Reference materials are sources of information that can be used to gather content for essays and school projects. There are many types of reference materials, such as encyclopedias, atlases, and websites. Find out more in Reference Materials, one of the titles in the Social Studies Essential Skills series

Flying combat missions in wartime is always dangerous. But imagine doing so in a slow, rickety biplane, at night, with no lights or navigational equipment of any kind. Sound impossible? It wasn't for the Soviet Night Witches. This unit of incredibly brave women flew hundreds of missions to attack German forces on the front lines during World War II. Learn all about these brave women and how their skill and courage in battle helped defeat the Nazis...

During World War II U.S. forces had to keep battle plans and other top secret information out of the enemy's hands. Coded messages were often used, but secret codes could be broken. To solve this problem, the U.S. military turned to an unexpected source to create an unbreakable code. The Navajo people spoke a complex language that few outsiders knew how to speak. Several Navajo soldiers were recruited to develop a code based on the Navajo language....

Step back in time and experience the Revolutionary War through the stories of the people who lived through it. Witness the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. Experience the horror of a sneak attack. Watch a mother risk her life by spying for the colonists. True Stories of the Revolutionary War doesn't just tell you the tales of war. It drops you into the thick of combat.

George Washington had fought bravely during the Revolutionary War. The people saw him as a hero. They wanted to make him king. But Washington didnt want that kind of power. Instead, he became the first president of the United States. Follow this war hero as he leads his troops into battle and shares their losses and success.

History comes alive in this nonfiction graphic novel! Readers will follow along as World War II is detailed, from its genesis in the aftermath of World War I, through the rise of Adolf Hitler, and the development of the Atlantic Wall to repel an Allied invasion across the English Channel. Operation Overlord is examined, from early planning, destruction of German infrastructure, and the gathering of men and supplies in England for D-Day, June 6, 1944,...

History comes alive in this nonfiction graphic novel! Readers will follow along as the Civil War is detailed, from its genesis in the divergence of Northern and Southern economic circumstances and the South's adherence to slavery. Follow the action from the attack on Fort Sumter to Robert E. Lee's decision to invade the North at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Thee days of battle are examined as the Union fights and finally defeats the Confederacy in the...

In an era of discrimination, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's race barrier. Facing harassment, he stayed focused on the game, becoming the MLB Rookie of the Year in 1947 and later a baseball legend.

Born in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci is still, today, considered one of the most talent people to have ever lived. From his world famous paintings and drawings, such as the Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian Man, to his ingenious inventions of the parachute, the helicopter, and the military tank, da Vince was always a step ahead of his time. Discover the origins of a man who refused to be defined by just one vocation. Whether science and engineering or architecture...

You're swimming in the ocean when you see a fin cutting through the water toward you. Shark! Although they have the upperhand in their watery home, some people have encountered shark attacks and have lived to show their scars. These true stories detail the amazing events of people who endured a shark attack and survived.