Duck-billed Platypus

by M Ed Rebecca Woodbury PH D

Overview

A platypus has a bill like a duck, lays eggs like a duck, and has webbed feet. It has a flat tail and fur like a beaver. This unusual animal belongs to a group of mammals called monotremes. A mammal is an animal that breathes air, feeds milk to its babies, and has fur for at least part of its life. Most mammals give birth to live babies, with monotremes being the only egg-laying mammals. Platypuses live near lakes and slow-moving rivers. They eat while they are in water, most often at night, with a diet that includes bugs, beetles, shrimps, snails, and worms. The platypus uses its bill to snap up food from the water and to find food on the bottom of lakes and rivers. They sleep in burrows near the water's edge. A female platypus lays 1-3 eggs and cares for the babies when the eggs hatch. The male has a sharp spur on each hind leg that releases poison. The platypus is found only in Australia.

A pronunciation guide of scientific terms is included. 24 pages filled with engaging, colorful illustrations. Reading Level 1-3, Interest Level 2-5.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781950415694
Publisher:	Real Science-4-Kids
Publication date:	03/17/2023
Pages:	26
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.07(d)
Age Range:	6 - 12 Years

About the Author

Dr. Rebecca Woodbury received her Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry from the University of New Mexico in 1992. She was awarded a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of New Mexico, followed by a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley.While home schooling her three children, Dr. Woodbury was unable to find a curriculum that provided a solid foundation in science. She left academia, and using her scientific background coupled with her love of learning, she developed a series of science books for kids.The Real Science-4-Kids curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in science and gives them the tools to evaluate scientific data on their own. "We should not rely on the 'experts' but instead learn how to critically evaluate every scientific claim," states Dr. Woodbury."In these uncertain times with so many social, scientific, and economic problems, it is not enough to teach our kids what to learn. We must also teach them how to learn, and we must encourage our kids to learn from others. Part of learning from others is to know how to engage in productive debate."The Real Science-4-Kids curriculum, with its engaging, kid-friendly Student Textbooks; Laboratory Notebooks full of real science experiments; and easy to use Teacher's Manuals, provides kids with a solid science education in chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and astronomy. This curriculum is used in all 50 states in the US and many other countries. Dr. Woodbury and her publishing team continue to develop and test new products, including leveled readers and mini books, at the Real Science-4-Kids Albuquerque headquarters.