Biomes: Discover the Earth's Ecosystems with Environmental Science Activities for Kids

Description

What's the difference between a desert and a rain forest? A tundra and a coniferous forest? These are all examples of biomes, and they are all home to plants and animals that are uniquely adapted to live in those environments! In Biomes: Discover the Earth's Ecosystems with Science Activities for Kids, middle school kids journey across the planet and visit the world's nine terrestrial and aquatic biomes to learn about the distinctive climates, geologies, resources, and organisms that can be found there. Kids will wander through forests, sizzle in deserts, shiver in the tundra, slog through marshy waters, and plunge beneath the seas to explore coral reefs. Along the way, readers will encounter the flora and fauna adapted for survival in each unique climate zone. They'll learn about gnarly krumholz trees, bioluminescent sea creatures, camouflage, carnivorous plants, and blubbery marine critters.

Donna Latham is an award-winning author and playwright. She is the author of several books for Nomad Press, including Backyard Biology Investigate Habitats Outside Your Door With 25 Projects and Garbage: Follow the Path of Your Trash with Science Activities for Kids. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Society of Midland Authors. She lives in Batavia, Illinois.Tom Casteel is an illustrator and cartoonist that graduated from the Center for Cartoon Studies in 2011. He has illustrated more than two dozen books for Nomad Press. He lives in South Bend, Indiana, with his family.

Praise for Donna Latham for Garbage 2012 Skipping Stones Honor Award in the category of Nature and Ecology Archimedes Note Book A biome is a life zone, with a distinctive climate and geology, specific water resources, and its own biodiversity. Some scientists say there are five biomes, others list six. Author Donna Latham presents nine: coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, desert, mountains, temperate grassland, tropical savanna, tundra, and ocean. Regardless of how you sort them, the big point is that they are all connected, and a disaster that takes place in one biome (such as an oil spill) often affects other biomes. What I like about this book: Each chapter presents a biome and the ecosystems within that biome. Readers get into soils, food chains, and plant and animal adaptations. There are fun sidebars with tidbits, QR codes to links (all links are listed at the back), and plenty of hands-on stuff to explore. Experiment with erosion, study the impact of salt on seed germination, make a terrarium, and explore your home turf. Oh yeah - and make sure to keep a notebook like a scientist does. There are also photos and (yay!) comics. The tone is fun and informal while being informational. Back matter contains a glossary and metric conversion chart. This is a great text for kids who want to learn at home this fall and winter. Praise for Donna Latham for Garbage Children's Literature Review "One of thirty-one in the 'Build It Yourself' series, this edition focuses on informing elementary students of the impact that garbage is making on our world and provides directions on twenty-five short projects students can use to 'reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink trash . . . An interesting layout with simple black and white illustrations, boxed 'Trash Flashes, ' 'Words to Know, ' and 'Did You Know' features to keep youngsters interested . . . format is perfect for classrooms to take on this subject as a group. Of course, it is printed on recycled paper by a company committed to 'green' initiatives." CLEAR/Good Reads An excellent overview of the earth's biomes. Each is covered in detail in a separate chapter, including information on attributes of ecosystems within them, plants and animals endemic, as well as the challenges from climate change and the influence of humans. Clear photography and illustrations are included throughout. Important vocabulary and concepts are in bold lettering, and definitions appear on the page where they are introduced. The main text is also supplemented by interesting facts and links to videos using a QR code. Essential Question sections prompt readers to pay attention to the text and encourage critical thinking. At the end of every chapter, there are hands-on activities that draw together concepts learned. The book also includes a glossary, list of metric conversions, a list of resources, and an index. Biomes is a comprehensive book and an excellent resource. Sections on activities might make this less appealing to the general reader but are certainly useful in a classroom setting. This text definitely provides a great guide for a teacher to use in conjunction with STEM curricula. Booklist Top 10 Nonfiction Series for 2020 Build It Environmental Science (4 titles) Gr. 4-8. Mixing comics and thoughtfully designed activities with solid information, this series accessibly explores with precision such topics as biodiversity, biomes, and Earth's garbage problem.