Towns and Cities

February 1, 2013

Gr 6 Up-These titles provide a global overview of environmentalism from different, often overlapping, perspectives. Conservation addresses biodiversity and efforts to assist endangered animals. Food discusses the environmental impact of food production and includes controversial topics such as genetically modified crops, modern diets, organic farming, and rainforest destruction. In Landscape, ample visual evidence shows how lands have been changed by human activities. Transportation discusses global warming, climate change, and energy alternatives such as biofuels and renewable energies. Towns supplies insights into sustainable urbanization, including information about solar-energy efforts in cities worldwide. The books are fairly uniform in format. The names of the last chapters vary, but each one is basically a summary about lessons learned and the future outlook. Each book also discusses the history of human activities and its environmental impact, and efforts by humankind to protect the environment and create sustainable smaller environments. Sidebars and full-color photos appear throughout. Volume-specific time lines, glossaries, "Find Out More" sections, and indexes complement the presentations. Useful for reports as well as for personal inquiry.-Caroline Geck, Newark Public Schools, NJ

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