GEOGRAPHY
"If it's about Earth's land, water, air, or living things-- particularly people-- it's geography. The word comes from the Greek "geo," which means "earth," and "graphy," which means "writing or description." Physical geographers study landforms, water, soil, climate, and the distribution of living things.

FLOWERS
"Most flowers are total showoffs. Everything about them says, "Look at me! Smell me! Touch me!" The bright colors, strong scents, and big, showy petals are all designed to attract attention. But whose? And why? The sole purpose of every flower on earth is to grow new plants. Some flowers need help from bees, butterflies, and other animals. So they put on a "flower show" of color and scent to attrac. . . "

INSECTS
"No one knows for sure how many different kinds of insects there are. But based on their discoveries of new species in rain forests, scientists think there may be as many as three million insect species worldwide. Insects are found almost everywhere on the planet, except in the ocean's salty waters. They are successful because they adapt to almost any environment. Some also have a unique feature th. . . "

EVERGLADES
"Welcome to a one-of-a-kind wetland wonderland. Flying low over southern Florida, you can see a wide area of flat land stretching across most of the peninsula. If it is summer, a sheet of water filled with grassy plants covers this land. In winter, there is more dry land, with large ponds and islands of trees. This is a bird's-eye view of the Everglades. Some call it a marsh. Others say it. . . "

OCEANS
"If aliens tried to land a spaceship on earth, they would more likely land with a splash than with a thud. That's because more than two-thirds of our planet's surface is covered by water. We have many different names for the areas of water that cover the earth. We call them ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, seas, and oceans. The biggest ones are the oceans, and there are five of them: the Atlantic,. . . "

WETLANDS
"Picture the arctic tundra - a vast frigid expanse of mosses, lichens, and stunted tress in the northernmost land area of the world. Now picture Florida's steamy Everglades, tropical home to alligators, manatees, and 15-foot-high sawgrass. Two very different places, right? Yet they are both wetlands, places where water level is at or near the surface of the land. Wetlands make up about six percent. . . "

EARTH
"Spread out a map of the world. What you see on its depends on the kind of map you have. Does it show cities and countries? Mountains and valleys? Maybe weather patterns? The variety of features is so great that one map just can't handle it all. Earth is part of a nine-planet solar system within the Milky Way galaxy. Its size and location aren't very impressive. We inhabit the third planet. . . "

PLANTS
"Think about that cotton shirt in your closet. The paper these words are printed on. The berries in your breakfast cereal. The carrots in your lunch. If there were no plants in the world, none of these things would exist. Plants vary from microscopic algae in the water to huge sequoia trees. But what exactly is a plant? A plant is a living thing that captures and uses the sun's energy to make its own food. Come meet some of the more than 350,000 species, or kinds, of plants..."

BIRDS
"Birds touch us as few other animals do. Watch a falcon soar, and something soars within us. Listen to a sparrow's song, and it's hard to keep from whistling back. What makes birds so special? Other animals, such as bats and bees, also have wings. But birds rule the airways."

ISLANDS
"An island is a body of land surrounded by water. Some islands are found in rivers, lakes, and ponds. But most islands are in the ocean. Some islands, like Madagascar off the east coast of Africa, are nations. Others are made up of two nations."

CONSERVATION
"Only we can take care of our planet. Taking care of Earth means taking care of its land, water, plants, animals, and air. Everyone-- including you-- has a part to play. That's where conservation comes in. Conservation is defined as protecting and managing Earth's natural resources."

GORILLAS
"Because these largest of all primates are shy and live in the dense tropical forests of central Africa, gorillas are hard to study. Knowledge about them is still evolving. Scientists organize gorillas into species and subspecies according to where they live. As research continues, scientists may find and identify more subspecies than are described here."

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

• Eyewitness: Ecology.  By Steve Pollock, Dorling Kindersly, 2000.
• The Future of the Earth : An Introduction to Sustainable Development for Young Readers. By Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Harry N. Abrams, 2004.
• The Dictionary of the Environment and Its Biomes. By Chris Myers, Franklin Watts, Inc., 2002.

ADULT BOOKS

• Silent Spring.  By Rachel Carson, Houghton Mifflin 40th Anniversary Edition, 2002.
• Diversity of Life.  By Edward O. Wilson, Norton, 1999.
• Nature in Danger: Threatened Habitats and Species (Guinness Guide to Nature in Danger).  By Noel Simon, Oxford University Press, 1995

WEBSITES

• Environmental Protection Agency: Teaching Center
  http://www.epa.gov/teachers/
• National Biological Information Infrastructure: Teacher Resources
  http://www.nbii.gov/education/index.html
• Earth Day Foundation
  http://www.earthdayfoundation.org/