Product Description: The cultural and intellectual achievements of Old World civilizationsancient Greece or Egypt, for instancecan be glimpsed in present-day societies the world over. Unfortunately, accomplishments of the ancient civilizations of the New World have often been obscured by the colonial forces that eventually eradicated much of their populations...read more

Product Description: As the often unnoticed architect of a regions landscapes and terrains, climate shapes the way life and societies develop in any given area. Reflecting the aggregate weather patterns of a place, climate can vary drastically around the globe and can itself be impacted by human actions...read more

Product Description: Some of the planets most destructive forcesincluding earthquakes and volcanic activityare caused by the same factors that helped shape much of the Earth as it is today. Plate tectonics, or movement of the Earths outer layers, can occur in a number of different ways and produce a range of results, some minor and others far more considerable or devastating...read more

Product Description: Routinely going through daily life, people may be inured to the fact that Earth takes up only a small fraction of a solar system, let alone the universe. Still, the planet we call home is unique for a number of reasons. The more we can learn about Earth and its Moonthe two bodies in the solar system of which the most has been discovered to datethe more likely scientists are to uncover truths about the universe as a whole...read more

Product Description: Most avid sky gazers wait until nightfall to catch a glimpse of the stars that are scattered across the heavens. The fact of the matter is that one needs only to feel the Suns rays in order to experience the presence of a star. The Sun is an ordinary star, a ball of hot gas much like millions of others in the universe, but as the center of the solar system, it is critical to the survival of all life forms on Earth...read more

Product Description: Peering through a telescope, you are likely to encounter a host of celestial bodiesanything from another planet to a cometspeckling the night sky. Careful observation has shown that while each object follows a unique orbit or trajectory, these entities also share numerous qualities and together provide critical information about space and the universe as a whole...read more

Product Description: Anyone who has experienced the thrill of watching his or her team win on Super Bowl Sunday will recognize the exhilaration that the game of football generates. Gridiron football is a complex game that demands both tactical ability and physical skill...read more

Product Description: Life comes in all shapes and forms, and living entities dwell in all types of habitats. There are seven characteristics that all life forms sharethe ability to move, to sense, to respire, to consume nutrition, to grow, to reproduce, and to excrete waste matter...read more

Product Description: Perhaps the most iconic representation of Americana, baseball captured the hearts of the American public when it first gained traction around the country in the mid-19th century. The sport continues to enthrall audiences both in the United States and around the world through informal games, regional associations, and at the professional level...read more

Product Description: Although we often search social and historical documents for clues to our past, biological documents perhaps hold the most important evidence of our heritage. The traits we inherit from our parents and pass on to our offspring are encoded in our genes and DNA and reveal much about both our origins and our future...read more

Product Description: From the food available at the local store to the clothes we choose to wear every day, weather determines many of the major decisions we make and the actions we pursue. While we may not be able to control the weather, understanding the factors that cause a hurricane or allow us to plant certain crops, for example, can help us better prepare for both natural disasters and our daily lives...read more

Product Description: The life cycle of a plant can be truly remarkable to observe, and the energy of plant life can be truly mystifying; consider how certain environments are inhospitable to life, yet theyre sprinkled with various forms of vegetation...read more

Product Description: Frequently cited as a land that birthed civilization and culture as we know it, the impact of ancient Greece on the world cannot be overstated. Its flourishing city-states laid the creative foundations for much of the literature, drama, art, and architecture we enjoy today, while advances in governance and law have shaped the development of democracy...read more

Product Description: Even as environmental consciousness and green habits become increasingly embedded with numerous individuals, many of the planets natural resources and species remain in danger. On a global scale, effectively protecting the environment requires top-down solutions from political and economic structures and the incorporation of environmentalist initiatives into legislative and legal action...read more

Product Description: Amidst constant warfare and surges of cultural achievement, ancient Rome luxuriated in the splendors of its conquests and the glory of its Empire. Under the powerful direction of such leaders as Julius Caesar and Augustus, Rome secured its legacy as a foundation for much of the modern Western world...read more

Product Description: What is the Civil Rights Movement? -- A Movement many years in the making -- Early steps -- Dashed hopes -- The first victories -- Resistance to the Brown ruling -- Bus boycott in Montgomery -- Martin Luther King Jr. and nonviolent protest -- Central High School in Little Rock -- Sit-ins and SNCC -- Freedom rides -- Birmingham -- Political responses to the Movement -- March on Washington and the Civil Rights Act -- Struggle in Mississippi -- Selma and the Voting Rights Act -- Civil rights and the arts -- A new direction -- Other civil rights struggles -- The Movement continues -- Timeline...read more