Books in Do It Yourself series

For more than 200 years, scientists have been observing, measuring, and analyzing information about our planet’s climate. Studies show that the earth is in constant transition and humans have an effect on what happens. In Climate Change: Discover How It Impacts Spaceship Earth, young readers examine real studies concerning planetary science, Arctic ice bubbles, and migratory patterns. Kids explore the history of human impact from the Industrial Revolution to our modern-day technology, as well as the innovations underway around the world to address global climate change.The idea of climate change can be scary, but every one of us has the ability to make a difference. Focused on a pro-active approach to environmental education, Climate Change engages readers through hands-on activities and helps kids deconstruct myths about our changing world. Kids are directed to digital supplemental material that makes complex concepts easier to understand through visual representation. Climate Change offers a myriad of ways to think of our Spaceship Earth as the singular resource it is.Climate Change meets Common Core State Standards for literacy in science and technology; Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.

How did we get from 20-foot-long maps to GPS devices small enough to fit in the palm of our hands? How does GPS work and what can it tell us? How do ancient mapmaking techniques used by the Romans and Greeks influence the satellite technologies we use today? The history of mapmaking is full of remarkable characters who charted the unknown with an ever-changing set of tools. In Mapping and Navigation: The History and Science of Finding Your Way, kids ages 9–12 will learn the history and science behind the evolution of mapmaking, and how much is still out there for discovery.Readers will explore ideas through hands-on experiments while learning new terminology and interesting facts. Projects include using triangulation to measure distances, creating contour lines on a mini-mountain to understand elevation changes on a map, and inventing a sundial and compass to understand the basics of navigation. Whether mapping the solar system or mapping their own backyard, all readers will be able to understand mapping technologies and see the world in new and exciting ways.

The ground beneath your feet is solid, right? After all, how could we build houses and bridges if the land was moving all the time? Actually, the ground beneath us really is moving very slowly all the time! In Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates: Discover What Happens When the Earth’s Crust Moves, readers ages 9 through 12 learn what exactly is going on under the dirt.When slowly drifting continents bump up against each other along fault lines we experience earthquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves! Mountains and trenches are visible results of the slow movement of the earth’s crust, as tectonic plates create the landscape of our world over time.With science-minded projects such as a homemade earthquake “shake table” and edible tectonic boundaries, this book makes the complex and fascinating topic of plate tectonics accessible for kids. Readers learn the geological reasons behind earthquakes and also practical ways of behaving in those types of natural disasters. Links to online primary sources and videos make concepts clear and encourage kids to maintain a healthy curiosity in the topic. Guided reading levels and Lexile measurements place this title with appropriate audiences.

Catch a kid looking down, and chances are they're focused on a screen, deciding on strategy, building cities, setting traps for monsters, sharing resources, and nurturing critical relationships.Over 90 percent of kids ages 2-17 play video games. In Video Games: Design and Code Your Own Adventure, young readers learn why games are so compelling and what ancient games such as mancala have in common with modern games like Minecraft. Kids will even create their very own video games using software including MIT's Scratch!Using a familiar, high-interest subject, Video Games introduces foundation subjects such as geometry, physics, probability, and psychology in a practical framework. Building Tetris pieces out of Rice Krispie Treats and designing board games are some of the hands-on projects that engage readers' building skills, while writing actual game code opens digital doors readers may not have known existed.