Evolution and the beginning of time (resource list)

The beginning of time/evolution, August-October 2011

Topics of focus:
The Big Bang
Charles Darwin
Evolution as a concept
The concept of time and the age of the Earth
The evolution of life on Earth
Food chains, web of life, and conservation of energy

Book list (picture books):
Bang! The Universe Verse, by James Lu Dunbar (a graphic novel—review), and
It's Alive! The Universe Verse Book 2, by James Lu Dunbar (a graphic novel—review)
Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story, Book One, by Jennifer Morgan (review)
From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth's Story, Book Two, by Jennifer Morgan (review)
Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story, Book Three, by Jennifer Morgan
Life on Earth: the Story of Evolution, by Steve Jenkins (review)
Life Story, by Virginia Lee Burton (review)
Our Family Tree, by Lisa Westberg Peters (review)
The Tree of Life, by Peter Sis

Book list (other):
Darwin, by Alice B. McGinty
Darwin and Evolution For Kids: His Life and Ideas With 21 Activities, by Kristan Lawson
Evolution: The Story of Life, by Douglas Palmer
First Life (Life on Earth), from The Diagram Group
Voyage Through Time, The Beginning, by Peter Ackroyd (review)
Who Was Charles Darwin?, by Deborah Hopkinson (review)

Video list:
Before the Dinosaurs: Walking With Monsters (BBC)
Formation of the Solar System, Stephen Hawking (YouTube)

Websites/computer resources:
Back in Time (iPad app)
Cambrian Creatures quiz (Purpose Games website)
Plate tectonic timeline (HSU Natural History Museum website—I printed and laminated the images for our timeline)
Burgess Shale's Wierd Creatures (Smithsonian website)

Activity list:
Coming up with our own specially evolved creatures
Making a felt timeline, to time scale, of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras.
Researching and making a few select creatures for the timeline
Playing with said timeline and creatures!
Visiting our local Natural History Museum (University of Michigan)

Meet the Giba Monster!

Solids, Liquids, Gases: Matter Matters!, By Calvin Ophoff

As part of our look at the first section in Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, Calvin decided to make a book about the states of matter. I will write about BFSU soon, but first a look at the outcome from section one.