294Mantle Thick rocky layer of Earth
between the crust and the core.Marsupial A mammal that rears its
young in a pouch or fold of skin, usually
on its front.Matter Anything that has mass and takes
up space.Meditation The process of emptying the
mind of thoughts allowing the body
to relax.Metamorphosis A change in body form
shown in animals such as insects and
amphibians as they grow into adults.Microchip The part of a computer
made from silicon on which is etched
electronic circuits.Migration Moving from one place to
another according to the seasons, usually
to find food or to breed.Mineral Solid material found in nature,
usually as a crystal.Mirage Optical illusion in which hot air
distorts the reflection of an object.Monarchy A ruling system in which
a king or queen is the head of a country
but does not necessarily govern it.Mosaic An image created by using small
pieces of colored glass or stone.Nanotubes A sheet of carbon atoms
rolled up into a tube with a diameter of
1 or 2 nanometers.National anthem The official song sung
in celebration of a particular country.Nebula A gas cloud in space from which
stars are born.Neurons Nerve cells.Nutrients Substances your body needs to
live and grow.Omnivore An animal that eats all kinds
of food, both plant and meat.Opera A dramatic work set to music.Orchestra A group of musicians playing
different types of instrument, from string
and brass to woodwind and percussion.Organism An individual member of
a species.Ozone Colorless gas that forms a layer in
the Earth’s atmosphere, absorbing some
of the harmful ultraviolet radiation
in sunlight.Parasite An organism that lives on
another organism and feeds off it.Peat A rich type of soil formed from
plants and their decaying remains.Periodic Table A table that organizes all
the known elements in order of increasing
atomic number.Peristalsis The muscle contraction in the
walls of the esophagus and intestines that
helps us swallow food.Persecution The harrassment of an
individual or group because of their
race or beliefs.Pharaoh The title given to the ancient
kings of Egypt.Photosynthesis The process by which
plants make their own food using the
energy from sunlight.Phylum The biggest division within a
kingdom of living things. A phylum is
further divided into classes, orders,
families, genera, and species.Phytoplankton Tiny plants and algae
that drift in the ocean and form a source
of food for larger marine animals.Pigment A substance that colors
other materials.Pilgrim Someone who travels to a sacred
place as an act of religious devotion.Pixel A tiny piece of information that
makes up an image on a screen.Pointillism A painting style that uses
small dots of color.Pollinators Animals that carry pollen
from one flower to another.GLOSSARY