The Jump Into Science book Dirt takes on the topic of soil, one of the most important resources on Earth. A star-nosed mole is the book's character guide, and he shows off all the different kinds of dirt in his garden, helps us to understand how dirt formed and what's in it, and points out many of the incredible creatures who live in the dirt. Young readers will learn fascinating scientific information about the different soil layers, or horizons, and find out how the soil that plants grow in differs from the soil that building foundations sit in. They'll also learn fun stuff: Did you know a single earthworm can eat several tons of soil a year? Dirt takes on more significance than just something to be cleaned up when you realize that it's a critical part of the web of life. Without it, plants could not grow, and animals and people could not live. Soil is important, and it needs protecting. Dirt also discusses some of the issues surrounding soil conservation and protection and talks about protecting forests and grasslands as a way to help. A do-it-yourself experiment at the end of the book walks kids through a great activity how to build your own soil ecosystem in a plastic soda bottle. Give it some time, and you'll see grass begin to sprout and critters crawling around in your miniterrarium. The bright cheerful art, and the delightful mole will charm readers as they learn all the secrets of the precious substance down underground dirt.

 

 

This book is part of a book series called Jump Into Science .

This book has been graded for interest at 5-10 years.

There are 32 pages in this book. This book was published in 2016 by National Geographic Kids .

National Geographic Kids collaborates to put forth fun and interesting non-fiction for kids. Steve Tomecek , the executive director and founder of Science Plus, Inc. , is the author of more than 45 books, including Dirtmeister's Nitty Gritty Planet Earth and several Jump into Science titles. He was the winner of the 1996 American Institute of Physics Excellence in Science Writing Award. Tomecek has served as the associate director of the Science Museum of Long Island and as the science program supervisor for the New York Hall of Science. He has written for and developed websites for Los Alamos National Labs, Scholastic, and Discovery. Tomecek lives in Bellerose, New York. Nancy Woodman is a children's book author and illustrator. She has worked on Sea-Fari Deep and the Jump into Science books Dirt , Volcano! , and Sand , a Parents' Choice winner for 2001. Woodman is also the cocreator of Worm Vue Wonders, an educational product about the role of earthworms in soil. She lives in Poulsbo, Washington. To learn more, visit nanneroo. com. Steve Tomecek, the Executive Director and founder of Science Plus, Inc. , is the author of numerous books, including three other Jump Into Science titles. He was the winner of the 1996 American Institute of Physics Excellence in Science Writing Award. He lives in Bellerose, New York.