Microbes: Discover an Unseen World

Description

If our vision improved one million times, we would be able to see microbes in the air, on our skin, in the soil, in water, and on food! In Microbes: Discover an Unseen World, readers journey through microscopic worlds that collide with our own on a daily basis to encounter bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and archaea. There are some microbes we can't live without, such as those that help us digest our food, while others can harm or even kill us, such as influenza and ebola. Microbes looks at some of the ways the body protects itself from diseases and infections through critical thinking exercises that explore the differences between harmful and beneficial microbes. Follow in the footsteps of the scientists who had both the genius and the imagination to research and discover microbes. Hands-on experiments such as building a mini incubator, making bacterial growth plates, and growing fungi allow children to explore their microbiological surroundings safely while employing the scientific method to discover details about microbes. Fun facts and primary sources make learning fun and integrative, while cartoon illustrations engage kids' imaginations and prod their natural curiosity about this weird and fascinating topic.

Dr. Christine Burillo-Kirch earned a Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology from the School of Medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has conducted scientific research in bacteriology and immunology for 12 years and has been published in several peer-reviewed scientific journals. Christine lives in Cary, North Carolina. Tom Casteel is an illustrator and cartoonist with a master's degree from the Center for Cartoon Studies. Tom has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including Natural Disasters: Investigate Earth's Most Destructive Forces; Cities: Discover How They Work; and Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration with 22 Projects. Tom lives in South Bend, Indiana.

Praise for Microbes: Discover an Unseen World Booklist "Making microbes an engaging topic for young readers is no easy task, but by marshaling comic-book-style illustrations and plenty of relatable examples, this book will be an appealing choice for the science classroom and the library shelf... this is sure to engage young biologists." Jeffrey C. Mocny, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist " Dr. Kirch has done a wonderful job bringing science from the laboratory bench to your young aspiring scientists with fun experiments and activities... It was a pleasure to share the information with my own 6-year-old boy, a true joy as a scientist myself to see the delight in his eyes when he performed the activities." Lorraine Cramer, PhD, Lecturer, Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, UNC "Microbes: Discover an Unseen World is a book that will get students of all ages interested in the microbial world that is around us as well as on us! The graphics are engaging, colorful,and at just the right level of complexity for 9- to 12-year-olds. I loved the essential questions and doable experiments that will invite kids to have fun while engaging in scientific discovery." P. Frederick Sparling, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, UNC "This fine book introduces motivated youngsters to the wonders of the microbiology of their bodies and the world around them. Active learning is enabled by simple experiments that can be done at home and focused essential questions. The illustrations are beautiful and add to the content. Highly recommended." Nora Rooney, MS, JD "Microbes will inspire budding microbe hunters to see the world around them differently by reading about microbiology and applying that knowledge in educational experiments that will amaze and electrify young minds." Other biology titles in the Build It Yourself series: Backyard Biology: Investigate Habitats Outside Your Door with 25 Projects Publishers Weekly "This addition to the Build It Yourself series incorporates 25 projects for kids to try as they explore the "ecosystems that are outside your door." . . Latham's accessible, encouraging tone, along with such experiments as creating habitats for woodlice (aka roly-polies) and building bird nests using natural materials, should pique kids' interest and get them outdoors. " School Library Journal "This resource guide contains a wealth of information and challenging activities for budding scientists. It provides nature projects that can easily be implemented and includes growing microbes, molds, and yeasts; engaging in chemical chromatography; and learning what average people can do to protect neighborhood habitats... A good choice for science collections."