Life is all around us, even in our backyard. This interactive book introduces readers to the wondrous field of biology with fun experiments they can do at home. Activities make learning fun and help readers grasp abstract concepts. Each project is simplified through step-by-step instructions. Stunning full-color photographs help readers visualize each step. "What's Happening" sidebars explain the science behind each project, which is perfect for hands-on learners. This innovative book teaches readers how to conduct experiments and introduces them to key biology topics, making this a valuable addition to any library or classroom.

BIOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF LIFE Life is everywhere, thriving in the city and in the country, teeming in ecosystems around the planet—in deserts, oceans, and even the Arctic. And life is right outside your door! Backyard Biology invites children ages 9 and up to investigate living things—especially in yards, parks, nature areas, and playgrounds. Trivia and fun facts bring animals, plants, and microorganisms to life, in all their wonder. Readers become Nature Detectives with activities and projects that encourage children to make discoveries. Children will construct a plankton net to collect pond samples, and they’ll grow microorganisms in a Winogradsky Column. They’ll discover what mystery plants sprout from collected soil samples and build a rolypoly habitat. When children experiment with phototropism and geotropism, they'll discover the ways plants move. In Backyard Biology, children will scout out different habitats to observe and investigate—and do their part to protect them.

A handy, charmingly designed book filled with more than eighty experiments for the whole family--discover, learn, and enjoy a better understanding of basic garden science. From testing garden soil to making a homemade battery out of a potato, this book reveals the hidden science at work in the garden and around the house. The book is divided into four sections, each focusing on one area: biology, soil science, botany, and "kitchen sink" chemistry. Each experiment is straightforward and easy, involving no more than common household items. Learn how to germinate seeds with little more than envelopes and used egg cartons or amaze friends with the art of optical illusion. While learning how to create a homemade ant farm or making a pressed herbarium specimen, kids get grounded in the basic principles of science. The experiments have been designed as participatory learning activities that bring kids and family members together with the aim of developing young people's learning skills, interest in science, and the world around them.

Young readers learn about the plants, animals, microbes, and more that live in the dirt, water, and air."--Provided by publisher.

Illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions demonstrate how to use common household items to conduct experiments in habitats, evaporation, latitude, photosynthesis, hydrophonics, and other scientific concepts.

“If you’ve ever fantasized walking and conversing with the great scientist on the subjects that consumed him, and now wish to add the fullness of reality, read this book.” —Edward O. Wilson, author of Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life James T. Costa takes readers on a journey from Darwin’s childhood through his voyage on the HMS Beagle, where his ideas on evolution began, and on to Down House, his bustling home of forty years. Using his garden and greenhouse, the surrounding meadows and woodlands, and even the cellar and hallways of his home-turned-field-station, Darwin tested ideas of his landmark theory of evolution through an astonishing array of experiments without using specialized equipment. From those results, he plumbed the laws of nature and drew evidence for the revolutionary arguments of On the Origin of Species and other watershed works. This unique perspective introduces us to an enthusiastic correspondent, collaborator, and, especially, an incorrigible observer and experimenter. And it includes eighteen experiments for home, school, or garden. Finalist for the 2018 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books.

Life is all around us, even in our backyard. This interactive book introduces readers to the wondrous field of biology with fun experiments they can do at home. Activities make learning fun and help readers grasp abstract concepts. Each project is simplified through step-by-step instructions. Stunning full-color photographs help readers visualize each step. "What's Happening" sidebars explain the science behind each project, which is perfect for hands-on learners. This innovative book teaches readers how to conduct experiments and introduces them to key biology topics, making this a valuable addition to any library or classroom.