's surface or mix into the sandy seafloor and beaches. It ends up inside birds, fish, and other animals, harming them-and ultimately humans. Experts struggle with fear and hope as they work to stop the flood of plastic threatening living organisms acro...

Many know Paul Revere by the infamous words, “The British are coming!” But did he really say that? Primary sources and infographics help readers learn the facts and the fiction behind Paul Revere’s midnight ride.

Two American athletes made history at the 1968 Summer Olympics, but not on the track. They staged a silent protest against racial injustice. Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gold and bronze medalists in the 200-meter sprint, stood with heads bowed and black-gloved fists raised as the national anthem played during the medal ceremony. The Australian silver medalist wore a human rights badge in support. All three would pay a heavy price for their activism. A Life magazine photograph seen by mill...

Deeply religious, the ancient Greeks honored many gods and goddesses. The ancient Greeks believed these gods and goddesses had great power over the weather and the Earth. But they weren’t all-powerful, and they had flaws. From Zeus to Athena, read about the family of gods and goddesses that the ancient Greeks believed watched over them.

To the untrained eye, Photo 51 was simply a grainy black and white image of dark marks scattered in a rough cross shape. But to the eye of a trained scientist, it was a clear portrait of a DNA fiber taken with X-rays. And to young scientists James Watson and Francis Crick, it confirmed their guess of deoxyribonucleic acid's structure. In 1953 the pair was racing toward solving the mystery of DNA's structure before other scientists could beat them to it. They and others believed that findin...

On-point historical photographs combined with strong narration bring the story of the first photograph of a black hole to life. Kids will learn why it was so hard to take a photo of something so dark it does not reflect light, and so far away it could barely be reached. Primary source quotations bring the amazing accomplishment to life.

The Maya civilization thrived in southeastern Mexico and northern Central America for thousands of years. Its culture was known for its impressive stone buildings and pyramid temples, as well as developments in astronomy and mathematics. But what was it like to live there during the height of this civilization? Explore life in a farming village that faces a devastating volcanic eruption. Assume power in a city-state at risk of plunging into war with a rival community. Work as a scribe duri...

Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Latino, Nuestras Voces shares inspiring Latino stories. In the summer of 1493, eleven-year-old Cocuyo is eager to find her place within her Taíno community on the island of Quisqueya. But in less than a year, her home, her family and friends, and her daily life will be forever changed by the arrival of Europeans. As Cocuyo learns more and more about the strangers who arrive by sea—...

A massive tsunami caused by the strongest earthquake to ever hit Japan triggered the world's worst nuclear crisis since the Chernobyl accident 25 years earlier. The monster waves that crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March 2011 killed 15,000 people and caused nuclear reactor meltdowns that threatened the lives of thousands more. The waves receded long ago, but the devastating effects of the nuclear accident still linger.

Some of the most important American products and ideas have been developed by people born outside the United States. They have influenced every part of U.S. culture, from what people wear and drive to how they stay healthy, how they communicate with each other, and what they do for fun. Meet 25 immigrants who have led the way with life-saving inventions, by opening up sports to women and people of color, and so much more.

On-point historical photographs combined with strong narration bring the story of the civil rights marches to life. Kids will learn about the way in which Southern states kept African Americans from voting and the history that led to nonviolent civil rights marches to fight for the right to vote guaranteed by the Constitution. As an added bonus, readers will learn about how this played out on TV and galvanized the civil rights movement, leading to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 196...