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.
The health and wellbeing of the world's biomes are an essential part of the balance of the planet as a whole. Biomes and their inhabitants around the world are being threatened by climate change and human behavior. In Biomes, kids will learn how to take steps toward positive change and keep the environment healthy and functioning in a way that best supports sustainable life on Earth!
Biomes includes hands-on STEM activities and critical thinking exercises to encourage readers to consider threats to the environment and figure out ways to be part of the solution. Fun facts, links to online primary sources and other supplemental material, and essential questions take readers on an exploration of the biomes of Earth.
Biomes is part of a set of four Build It Environmental Science books that explore the history and science of the planet and all that live on it through hands-on STEM activities and real-life environmental connections. Other titles in this series are Planet Earth, Garbage, and Biodiversity.
Nomad Press books integrate content with participation. Common Core State Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, and STEM Education all place project-based learning as key building blocks in education. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad's unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers.
Industry Reviews
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.
Praise for Donna Latham for Garbage
The Society of Midland Authors: Best Children's Non Fiction
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."
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."
