Science Matters: Adaptations, Wind, Space and Energy Sources, a Weekly Reader publication articles

Recent articles from Science Matters: Adaptations, Wind, Space and Energy Sources, a Weekly Reader publication

Suggested Monthly Plan.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... By using timely topics and current events to introduce concepts and teach corresponding skills, the Weekly Reader SCIENCE MATTERS series updates and enriches your science curriculum. Although each unit of study in SCIENCE MATTERS is only a few...

Classroom. (Resources).
January 1, 1993... Unit 1: solid vegetable shortening, plastic bags, thick wool glove, large bowl, ice, thick rubber bands, red transparent plastic folders, yellow crayons, white paper, cardboard, pencils, markers, scissors, ruler, jar, tray, sand, water, shallow...

Books to Enjoy. (Resources).(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Reserve one or more of these books at the school or public library for the duration of the unit. Try to read two or more books to the class per week. Encourage students to read some of the books on their own or with a book buddy. Life in...

Read-Aloud Books. (Resources).(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... The Camel, Carl R. Green and William R. Sanford, Macmillan, 1988 Windy Day: Stories & Poems, Caroline F. Bauer, HarperCollins, 1988 Let the Hurricane Roar, Rose Lane, HarperCollins, 1985 Homes in Space, Graham Rickard, Lerner, 1989...

Unit 1: Adaptation.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Background Information As late fall approaches and the waters of Canada's Hudson Bay begin to freeze near Cape Churchill, polar bears begin their annual hunting of ringed and bearded seals. When hunting seals, a polar bear is cunning and...

Unit 2: Winds.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Background Information A nor'easter is a cyclonic storm that moves northeastward within several hundred miles of the eastern coast of the United States and Canada, particularly in the fall and winter. Its strong northeast winds, bearing...

Unit 3: Space.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Background Information Following in the footsteps of their ancient namesakes, the modern spacecrafts Magellan and Galileo are making startling discoveries of the planets Venus, Jupiter, and a neighboring minor planet, the asteroid Gaspra....

Unit 4: Energy sources.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Background Information Energy sources change as technologies evolve. Water and wood powered much of U.S. industry through the Civil War. Oil was used for lighting in the 1850s and then for motor vehicles beginning in the early 20th...

Skills Overview.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Students learn to * observe how Arctic and desert animals adapt to their environments; * cite factors that cause people to sweat, shiver, or blink; * describe how animals use camouflage for protection against enemies; * make...

Science Matters. [TM] Grade Five.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Students learn that animals and humans can adapt to their respective environments. A polar bear's fur and fat enable it to live in the frigid Arctic environment. The camel, on the other hand, is perfectly suited to desert life because it can go...

Series Overview.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... When science is an important part of the curriculum, children are likely to become science-oriented, curious about the world in which they live, and fascinated by the new technologies all around them. Students develop the skills of scientific...

Word List.(Glossary)
January 1, 1993... adapt to get used to adaptation a special feature that allows an animal or a plant to live in its environment air pressure the pushing force of air anemometer an instrument used to measure the speed of the wind barometer an...

Water Power.(Brief Article)
January 1, 1993... Falling water has a lot of energy. There are some places in Our country where the energy of falling water is enough, to make electricity Niagara Falls is one of these places. The falling water from Niagara Falls rushes through turbines that...

Wind Power.(how windmills change energy from the wind into electric energy; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Windmills have been used for been used for hundreds of years. One hundred years ago, almost every farm in America had a windmill that provided power to help pump water out of the ground or to grind grains. Modern windmills have huge blades...

Energy from Solar Cells.(solar car race and why it is important to develop solar energy; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... The race is on! Growing concern for the environment and new clean air laws are just two incentives for engineers to design cars that use alternative energy sources. Solar-powered cars could become one kind of environmentally friendly car. ...

Solar Power Unlimited Power.(how electricity is being produced by a solar power plant; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... SAN DIEGO, California -- Some families in the Mohave Desert are getting their electricity from mirrors! How can that happen? The electricity comes from the world's largest solar power plant. This power plant has 1,118 mirror panels....

Space Stations Matters!: Astronauts at Work.(what astronauts will do on space stations)
January 1, 1993... What will astronauts do on the space station? They all will have many jobs. Four astronauts will be on each flight. They will take turns working 12 hours at a time. Life in space is really different from life on Earth. In a weightless...

How Do Rocket Engines Work?(science project)
January 1, 1993... What to observe How do rocket engines increase the speeds of vehicles? What you need * two oblong-shaped balloons (one obviously larger than the other) * an empty half-gallon paper milk carton * two pieces of strong wire...

The Building of the Space Station: What is the Purpose of the Space Station?
January 1, 1993... Scientists expect to learn many useful things through experiments conducted during 30 years in space. Through experiments conducted on the space station, scientists hope to find the answers to questions such as these: * What happens to...

Nations to Build a space station in space!
January 1, 1993... People from the United States, Japan, Canada and some European countries are working together to build a space station. Plans for the space station are being modified. But it is expected that the station will be built in modules or...

Wind Matters!(what causes tornadoes)
January 1, 1993... Tornadoes or twisters, are violent funnel-shaped storms. The winds in a tornado rotate at speeds up to 500 miles per hour! In the Midwest, they most often form in the spring, when warm air masses from the south meet cold air masses moving east....

Wind can Cause Damage.(what causes hurricanes; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Hurricanes are powerful, whirling storms. When the summer heat warms the seas in tropical areas more than usual, water from the seas evaporates and rises into the air. As the air rises, it collects and forms storm clouds. The clouds release...

Catch the Earth Wind!(why wind patterns are different in different parts of the Earth; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Different parts of Earth have different wind patterns. Earth's coldest areas are near the North and South poles. The warmest areas are near the equators. What do you think happens to the warm, air at the equator? Yes, if moves upward--as...

Make a Barometer.(science experiment)
January 1, 1993... A barometer measures air pressure. On stormy days, a barometer will show low air pressure. On clear days, a barometer will show a high pressure reading. what to observe How does a barometer measure air pressure? What you need ...

Measure Air Pressure.(science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Cool air is heavier than warm air because the molecules, or tiny particles, in the cool air are crowded together. Warm air is lighter than cool air because the molecules are spread out. what to observe How does temperature affect the...

Catch the wind.(how wind can keep gliding machines up in the air; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... What happens when you cross a hang glider with a regular glider? You have a flying machine that is comfortable, doesn't need an airplane to launch it, and can land without a runway. The new glider is called a SWIFT (Swept Wing with Inboard...

Adaptable You!(how people adapt to their environment; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Animals aren't the only ones who adapt to their environments--people do too! Do you ever shiver when you're absolutely freezing? Do you ever find your yourself sweating on a very hot day? Do you ever have to wait for your eyes to adjust to very...

Adapting to Temperature.(how some animals adapt to extreme temperatures; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... WARM TEMPERATURES Animals have many different ways of adapting to changing temperatures. Desert animals, such as the jerboa, that would be harmed by the strong heat during the day strong heat during the day spend the day underground. They...

Adapting to Temperature.(how a female polar bear protects her cubs from the cold; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... COLD TEMPERATURES When winter comes, a female polar bear finds a large drift of snow. On the side facing away from the wind, she digs a tunnel. She makes an oblong den, where she and her cubs can stay safe and warm. Blowing snow covers...

Camels: Suited to The Heat.(how camels are adapted to their environment; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Only a few kinds of animals can Survive the hot temperatures of the desert. Camels are one. They have adaptations that allow them to survive. Most of a camel's fat is stored in its humps. The rest of its body has less fat, so the camel can Stay...

Polar Bears: Suited to The Cold.(how polar bears are adapted to their environment; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... Polar bears are well adapted to the cold. Their bodies have many special features, or adaptations, that help them survive freezing temperatures. A polar bear's adaptation help it hunt other animals for food. Creamy white color helps it...

Polar Bears in Jail! (Adaptation Matters).(why polar bears are trapped when they wander into town; science experiment)
January 1, 1993... CHURCHILL, Canada-Every fall, polar bears come to the Canadian town of Churchill. Just outside the town, the bear wait for the waters of Hudson Bay to turn to ice. Then they walk on the ice and hunt for seals. Sometimes, while they're waiting...