Plant a Mystery Greenhouse Garden

Plant a Mystery Greenhouse Garden

What might be lurking in the soil? Find out by taking samples of soil from three different sites and seeing what grows!
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Write a Fabulous Fish Book

Write a Fabulous Fish Book

From Antifreeze, Leaf Costumes, and Other Fabulous Fish Adaptations

Fish have many different fabulous adaptations that help them survive in environments all around the Earth. Write about them!

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Build Your Own Bird

Build Your Own Bird

From Spit Nests, Puke Power, and Other Brilliant Bird Adaptations

Birds have beaks, wings, feathers, and interesting feet. Each of these features helps a bird to survive in its habitat.

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Amphibians Near You

Amphibians Near You

From Sunscreen, Frogsicles, and Other Amazing Amphibian Adaptations

Amphibians are found all around the world, except Antarctica. That means there are amphibians living near you! And every amphibian has many adaptations that help it survive. They must be able to find food, take shelter, and stay safe.

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Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

From Water-Walking, Sidewinding, and Other Remarkable Reptile Adaptations

Reptiles include snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. They live everywhere on Earth except in the coldest environments.

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Reviews

Praise for a previous edition of this book

Publishers Weekly
“Latham’s accessible, encouraging tone, along with such experiments as creating habitats for woodlice (aka roly-polies) and building bird nests using natural materials, should pique kids’ interest and get them outdoors.”

School Library Journal
“This resource guide contains a wealth of information and challenging activities for budding scientists.  A good choice for science collections.”

Detailed Book Description

This updated edition incorporates new scientific discoveries and a sharper look at the impact human actions have on the natural world!

Biology is the study of life, and life is all around you! You can find life thriving in the city and in the country, teeming in ecosystems around the planet—in deserts, oceans, and even the Arctic. Backyard Biology: Discover the Life Cycles and Adaptations Outside Your Door with Hands-On Science Activities introduces readers ages 9 to 12 to the amazing world of life science right outside their doors, no matter where they live.

Throughout Backyard Biology, hands-on STEM activities, essential questions, and links to online primary resources help readers learn the basics of life science, including cell structures, adaptations, life cycles, and microbes.

Try these hands-on biology projects!

  • Grow microbes in a Winogradsky column
  • Organize a clean up
  • Make animal tracker plaster caster
  • Study growth in a geotropism
Available In:
Paperback, $17.95
9781619308954
Hardcover, $22.95
9781619308923
Includes: Table of Contents | Charts | Glossary | Resources | Index | Metric Conversions Chart
Specs: 8x10 size | 4-color | 128 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Biology | Life Science

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Backyards Around the World

Introduction
The Study of Life

Chapter 1
Cells Alive!

Chapter 2
Microbiology Reveals an Invisible World

Chapter 3
Plants Make Life Possible

Chapter 4
Plant Life Cycles

Chapter 5
Adaptations Are a Matter of Life and Death

Chapter 6
Animal Life Cycles

Chapter 7
Be the Difference

Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Essential Questions
Index