Climate Change Research--6th Grade: Animals

Tracking Tortoises by Kate Messner; Jake Messner (Photographer) Once a plentiful group of gentle giants, the Galapagos giant tortoise species now faces extinction due to hunting and climate change. A dedicated group of researches seeks to save the creatures through targeted efforts to protect them on the Galapagos Islands. The scientist team studies their habits, monitors nests, diligently keeps track of populations, and often provides protection for hatchlings.

The Snowy Owl Scientist by Mark Wilson Follows scientist Denver Holt as he researches snowy owls in Alaska. Provides an illustrated, detailed look at Holt's work, and suggests ways readers can help snowy owls.

Too Much Trash by Joan Marie Galat Explores the danger human litter poses to animals in the wild, discussing different kinds of litter, where it comes from, and what young readers can do to limit their litter impact on the environment.

Camp Panda by Catherine Thimmesh Explores the work that people do at Camp Panda to help raise and foster wild panda bears, being careful to raise them as wild pandas so that they can one day return to the wild.

Fresh Air, Clean Water by Megan Clendenan; Julie McLaughlin (Illustrator) Discusses the right to live in a healthy environment with clean air, safe water to drink, and healthy soil to grow food. Explores important environmental rights court cases, and profiles young activists making a difference in the world.

National Geographic Kids WATER! by Lisa M. Gerry Uses visual diagrams, infographics, text blocks, essays, photographs, and other visual aides to describe the importance of clean fresh water in the world. Explains why water is important, living things' relationship with water, causes of water scarcity and pollution, climate change's effects on water, the importance of the world's oceans, and conservation tips.

Back from the Brink by Nancy F. Castaldo Chronicles the human intervention used to save seven endangered species, including whooping cranes, bald eagles, and wolves. Discusses the causes of the dwindling populations, and the various recovery efforts that took place to improve the animals' ecosystem.

Save Ocean Life by Stephanie Feldstein Examines the threats to oceans today from climate change, overfishing, and pollution, and offers ways to help.

Exxon Valdez by Michael Burgan Examines the environmental disaster brought on by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Highlights Alaska's history with oil, the clean-up efforts, and the long-term effects of the spill.

Grizzly Bears by Frances Backhouse Describes grizzly bears' physical traits, behaviors, habitat, life cycle, and diet. Examines their extinction rates in North America, conservation efforts to save them, and how humans can coexist with grizzly bears. Includes fact boxes, profiles of individuals' encounters and relationship with grizzly bears, color photographs, a glossary, and further resources.

Conservation Canines by Isabelle Groc; Anjelica Huston (Foreword by) This nonfiction book explores the various ways dogs help with conservation and environmental efforts, from sniffing out poachers, to keeping reintroduced predators such as bears and wolves from attacking cattle (and thus keeping farmers from attacking vulnerable wildlife), to discovering the scat of endangered animals so that scientists can study it.

Trash Vortex by Danielle Smith-Llera Explores how plastic is slowly collecting in the world's oceans, leaving vast swaths of debris on the surface and plastic particles in the water that harm the ocean's wildlife.