Special Collections
Into Reading Texas Grade 5 (NIMAC)
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Along the Santa Fe Trail
by Marion Russell and Ginger Wadsworth and James WatlingNIMAC-sourced textbook. An adaptation of the author's biography, Land of Enchantment, describes her eventful 1852 journey with her mother and brother from Kansas to California over the Santa Fe trail in a large wagon train.
Ancient Inventions
by Teresa Turner and John FrancisNIMAC-sourced textbook. People have been inventing new ways to meet the challenges of daily life for a very long time. Ancient people faced many of the same basic challenges that we use modern inventions for today. They found many clever ways to do things more quickly and easily. In fact, you might be surprised just how advanced some of their inventions were!
Attack of the Giant Mutant Zombie Snail
by John Parsons and Ian ForssNIMAC-sourced textbook. The common garden snail is pretty harmless and, in Simon's opinion, also quite useful for disposing of unwanted plants, such as vegetables. But when Aunt Augusta starts recombining their genetic code at the South Queens University Institute for Research into Mollusks (or SQUIRM), the snails become anything but harmless.
Beware of the Mist
by Pamela Rushby and James HartNIMAC-sourced textbook. Max and his family plan a trip to Hadrian's Wall in England. Just as they are leaving, Max's gran gives him a very unusual warning—but Max doesn't listen. Along with a tour guide called Jefficus, Max embarks on a walk along the wall. But when the mist rolls in, they find themselves in a very unfamiliar time and place. Will they be able to find their way back?
By Sea to America
by Brian Moses and Tom McNeelyNIMAC-sourced textbook. Anya, Micah, and their mother set sail for America on the Lusitania. When their mother falls ill aboard the ship, Anya finds a friend in Mr. Krinsky, who helps nurse her mother back to health. But when they arrive in America and Anya is sick, who can the family ask for help?
Cars
by Debbie CroftNIMAC-sourced textbook. Cars have come a long way since they were first rolled out in the late 1800s. Early models were powered by simple internal combustion engines as a replacement for the horse-drawn carriage. Today, though, cars are designed to be comfortable, safe, sleek, and stylish. The latest computer technology has made many car functions automatic and will one day allow for cars to drive themselves!
Creature Features: Exploring Animal Characteristics
by Lisa RaoNIMAC-sourced textbook. Learn all about the differences between amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and more! This book explores the coolest creatures and the features that make them special.
CSI: Classroom
by Frank Pedersen and James HartNIMAC-sourced textbook. The crime-scene investigation (CSI) team at Gonzalez School swings into action when a cold, lifeless body is discovered in Room 7. There are plenty of suspects, but only one guilty perpetrator. The CSI: Classroom team will need to use all their skills and experience to solve this cold-blooded crime.
The Day-Glo Brothers
by Chris Barton and Tony PersianiNIMAC-sourced textbook
A discovery that made the world a brighter place! Joe and Bob Switzer were very different brothers. Bob was a studious planner who wanted to grow up to be a doctor. Joe dreamed of making his fortune in show business and loved magic tricks and problem-solving.
When an accident left Bob recovering in a darkened basement, the brothers began experimenting with ultraviolet light and fluorescent paints. Together they invented a whole new kind of color, one that glows with an extra-special intensity—Day-Glo.
Design for Maximum Impact
by Sharon ParsonsNIMAC-sourced textbook. When you hear the word "design," you might think of a pattern on clothes, or maybe a certain kind of drawing. But it's actually much more than that. Good design is a blending of colors, shapes, and images put together to grab our eyes' attention. It goes into everything we buy and use. What type of "design" makes you stop and say "wow!"?
Digging up the Past
by Adam Ford and Laura SuaNIMAC-sourced textbook. Did you know that some people travel around the world digging things out of the ground for a living? Archaeologist Adam Ford explains exactly what his job involves. Read about the types of places an archaeologist can work in and the sorts of things they find. And find out what makes an ordinary house turn into a ruin over many years.
Dreamers and Doers
by Darleen RamosNIMAC-sourced textbook. Dreamers and doers are the inventors and scientists who put plans into action. Read about some of the world's biggest dreamers and doers, and learn how their curiosity changed the world forever.
Dust Bowl Survivors
by Patti TrimbleNIMAC-sourced textbook. The Dust Bowl swept the Great Plains in the 1930s. During this time, crops failed, livestock died, and farmers and businessmen went broke. Learn what those tough times were like, and hear from several Dust Bowl survivors.
The Egypt Game
by Alton Raible and Zilpha SnyderNIMAC-sourced textbook
The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she’s not sure they have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard, Melanie and April decide it’s the perfect spot for the Egypt Game. Before long there are six Egyptians, and they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code. Everyone thinks it’s just a game until strange things start happening. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?
The Elephant Keeper
by Margriet Ruurs and Pedro CovoNIMAC-sourced textbook
When teenaged Aaron discovers a baby elephant nearly drowning in the swimming pool at the guest lodge where he works, he acts quickly and manages to save the animal just in time. The rescued baby is brought to an elephant orphanage for care, and given the name Zambezi. Though Aaron has been raised to think of elephants as dangerous to humans and their crops, on a visit to the orphanage, he learns that illegal poaching of these animals is threatening them with extinction, and the orphanage is trying to prevent that from happening. And when Aaron is offered a job at the orphanage, his life is suddenly transformed, as he discovers a bond of friendship with Zambezi and his lifelong vocation as an elephant keeper.
Inspired by the real-life Aaron and Zambezi at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery in Zambia, author Margriet Ruurs has created a moving story that powerfully demonstrates the plight of endangered animals everywhere. Pedro Covo's stunning illustrations add a level of depth and haunting beauty to the story and the animals. Three nonfiction spreads interspersed throughout the story explore facts about elephants, ivory poaching and elephant orphanages. The back of the book contains ways children can help endangered wildlife. Useful tools include a table of contents and a glossary. This beautifully illustrated nonfiction book spans the curriculum, from life sciences to global awareness to environmental stewardship. It also offers a unique perspective for character education lessons on empathy, caring and responsibility on a larger scale.