What's Up in Science?: Puzzles and Problem-Solving Activities to Build Science Literacy, Grades 6-10

About the Author iii

Acknowledgments v

Introduction xiii

Section 1: Preserved Evidence of Past Life

1 What Fossils Have to Say Fossil secrets 2

2 Long-Ago Life Forms Multicellular organisms 4

3 Footprints from the Past Fossil imprints 6

4 Early Wings Bird-dinosaur–link mystery 8

5 Two Steps Ahead of the Rest New lizard discovery 10

6 Dinosaur-Snacking Crocodile Super Croc 12

7 Awesome Dinosaur The Apatosaurus 14

8 Even More Dinosaurs Two massive ancient reptiles 16

9 Mast from the Past Protecting fossil bones 18

10 North American Mammal Mystery Disappearing mammals 20

11 Fossils on Hold Fossils alive and well 22

12 Let’s Ban Man Human causes of extinction 24

Challenge Activities (10 items) 26

Section 2: Early Human Life on Earth

13 New Face from an Old Skull Oldest human ancestor(?) 28

14 Who Ate My Kangaroo? Early human appetites 30

15 Early Artists Show Their Skill Art from the start 32

16 Egyptian Cave Art Real or fake? 34

17 Early Man Appears Iceman and Kennewick Man 36

18 Keeping the Past Alive Ancient ruins’ preservation 38

Challenge Activities (7 items) 40

Section 3: Getting to Know the Lithosphere

19 Leaving the Lava Behind 1 Mayon volcano (Philippines) 42

20 Leaving the Lava Behind 2 Mt. Nyiragongo (Rwanda) 44

21 Volcano Secrets Volcanics (Baja California) 46

22 Earthquakes 1 Earthquake news 48

23 Earthquakes 2 More earthquake data 50

24 Nature’s Quake Predictors Geyser mystery 52

25 Glacier Alert 1 All about glaciers 54

26 Glacier Alert 2 More glacier information 56

27 Inner Space Travel From erosion to caves 58

28 Mapping in Outer and Inner Space Mapping techniques 60

29 Global Positioning System Satellite Navigation Network 62

Challenge Activities (11 items) 64

Section 4: Listening to the Environment

30 Chromium 6 on Trial A most harmful chemical 66

31 Mercury Menace Mercury poisoning 68

32 Global Warming Warning 1 Global warming trends 70

33 Global Warming Warning 2 Global warming trends 72

34 Ocean Currents and Weather El Niño/La Niña 74

35 Pollution Problem Air pollution 76

36 Pollution Solution Technology advancements 78

37 Forever Organisms Preventing extinction 80

Challenge Activities (9 items) 83

Section 5: Ocean Features and Related Creatures

38 Save the Coral Coral reef restoration 86

39 Lost City Found Hydrothermal vents 88

40 Island Under Water Submerged island 90

41 Don’t Go Near the Water Beach pollution 92

42 Fate of the Fish Pollution/Overfishing 94

43 Microbes from Across the Sea Ballast water microbes 96

44 Cormorants Under Siege A fisheries pest 98

45 The No-Wimp Shrimp Mantis shrimp 100

46 Jellyfish on the Rocks Fossilized jellyfish 102

47 Anemone by the Sea Sea anemone 104

48 Squid Freak from Down Deep New discovery 106

49 Stingless Stingrays De-barbing stingrays 108

50 Plight of the Sturgeon Sturgeon problem 110

51 Predator Challenge Predator cautions 112

52 The Sea Otter’s Dilemma Endangered species 114

53 Sea Lions Take Charge Nuisance at sea 116

54 A Whale of a Tale Ancient swimmers 118

Challenge Activities (11 items) 120

Section 6: What’s Happening in Space?

55 Taking on the Universe Examining the universe 124

56 New Planets in Town Recent finds 126

57 Mars: A Watery World? Search for water 128

58 Asteroid Probes Coming Up Asteroid data 130

59 Eros: Space Mountain Asteroid Asteroid study 132

60 Paranoid Rhymes with Asteroid Asteroid fears 134

61 Twenty-Two and Counting Saturn surprise 136

62 The Moons of Jupiter Recent discoveries 138

63 Meteor Trails and Comet Tales Meteors/Comets 140

64 Meteorite Mysteries Meteorite information 142

65 From Stars to Galaxies Star data 144

66 Telescopes and Beyond MAXIM/SOFIA 146

Challenge Activities (12 items) 148

Section 7: Life on Land and Water

67 As the Worm Turns Worm discoveries 152

68 It’s All About Ants Ant stories 154

69 Insects Two Grasshopper/Cricket 156

70 Where Have All the Froggies Gone? 1 Vanishing amphibians 158

71 Where Have All the Froggies Gone? 2 Vanishing amphibians 160

72 The California Condor Comeback 1 Condor rescue 162

73 The California Condor Comeback 2 Condor rescue 164

74 Rodent Roundup 1 Mostly rats 166

75 Rodent Roundup 2 Meet meadow mouse 168

76 The Smallest of Critters Mouse lemurs 170

Challenge Activities (10 items) 172

Section 8: What’s Up in Genetic Science?

77 Genetic Review Genetic terms 174

78 From One Gene to Another 1 A look at genes 176

79 From One Gene to Another 2 A look at genes 178

80 Designer Catfish “Customized” catfish 180

81 Biotech Foods Genetically modified organisms 182

82 Human Stem Cells Stem cell concerns 184

83 Human Genome A chromosome gathering 186

84 What About Cloning? Cloning issues 188

Challenge Activities (8 items) 190

Section 9: Timely Real-Life Topics of Concern

85 Environmental Pollution 1 Student comments 192

86 Environmental Pollution 2 Student comments 194

87 The Decreasing Fish Population Student comments 196

88 Whale Concerns 1 Student comments 198

89 Whale Concerns 2 Student comments 200

90 Dealing with Dolphins Student comments 202

91 The Cold Facts About Cryonics Student comments 204

Riddles for the Asking 207

Answer Key 211

Riddles Answer Key 231