Limited instructional time and resources often make it difficult to meet both Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in the elementary classroom. Further, many elementary school teachers have no formal training in the STEM disciplines making it challenging to find connections and integrate complex topics. In the middle school classroom, disciplines are often taught in silos, allowing different content areas to be addressed independently, but potentially losing opportunities to integrate natural connections that lend context to the content. Kid-friendly text can aid in satisfying multiple standards across disciplines while engaging students and challenging them to own the content and encouraging them to “think like a scientist”. In this session we explore the use of text sources in example activities focused on the complex topic of heredity and natural selection. Through these examples, we address how learning one topic can evolve as children progress not just through a unit, but through their many years of schooling. Using varied text types and inquiry-based activities, you will leave inspired to meet the standards and engage your students in deeper learning of the content.