Climate Change: The Science Behind Melting Glaciers and Warming Oceans with Hands-On Science Activities

Description

Age range 9 to 12 A book about climate change for middle readers who want to learn the science behind a warming planet and make a difference for their own future! What's causing extreme weather around the globe? Why are some species rapidly dwindling in number? And what does the future hold for planet Earth? In Climate Change: The Science Behind Melting Glaciers and Warming Oceans with Hands-On Science Activities, students ages 9 to 12 take a deep dive into the science behind the changing climate in order to best contribute to the methods underway to solve the problem of a rapidly changing planet - and think up new solutions! Essential questions, cool facts, and links to online primary sources and other relevant material make complex concepts easier to understand. This book is rich in text-to-self and text-to-world connections, along with hands-on science and critical creative-thinking exercises designed to explore the research being done to combat this global problem and encourage kids to find new solutions! * How do we know the climate is changing? By looking at the science from the past 200 years or so, all of which points to the fact that humans have had an adverse impact on the health of the planet, and this impact is great enough to affect many different ecosystems, living species, and the human species itself. * The study of planetary science, arctic ice bubbles, coral reefs, and more all contribute to the wealth of knowledge we are gaining, knowledge that can be used in the science and engineering innovations underway around the world to address global climate change. * Focused on a proactive approach to environmental education, Climate Change engages readers through hands-on activities, such as building a solar pizza oven, along with stories of people, including kids, who are making a positive environmental difference.

Joshua Sneideman is an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow with 10 year's experience as a middle school science teacher. He founded ECO International, an intercollegiate Environmental Congress to help Costa Rican high schools develop environmental community action plans. Josh is the co-author of Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future (Nomad Press 2016), as well as co-author of a previous edition of Climate Change (Nomad Press 2015). Joshua lives in Hixson, Tennessee. Erin Twamley is an educator and author passionate about providing STEM learning opportunities and writing STEM publications. She is the co-author of Renewable Energy: Discover the Fuel of the Future (Nomad Press 2016), as well as co-author of a previous edition of Climate Change (Nomad Press 2015). Through her STEM publications, she aims to highlight the leadership and discoveries of women and diverse communities. Twamley leads STEM and Author Encounters with Department of Defense Education Activity, international schools, and Girl Scouts. Her encounters engage the next generation of learners in protecting and creating a sustainable planet through STEM literacy. She loves to travel, read, and has lived on three continents. Reach the author at www.erinedu.org, on Twitter @STEMSuperheros. Alexis Cornell is a graduate of the Center for Cartoon Studies. She is the illustrator of several books from Nomad Press, including Evolution: How Life Adapts to a Changing Environment and Cells: Experience Life at its Tiniest. She lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Praise for a previous edition of Climate Change Booklist Comparing Earth to a spaceship that relies on fresh water and clean air, this title in the Build It Yourself series focuses on how the planet's systems have become unbalanced, creating a climate change . . . Readers can explore these concepts in more depth through 25 accompanying activities, many of which highlight the scientific method . . . This hands-on approach will get students thinking about their own impact on climate change. School Library Journal Online Gr 5-8-Climate change (or global warming) is proving to be a long-range problem impacting everything from tiny diatoms to humans. Sneideman and Twamley approach the complex subject with a conversational, nonsensational text full of informational boxes, colorful diagrams, photos, and maps, attempting to present cause and effect for middle school students. Having broken down broad topics (Spaceship Earth, Ancient Climate) into smaller, tidier explanations (Icy Times, Coral Reefs) the authors go on to discuss the details of processes such as ocean acidification and glacial meltdown. Each chapter closes with several experiments or activities to reinforce the message (and make excellent fodder for projects and science fairs). . . All of this is formatted to attract the eye and accommodate short attention spans. . . Its cover image of Earth as a melting ice cream cone is an eye-catcher. VERDICT A useful, appealing text that explains an important topic.