Smithsonian Science Education Center Releases Free iBooks Textbook for Students (Grades 3-5)

Released online today and available at no charge from Apple’s iBooks Store.
From the Smithsonian Institution:

Expedition: Insects, an iBooks textbook written, illustrated and animated by the Smithsonian Science Education Center using iBooks Author.
Expedition: Insects is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for grades 3-5. In the book, readers travel around the world to visit six different types of insects in their natural habitats. The young explorers learn about how evolution is responsible for all the beauty, fearsomeness and awe found in nature’s insects.

What Does the Book Offer?

Interactive images, videos and sound: Within the book are many real images and videos that show children what the insects look like in real life. Readers can zoom in on labeled images, watch exciting video footage and experience the sounds of the habitats they visit.
Animated maps: As readers travel from South America to Asia, Africa and North America, they learn about world geography from animated maps that trace the route form one continent to the next.
Sketchbook: At the end of the book readers have the opportunity to become artists as they fill their sketchbook with drawings of the insects they have seen. They are provided with outlines that they can fill with colors and patterns.

Direct to iBooks Store (Free Download)

This book is available for download with iBooks on your Mac or iPad, and with iTunes on your computer. Multi-touch books can be read with iBooks on your Mac or iPad. Books with interactive features may work best on an iPad. iBooks on your Mac requires OS X 10.9 or later.

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