Introduction 6
Chapter 1 Common Ground 11
Really Moving
Layers of the Earth
Minerals
The Rock Cycle
Fossils
Landforms
Mountains
North American Landscapes
Field Succession
Loose Landscape Painting
Chapter 2 What's Up? 41
Up in the Atmosphere
Predicting Weather
The Water Cycle
Storms
Why Are All Snowflakes Different?
Rainbows
Sunsets
Phases of the Moon
Constellations
Chapter 3 Come Close 61
Anatomy of a Flower
Anatomy of a Bee
Anatomy of a Butterfly
Metamorphosis
Plants That Attract Butterflies
Beautiful Butterflies
Colorful Moths
Sedges, Rushes, Grasses
Grazing Edibles
Incredible Insects and Bugs Abounding
Spectacular Spiders
Anatomy of an Ant
Chapter 4 Take a Hike 97
Anatomy of a Deciduous Tree
Anatomy of a Trunk
Leaf Identification
North American Trees
Beautiful Bark
Some Flowers, Cones, Seeds, and Fruits of Trees
Printing Patterns
Anatomy of a Fern
Pretty, Pretty Lichen Mysterious Mosses
Waterbears
Mycelium
Anatomy of a Mushroom
Marvelous Mushrooms
Rotting Log
Foraging in the Forest
Chapter 5 Creature Feature 131
Animals in the Neighborhood
Anatomy of a Bat
Common North American Bats
Tree Squirrels
Ground Squirrels
The Lyme Bacteria Cycle
Grizzly Bear vs. Black Bear
The Animal Underground
Snakes
Lizards
Wild Cats
Wild Dogs
Animals with Antlers…and Horns
Aquatic Mammals
Outstanding Adaptations
Marine Mammals
Chapter 6 A Little Bird Told Me 161
Anatomy of a Bird
A Bevy of Birds
Kinds of Feathers
Birdcalls
A Variety of Nests
Extraordinary Eggs
Intriguing Bird Behavior
Birds of Prey
Owls
Big Birds
A Variety of Beaks
Water Birds
Chapter 7 Head above Water 189
Water Bodies
Ecosystem of a Pond
A Few Freshwater Fish
Life Cycle a Salmon
Water Bugs
Toad vs. Frog
Life Cycle of a Frog
Tida1 Zone Ecosystem
Fantastic Saltwater Fish
Anatomy of a Jellyfish
On the Sat
Seashells by the Seashore
Some Seaweed
Harvesting Processing, and Eating Seaweed
A Note about Conservation 218
Bibliography 220