"Why is my textbook so heavy?" There are four steps to the answer. Ready? Unlike many other countries, the United States doesn't have a national curriculum—that is, the federal government doesn't make teachers teach exactly the same stuff, all over the country. Each state decides what gets taught in its schools. The state government may give all students the same test once a year to make sure everyone is learning the same things. The local government may also add lessons that students in your community should learn. The state government decides which textbooks teachers and students can use. Depending upon the state's list of standards, what one state wants in a textbook may be very different than what another state wants. The people who make textbooks want the books used in as many states as possible, so they try to include all the things they think that all the different states want. Still with me? This is why you usually can't get through the whole textbook in a school year, and why your book is so heavy!
	Textbooks are only one way to learn about things. What's your favorite way to learn? Reading about things in books Field trips Making things (models, science experiments) Watching movies or videos about things Games or Web sites on the computer Listening to people describe or show things

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