Imagine a career where you get paid to draw all day. That's what botanical illustrators do! Get inside the mind of a botanical illustrator, and learn how their intricate drawings of plants help science. Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, this Smithsonian Informational Text builds students' reading skills while engaging their curiosity about STEAM topics through real-world examples. It features a hands-on STEAM challenge that...

Have you ever eaten broccoli or cauliflower? Then you've eaten a flower! Some flowers are good for eating. They are also an important part of a plant. Find out how flowers help plants grow and learn about some of the flowers we eat.

There are many kinds of grass, but when most people think of this green plant, they think of the kind found in backyards and parks. Grass is like many other plants with its roots, leaves, and needs of soil, water, and sun. Young readers find out that acres of grass come from the tiniest of seeds. With this knowledge, they'll never look at someone mowing the lawn in the same way again. Full-color photographs closely correlate with the accessible narrative,...

Seeds are for planting. Seeds are for eating, too. If you've ever eaten beans or corn, you've eaten seeds. Find out about different kinds of seeds and learn about some of the seeds we eat.

Everybody loves fruit — apples, cherries, tomatoes...Wait, what? Tomatoes are fruit? Yes, they are! Find out how fruits help plants grow and learn about some of the fruits we eat.

Plants grow from seeds, so understanding basic facts about seeds helps readers understand the life cycle of a plant. Life cycles are just one of the important science curriculum topics readers, explore as they turn each colorful page. Accessible text is, accompanied by detailed photographs and diagrams of seeds and the plants they become. After reading, students will be eager to plant seeds of their own to see the lessons they've learned about plants...

What are seeds? Young readers will observe how seeds turn into plants and how seeds are distributed to different places.

Carrots are a great snack, even though they're a plant root. These bright root vegetables grow underground for months before they become the sweet, crunchy veggie we put on salads and dip in hummus. Young readers follow along as carrot seeds are planted in soil, watered, and exposed to the sun, and as they grow into orange, yellow, purple, and white veggies. Age-appropriate detail and vocabulary guide readers just beginning to read independently....

Nothing says summer like an open sunflower turned toward the sun. These familiar flowers are a great example of how flowering plants grow from seeds with some soil, space, sun, and water. Readers will follow this plant's growth through text with closely correlated photographs, including images of a sunflower sprouting, gaining leaves, budding, and opening to the lovely, friendly flower we know. Age-appropriate detail and vocabulary guide readers just...

Different kinds of plants have different kinds of stems. Daisies have thin stems, while redwood trees have thick, woody stems. What do these stems do? Readers discover the answer with the help of clear, age-appropriate text that supports common science curriculum topics. Colorful diagrams enhance the main text, helping young readers visualize the concepts they are reading about. Detailed photographs of a variety of plants and their stems provide an...