Exploring the World of Biology: From Mushrooms to Complex Life Forms

Exploring

by John Hudson Tiner

The field of biology focuses on living things, from the smallest microscopic protozoa to the largest mammal. In this book you will read and explore the life of plants, insects, spiders and other arachnids, life in water, reptiles, birds, and mammals, highlighting God's amazing creation. You will learn about the following and so much For most of history, biologists used the visible appearance of plants or animals to classify them. They grouped plants or animals with similar-looking features into families. Starting in the 1990s, biologists have extracted DNA and RNA from cells as a guide to how plants or animals should be grouped. Like visual structures, these reveal the underlying design or creation. The newest book in our Exploring series, Exploring the World of Biology is a fascinating look at life - from the smallest proteins and spores, to the complex life systems of humans and animals.

Genres: Science, Biology, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

John Hudson Tiner is a lifelong educator, and has acquired a reputation for writing clearly about science. He has wide-ranging interests, and has also written about American history and several of the sciences. He and his wife, Jeanene, live in Missouri.

Reviews

[C.miley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are some various observations I made:

--There are 14 chapters that are approximately 10 pages each, ranging from microscopic organisms to mammals.

--Although it is listed as a middle school text, it can be used and adapted for different ages and skill levels.

--Each chapter contains an 'Explore More' section, which includes questions, discussion ideas, and research options.

--All of the pictures and illustrations are in black and white. This was a concern initially, since my boys really seem to be drawn in to the colorful pictures that generally accompany science texts. However, this seemed to be less important as I read the material, and the illustrations were still well done. I also realized that having black and while illustrations was probably the primary the cost of the book was so low.

--The material was evolution free and had an underlying scriptural focus. The NIV translation was used for all of the Bible references.

I think what I liked most about Exploring the World of Biology was that it covered the basics in a thorough manner scientifically, but it also focused on the stories of the people and the discoveries involved. History was included in a very natural manner, and not simply as an add on piece of information. It is the first science book that I have reviewed that I can realistically see myself being able to use and adapt with each of my boys, ranging from 1st to 9th grades. It is very well written and user-friendly. I'm pretty sure at this point that this is the direction we will go in for the next school year.

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this book from New Leaf Publishers for review purposes. No other compensation was received.

[Mandabplus3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is like a living book textbook- if that's a possibility. Good information and we have enjoyed reading and learning from it but it's very Christian with Christian bias in its inclusions and exclusions. It glosses over Darwin in one sentence!

[Caity · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an awesome book for school! Tiner writes in such a way that makes you like science, not get bored by it. His whole science series is really amazing; so glad my mom bought them for me! ;D I really recommend for school use or even for just a non-fiction read. :)

[Dawn A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting information, we enjoyed this book and learned many new things. My only complaint is that the sentences can seem short and choppy. I usually edited the sentences as I read aloud to the kids. We used this in our morning time.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting! This book will enrich my teaching of Science in the classroom.