Planet Earth: finding balance on the Blue Marble : with environmental science activities for kids

Both comprehensive and approachable, this title in the Projects You Can Build Yourself series combines explanations of science concepts and environmental issues with hands-on projects. Initial chapters offer basic facts about earth and life sciences, beginning with a discussion of what's usually meant by the term the environment. Later chapters explore threats to the planet's health in a survey of pollution and global warming. Throughout, terms appear in bold type and then are defined in frequent Words to Know boxes. Elementary- and middle-school students will find the succinct overview of the facts very useful, and they'll welcome the clearly presented projects, which range from a granola recipe that will teach them about native foods around the globe to handmade card games for multiple players. Extensive further readings and an eye-catching design filled with drawings complete a title that while educating kids about the environment steers them past despair with the reminder that every individual action helps: Some changes are better than none. --Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2008 Booklist

Both comprehensive and approachable, this title in the Projects You Can Build Yourself series combines explanations of science concepts and environmental issues with hands-on projects. Initial chapters offer basic facts about earth and life sciences, beginning with a discussion of what's usually meant by the term the environment. Later chapters explore threats to the planet's health in a survey of pollution and global warming. Throughout, terms appear in bold type and then are defined in frequent "Words to Know" boxes. Elementary- and middle-school students will find the succinct overview of the facts very useful, and they'll welcome the clearly presented projects, which range from a granola recipe that will teach them about native foods around the globe to handmade card games for multiple players. Extensive further readings and an eye-catching design filled with drawings complete a title that while educating kids about the environment steers them past despair with the reminder that every individual action helps: "Some changes are better than none." Copyright 2008 Booklist Reviews.