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  • Getting Started

    Book Chapter |

    This chapter provides an overview of the book that has everything needed to boost students' science and reading skills. Start by learning about the strategies you need in Chapters 2 and 3, and then dive into the 12…

  • Oh! I Gotta Pee!

    Book Chapter |

    There are many misconceptions about the urinary system. The misconceptions make it hard for students to understand the critical role of the kidneys. This chapter starts out by having students identify their current…

  • The Outsiders

    Book Chapter |

    Students often believe that classification is an innate system in nature, discovered whole and unchanged by scientists. In this chapter, students will get a brief introduction to how classification has changed over the…

  • Some Like It Hot

    Book Chapter |

    The word adaptation, as used in everyday speech, refers to a choice that individuals make to adjust to a new environment. In biology, adaptation refers to changes in populations that result from natural selection. This…

  • Bacteria: The Good, The Bad, and Getting Rid of the Ugly

    Book Chapter |

    Most students think about bacteria primarily in the context of disease. However, bacteria are the most numerous organisms on Earth, and only a fraction of them cause disease. The exploration in this chapter—growing…

  • Hunting the Ancient Whales

    Book Chapter |

    As mammals that live in the water, whales have been an enigma since the time of Darwin. In the past 20 years, biologists and paleontologists have uncovered a remarkably complete story of whales’ transition from land to…

  • The Reading Strategies

    Book Chapter |

    Reading strategies can be important for helping students improve reading, but students need something more. They need to begin to view reading as an active search for meaning that is within their control. In this…

  • How Do You Know That? Helping Students With Claims and Evidence

    Book Chapter |

    Making claims (often called conclusions) and providing evidence are at the heart of the practice of science. Any simple activity that has students focus on making a claim and supporting it with evidence can be used as a…

  • A-Maze-ing Worms

    Book Chapter |

    This chapter has two main goals. The first goal is to ease students into the reading procedures described in Chapter 1 by using two reading passages—“On Your Mark!” allows students to practice using the codes to show…

  • Cells R Us

    Book Chapter |

    The lesson in this chapter is designed to open a unit on cells and cell parts. In the exploration, students will view plant, animal, and bacteria cells through a microscope while looking for the answers to their own…

  • Healing Powers

    Book Chapter |

    The basic ideas in this chapter are simple. The cell duplicates important parts (including DNA) and then divides in half. Students often find the topic of cell division difficult because they become bogged down in the…

  • No Bones About It

    Book Chapter |

    All animals have some form of a skeleton. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals have an internal skeleton, made of bones or cartilage. Arthropods have a stiff internal skeleton. Worms and other soft-bodied…

  • The Case of the Tree Hit Man

    Book Chapter |

    The topic of plants does not excite many middle school students. Learning about the inner workings of xylem and phloem feels far removed from any practical applications in their lives. This chapter uses a (true life!)…

  • A Gene for Drunkenness?

    Book Chapter |

    This chapter focuses on the relationship between genes and alcoholism. Examining this relationship can help students make wise choices about drinking, and it also can help them gain a wider perspective on genetics—a…

  • Materials Repurposed: Find a Wealth of Free Resources at Your Local Recycling Center

    Book Chapter |

    By looking at the function and purpose of any piece of equipment, a creative teacher can find a suitable replacement for many premade science materials, sometimes from the most unlikely places. This chapter features a…

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