Why is the ocean important for humans and for the Earth? Did you know that the ocean covers 70 percent of the surface of the earth? And scientists have only explored a very small part of it! In Oceans and Seas! With 25 Science Projects for Kids readers ages 7 though 10 dive into the underwater world of some of the most amazing landscapes on Earth. On this amazing underwater adventure, kids experience the ocean’s tropical reefs and spot crabs, sea sponges, and thousands of kinds of fish darting in its crags and folds. They’ll meet a giant squid with eyes the size of dinner plates and an umbrella-like bioluminescent jellyfish. Through fun facts, engaging illustrations, links to primary sources, timeline, glossary, and resources, readers will be challenged to think about how ocean creatures and plants survive and depend on each other from the sunlit surface to the seafloor, where sunlight does not exist. Student-led STEAM activities, such as building a submarine and creating an ocean in a bottle, use the framework of the scientific method to reinforce learning and enhance critical and creative thinking skills as kids learn about efforts to conserve these incredible creatures and their habitats. Oceans and Seas! is part of a set of four Explore Waterways books from Nomad Press. In Explore Waterways, readers ages 7 to 10 learn about the waterways of our world, including the what, where, how, and who about the origination, content, and aquatic life that water contains. Through science-minded STEAM projects and experiments that encourage readers to think of waterways as part of a larger ecosystem, kids develop critical and creative thinking skills about the role waterways play in our world. Other titles in the Explore Waterways set include Lakes and Ponds!, Marshes and Swamps!, and Rivers and Streams!

Who is the lady who floated to the moon? Did a monkey really hatch from an egg? Did tears bring down the Great Wall of China? Does the sky rest on the legs of a turtle? In Explore Ancient Chinese Myths! With 25 Projects, readers ages 7 to 10 soar on a journey through ancient China to learn about history, geography, science, and art through stories that have been told and retold for thousands of years. They learn the tales of past heroes and wise kings, brave goddesses and gods who brought riches, rain, and immortality. Then there are the gods who taught people how to live by sharing their knowledge of agriculture, writing, music, and math. The myths and legends told by the ancient Chinese that have survived into modern times showcase the ingenuity and passion that this culture has applied to problem solving and cultural expression. Through the 25 hands-on projects, kids will have fun and gain a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese myths. Projects include making mooncakes, writing in Chinese, designing a New Year’s story board game, and observing the stars. Exploring myths and legends is also a way to discover how ancient China is still impacting the world today through inventions such as fireworks, silk, paper, and printing. In addition, kids will be invited to think about how Chinese culture is similar or different from their life today. By combining social studies and literature with activities, fun facts, jokes, and cartoons, Explore Ancient Chinese Myths offers the opportunity to discover Ancient China through myths and legends.

Have you ever wished on a shooting star? Shooting stars often appear when the earth passes through the dust and debris left by a passing comet. Explore Comets and Asteroids! With 25 Amazing Projects takes readers ages 7 to 10 on a fantastic journey through space, where they investigate comets, asteroids, and lesser-known space wonders through 25 experiments and activities designed for curious kids. Readers learn about everything from the first asteroid discovered to many current spacecraft missions. They also investigate famous comets, such Halley’s comet, which returns faithfully every 75 or 76 years. Learning about comets and asteroids means asking lots of questions. Could we live and work on asteroids? Why do we only occasionally see comets? Kids find the answers and more through hands-on projects and experiments that encourage them to be curious about how and why things work. Activities range from mapping the positions of celestial objects to designing spacecraft for asteroid missions. By combining science with activities, fun facts, and cartoons, kids will investigate, create, design, test, and redesign. Explore Comets and Asteroids! inspires kids to want to know more about how these rocky worlds formed and how they may have shaped life on Earth.

From zippers to the Pyramids, rolling pins to catapults, we are surrounded by simple machines. This book will amaze kids with the ingenuity they already possess and inspire them to look differently at the objects they use everyday. Explore Simple Machines! With 25 Great Projects introduces kids to the concept of “mechanical advantage,” and harnesses kid-power by inviting them to build machines of their own design. It opens their eyes to the diversity of machines in their lives, and sparks the imagination with challenge, humor, and achievable projects. Explore Simple Machines! dedicates a chapter to each of the six simple machines that were identified centuries levers, inclined planes, pulleys, screws, wedges, and wheels & axles. Kids will develop analytical skills as they figure out where force is applied and what kind of work it generates.

Explore Native American Cultures! with 25 Great Projects introduces readers to seven main Native American cultural regions, from the northeast woodlands to the Northwest tribes. It encourages readers to investigate the daily activities—including the rituals, beliefs, and longstanding traditions—of America’s First People. Where did they live? How did they learn to survive and build thriving communities? This book also investigates the negative impact European explorers and settlers had on Native Americans, giving readers a glimpse into the complicated history of Native Americans. Readers will enjoy the fascinating stories about America’s First People as leaders, inventors, diplomats, and artists. To enrich the historical information, hands-on activities bring to life each region’s traditions, including region-specific festivals, technology, and art. Readers can learn Native American sign language and create a salt dough map of the Native American regions. Each project is outlined with clear step-by-step instructions and diagrams, and requires minimal adult supervision.

Imagine a world without light. What would it be like? Dark, cold, and lifeless! In Explore Light and Optics! With 25 Great Projects, readers ages 7 through 10 find out why light is so important to our world. We use light to communicate. Because of light, there are natural phenomena such as rainbows and the auroras. And it’s light that provides living things with the energy they need to exist. In Explore Light and Optics!, readers learn how light travels, how the eye works, and why we can see objects. They read about optical inventions that changed the world, including microscopes, telescopes, and cameras. Kids are introduced to modern inventions such as lasers, solar planes, and the hundreds of thousands of miles of fiber optics that make it possible to transmit data all over the world. Through projects ranging from making a spectroscope and concocting invisible ink to creating a periscope and experimenting with lenses, children discover how light can be bent, bounced, and broken. Fun facts, jokes, cartoon illustrations and links to online primary sources spark an interest in the fascinating role light plays in our lives from the sun shining overhead to the cellphone in our back pocket.