Marshes and Swamps!: With 25 Science Projects for Kids

Description

What kinds of plants and animals live in marshes and swamps? The places where land and water meet are some of the most fascinating spots on earth, where a rich diversity of plants and animals make their homes. In Marshes and Swamps! With 25 Science Projects for Kids, readers ages 7 to 10 explore wetlands through hands-on STEM projects that deepen their understanding of these special places. Wetlands serve many important functions, in addition to hosting a wide variety of plant and animal species. Marshes and swamps filter pollutants, prevent erosion, and serve as barriers for flooding. These are incredibly important jobs that help protect the environment, especially as the world begins to experience more extreme effects of climate change. Wetlands are living laboratories for scientists and students who want to know more about erosion, water quality, aquatic animals, and vegetation. With Marshes and Swamps!, kid scientists learn to observe and collect data in swamps and marshes. Through investigative STEM activities designed for elementary school ages, such as experimenting with erosion, making a model wetland, and designing a filtration device, kids explore the impact of this natural resource on both the natural world and the human world. Discover how climate change and pollution affect the ecology of marshes and swamps and learn what you can do to help keep these biodiverse environments clean and healthy!

J.K. O'Sullivan introduces fascinating people and places to readers through books, articles, and blog posts. Her award-winning science, sustainability, and travel books for kids include Migration Nation (Charlesbridge, 2015), nominee for the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in science writing for children. She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her family. 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 Explore Ancient Chinese Myths! With 25 Great Projects and The Oregon Trail: The Journey Across the Country from Lewis and Clark to the Transcontinental Railroad. He is working on his first graphic novel.

Green Teacher Magazine Many people would wrinkle their nose at the thought of studying marshes and swamps. This book by J.K O'Sullivan, illustrated by Tom Casteel, demystifies some of the yucky elements of wetlands and emphasizes their importance. Some fun and easily-achievable projects, such as Nature's Kidneys, What's in the Water?, and Sea Level Rise engage students and teachers in using design skills. Other components, such as a True or False? game and the Did you know? Sections, help students build scientific literacy. Casteel's graphics make the content more accessible and relatable to all audience. Curtis J. Richardson, Professor and Director Duke University Wetland Center - A wonderful book that should bring children into the magical world of wetlands Praise for other books in the Explore Your World! series: Explore Forces and Motion! With 25 Great Projects School Library Connection "Looking for ways to introduce, reinforce, and build on abstract physics concepts for young children? The author manages to make physics concepts simple in a light, accessible tone that will keep readers engaged. This very colorful text includes a timeline (not often seen in a book on physics), glossary, resources, essential questions, QR codes, primary source icons, and more. The real strength is the suggested projects that are simple to conduct yet essential in understanding concepts such as force, buoyancy, and magnetism. This would make an excellent addition to a classroom textbook to reinforce and demonstrate concepts. Librarians will love the focus on primary sources and scientific process." Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Media Recommended -- Superior in style, liveliness, integrity and format. "This series, each book subtitled "With 25 Great Projects" is one that merits a place in every library serving children. Each book begins with a timeline, and a solid introduction. "Words to know" are defined throughout the book, and QR codes lead to interesting videos. (If the QR codes don't work the book provides keyword prompts to lead young researchers to the right information.) Science practices are defined, and interesting projects follow that teach important principles. An extensive index, bibliography, and glossary follow. This book focuses on physics, introducing Newton, Einstein, Galileo and more. The basic forces around us are defined, explained, and explored through hands-on projects. Much of the information is on an advanced level, but explained so younger students can understand it. There's interesting information to be found here, and the projects are unique and STEM oriented. Buy the whole series." National Science Teachers Association (NSTA Recommends) "Physics is fun with this colorful and informative book for students ages 7-10. Using the theme of motion, the book encourages readers to push, pull, spin, twist, and turn their way to learning basic concepts of force and motion. There are ample activities and projects throughout the book that provide the reader with ways to explore forces and motion and learn basic concepts while having loads of fun. . . Students will enjoy the fun graphics in the book. A cartoon turtle and chicken lead students through the reading and activities by providing comedy and demonstrations on how to do the activities in the book. The color and design graphics are bright and capture the interest of the reader." Explore Solids and Liquids! With 25 Great Projects Booklist ". . . The accessible text takes a friendly tone, providing ample background information and easily recognizable everyday examples. Cartoon illustrations, inset boxes with facts, and occasional jokes help keep readers engaged. . . This should provide inspiration and insights into scientific exploration for students, teachers, and budding mad scientists." Explore Comets and Asteroids! National Science Teachers Association Recommends "Not just a book, an adventure! As you pick up and flip through Explore Comets and Asteroids! you begin to engage in a print experience that opens your eyes and mind to exploration in our galaxy and beyond. While this is print based, it is linked to the extraordinary volume of additional resources of the internet while firmly grounded with study information that one holds in the hand. The pages include QR codes with key word prompts to facilitate research on the content, 25 projects to engage the learner, vocabulary boxes within the content to assist with understanding, and abundant graphics to visually illustrate the concepts. There are also the important element of comic relief in the form of kid friendly "asides" that use play on words. "Did you Know?" and "Time to Discuss" prompts entice memory of key events in astronomy. "This paper bound book could be considered a mini course in the subject of comets and asteroids that serve to either develop knowledge or review it. The writing is clear and well organized into 6 chapters. The overview, in the form of a timeline, sets the stage for the understanding of our advancement of knowledge and understanding of these celestial bodies as our technology that is used to study them improved. Facts, figures, and concepts are addressed in an entertaining, yet educational manner, to engage the learner in the learning process and reward him/her with insights, understanding, and even encourage career planning. While it may appear to be a book for young readers, do not let it fool you. There is something for everyone as there is more to learn than first meets the eye. Want to read a book to your child, grandchild. or class? This might be a welcome change that increases interest in the study of the skies and beyond."