Why We Live Where We Live - Tapa dura

"This unusual book offers a surprising amount of information, organized and presented in an appealing way."
- Kirkus Reviews

"Clear and accessible."
- School Library Journal

"An accessible primer on the development of human civilization, with plenty of potential to spur classroom activities and conversation."
- Publishers Weekly

"A please and helpful addition to social science, career, urban/country comparisons, and environmental issues."
-- Library

"This resource asks a unique question and stimulates young readers, ages 8-12, to engage in the world around them. It would be a great inclusion to any social studies, history or science curriculum to help youngsters understand the way society has evolved and their place within it."
-Green Teacher Magazine

Why do you live where you do? The answer is a lot more complicated than it might seem. Why that house? Why this community? Why do cities sprout where they do? And what makes living there even possible? Geography, topography, climate, landscape, food, politics, economics, and more all play a role in how we choose the place we call home. This book takes readers on a tour of various ways humans adapt to our environments — or change them to suit our needs. It considers the big picture — we live on Earth because it has a breathable atmosphere — right down to the little things, like friendly neighbors, that simply make us happy. Why We Live Where We Live looks back in history at the transition from nomadic hunting to farming and the rise of cities following the Industrial Revolution. It also looks ahead to anticipate new concerns: how will climate change and rising water affect people who live near the ocean? Can humans survive in space? This comprehensive, cross-curricular resource will equip readers with solid background in human habitation and context about their place on the planet.

Grade: 5
Fountas & Pinnel: T
Lexile Measure: 930L
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4,4a,4c,6
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.5.3,3a,4,4a,4c
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2,2a,2b,2d,2e,4,7,8,9b,10