Books in Science Matters series

Squeak! Grrr! CRACK! Shhh! Our world is filled with sounds big and small, pleasant and annoying. But how is all that sound created and what can it do? In this book, readers in grades 4-9 will learn how sound travels and the many roles it plays in our world. Sound helps us communicate, but it can do so much more. You might be amazed at how powerful sound waves can be when they let us see into the human body, set off a massive avalanche, or discover an ancient sunken ship. This series features a variety of science topics aligned to NGSS standards. From mixing matter to the study of sound waves, each informative book includes a glossary, comprehension questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.

A crack of lightning. The blue glow of a phone screen. A blinking firefly. The blazing sun. A camera’s rapid flash. No matter the source, light travels in waves, and it does so at a speed faster than anything else in the universe. But what is light, anyway, and how do we study it? In this book, readers in grades 4-9 will learn about light waves and light’s properties and how people–and animals–manipulate light for their own purposes.This series features a variety of science topics aligned to NGSS standards. From mixing matter to the study of sound waves, each informative book includes a glossary, comprehension questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.

Why do we need greener buildings? What is a carbon footprint? How can computer-aided design help reduce our energy use? The 'Why Science Matters' series demonstrates how the science we learn at school is important in every aspect of our everyday lives. Using case studies and investigations, the series describes the development of science and technologies that can improve our lives – or lead to new scientific challenges and controversies. 'Designing Greener Vehicles and Buildings' investigates how our transport systems and buildings affect the environment. We find out about energy transfers, the importance of renewable building resources and energy sources, and the science behind solar panels and hybrid fuel cars. And we learn about the cutting-edge innovations in architecture and vehicle design that will help us to reduce our energy.

Living on a world as vast as Earth, it can be easy to forget that our planet is just a tiny speck in a massive universe filled with planets, moons, stars, asteroids, comets, dark matter, and maybe even alien life! In this book, readers in grades 4-9 will learn about Earth’s place in the Milky Way and the larger universe, and how humans are learning about the endless frontier of space.This series features a variety of science topics aligned to NGSS standards. From mixing matter to the study of sound waves, each informative book includes a glossary, comprehension questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.