Earth's History Through Rocks

Almost 20,000 years ago, Earth's climate began to warm. Because of the changing temperatures, a miles-thick ice sheet started to shift. As the ice sheet moved, it carved deep pits in the land and left water in its wake. This melted ice filled the new cavities. This is the story of America's Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Enriched with stunning photographs and informative fact boxes and sidebars, this educational book sheds light on the scientific history of some of our nation's most treasured geological features.

Mount Everest, Earth's tallest mountain over sea level, formed about 40 million to 50 million years ago when prehistoric continents split and collided. This process was made possible by the movement of Earth's tectonic plates. Readers will learn more about how the movement of these tectonic plates helped form the Himalayas, including Everest. Breathtaking photographs provide readers with visual correlations to the narrative, while fact boxes and sidebars supplement the main text.

Geological change is rarely as dramatic and stunning than it is in the Hawaiian Islands. Beginning millions of years ago, volcanoes burst from the ocean to create the islands. Today, lava flows and landslides continue to reshape the land and sea. Readers will learn about the volcanic hot spot and shifting tectonic plates that created the chain of tropical islands. Vivid images including photographs of recent eruptions of the Kilauea volcano illustrate the changes still taking place.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most striking geographical features on Earth. Every year, millions of tourists flock to the Grand Canyon to witness its majesty in person. How exactly was this masterpiece of nature created? With this informative book, readers will learn about how the mighty Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon. They'll be able to closely study the mile-high walls and layered rocks that reveal the geological history of this national treasure. With breathtaking photographs and fascinating fact boxes, this illuminating text weaves awe-inspiring material with curricular concepts and will hold readers' attention.

People have used caves for shelter, tombs, and religious sites for thousands of years. Despite this familiarity, caves still hold a sense of mystery and danger. This survey dives deep beneath Earth's surface to explore how the world's largest caves formed, as well as what caves can teach us about Earth's past and the forces that are shaping our planet's future. Age-appropriate text with a strong STEM focus is supported by full-color photographs and a glossary of new or unfamiliar terms. Sidebars, fact boxes, and graphic organizers provide additional information on this fascinating topic.

Did you know that coral reefs and volcanoes have a very interesting connection? An atoll is a coral island surrounding a lagoon. Atolls are formed when a reef grows around a sinking volcanic island. This book explores the relationship between volcanoes and reefs and the 'life' cycle of a volcanic island. Full-color photographs provide readers with connections to the narrative and fact boxes and sidebars further explain this topic.