History of Life

This latest installment in the Visual Learning Company's middle school life science collection explores the origins of life on planet Earth in four 20-minute programs. Accompanied by a 30-page teacher's guide, each episode—“Early Life,” “Life Through Time,” “Evolution,” and “Evidence of Change”—explores current scientific thought regarding the origins and evolution of life, respectfully acknowledging that various religious philosophies espouse other ideas, but making it clear that the discussion here is strictly limited to what we understand through science. Boasting excellent content and topnotch production qualities (the photography and animations are seamlessly integrated), History of Life does a great job of distinguishing facts from theories, and raises a number of thought-provoking questions designed to encourage students to make real-life connections to the lessons. Supplemental materials include 75 labeled slides, an iMovie project, glossary, and animations. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I. (L. Stevens)