This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Building Blocks Made of Straw

In July, four ninth-graders will help build a community center on the Crow Reservation in Montana where they live. Omney Sees the Ground, Brenett Stewart, Lucretia Birdinground and Kimberly Deputee will use straw bales covered with concrete to make the center's walls. The straw will provide affordable and efficient insulation. The walls will keep in heat, so the building won't need to use as much fuel. And, "it will stay cool by itself in the summer," says Kimberly. Their Earth-friendly plan won a $25,000 prize in a national science contest. The money will help pay for the building—and open new doors.

Next: Saving Florida's River of Grass