Common Ground: The Water, Earth, and Air We Share by Molly Bang, 1997, Blue Sky Press/Scholastic.
Sharing the air we breathe, the water we use, and the Earth where we live seems so simple. At least it was before so many of us lived on the planet. Now we have serious choices to make if we are going to preserve our natural resources for generations to come. Common Ground ends with a common question, “…what will stop us from destroying our whole world?”
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss, 2007, Kids Can Press.
It isn’t so hard to imagine one global well because all the water on Earth is connected as if from only one source. Where is all this water? How is it used, misused, recycled, and conserved? Why do we need water? How do plants and animals use water? Which countries use the most water? And finally, what can you do to preserve and protect the Earth’s water?
Adaptation by Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein, & Laura Silverstein Nunn, 2008, TwentyFirst Century Books.
How do people survive in so many different habitats? We adapt to the conditions. Our brains give us an advantage over other living things. But plants and animals also adapt in many ways. Some, like deer, can run fast. Some, like algae, can live underwater. And some, like tigers, have sharp fangs. Learn how living things adapt to seasons, to day and night, and to extreme surroundings. What do you do to adapt to your changing environment?
The Dictionary of the Environment and Its Biomes by Chris Myers, 2001, Franklin Watts.
The environmental regions of the Earth, or biomes, are unique and also connected. In more than 300 entries from Acid Rain to Zoos, read about your own biome as well as many far-away places and the plants and animals that inhabit them. Discover how you live and where you live are diverse yet linked to species and habitats around the world.
World of Wonder: The Food Chain by Frank Staub, 2004, Creative Education.
Our bodies, like those of other animals, don’t make food. Most of us are omnivores because we eat both plants and animals. How many other omnivores can you name? What is your favorite animal food? What is your favorite plant food? Try to draw a food chain that leads from those foods to you.
Food Chains by Theresa Greenaway, 2001, Steck-Vaughn.
Have you ever played the game Predator & Prey? If so, you know how a food chain works. All living things need food. Herbivores eat only plants. Carnivores eat only other animals. Think about the pets you and your classmates have. Are they herbivores, carnivores, or are they omnivores who eat both plants and animals like most humans do? Many food chains are connected to form food webs. You can play the food web game in this book.
One Good Apple: Growing Our Food for the Sake of the Earth by Catherine Paladino, 1999, Houghton Mifflin.
Are you eating harmful foods? You probably don’t think so. But consider the pesticides and chemicals that are used to grow and produce our food. Now think about what those poisons do to us when we eat them. Organic farmers don’t use pesticides and chemicals. Find out what you can do to help grow organic food.
Once a Wolf: How Wildlife Biologists Fought to Bring Back the Gray Wolf by Stephen R. Swinburne, 1999, Houghton Mifflin.
Did wolves get a bad name from Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs? Wolves were once killed and their habitats destroyed until they became an endangered species. As biologists realized the importance of these predators, wolves have been reintroduced in places such as Idaho, New York, and Yellowstone National Park.
The Wonders of Biodiversity by Roy A. Gallant, 2003, Benchmark Books.
Learning about biodiversity is fascinating but can also be frightening. According to this author, extinction caused by biodiversity loss is more serious than either global warming or pollution. Although the number of animal and plant species in the world is unknown, their rate of extinction appears to be increasing. What happens to the ecosystems when plants and animals become extinct?
The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy by Kathryn Lasky, 1997, Gulliver Green.
Go along with scientist Meg Lowman as she studies rainforests all over the world. Imagine being one of her two sons and learning to climb to the rainforest canopy to explore with your mother. Don’t touch the tarantulas and watch out for deadly snakes!
Drawings and field notes help bring the inhabitants of this barrier island to life. Learn about insects, fish, birds, and other animals that inhabit the marshes and ocean. See how you might make a scrapbook about your own vacation trip or about your own backyard.
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