Junior Geologist

Single or multicolored, smooth or multifaceted, gems of all kinds captivate people of all ages. This vibrant volume will teach the budding geology buff how a single mineral can form many varieties of gems, how some gems are actually created by animals, and why certain types of jewelry are so valuable. Young readers who might display their birthstones with pride will be fascinated to learn about the role gems have played in superstition. The use of gems in tools including lasers and saws is also covered. Readers will be mesmerized by both the beauty and versatility of these incredible stones.

This fact-filled resource explains metamorphic rocks––the different ways in which they are formed and how they can change into different metamorphic rocks through contact metamorphism and shock metamorphism, for example. Plate tectonics is described, as is the formation of mountains. Gneiss, slate, fulgurite, quartzite, marble, schist, and hornfels are investigated as well as their practical uses. Readers learn about foliated and nonfoliated metamorphic rocks and how to identify them through crystal structure, color, hardness, and streak tests. This enlightening volume also includes Vocabulary, Think About It, and Compare and Contrast sidebars to highlight information and further inform young readers.

Bursting volcanoes, cooling magma, crystals, and granite: this title covers everything igneous rock related. Written for a lower-elementary-level audience, the science behind the rock cycle and the formation of igneous rocks is presented in clear and easy-to-understand language. Special Think About It and Compare and Contrast sidebars provoke critical thinking skills in line with Common Core standards for the target grade levels. With special sections devoted to household uses of igneous rocks that readers might recognize and bright photographs of volcanoes in action, sparkly crystals, and shiny obsidian, this book will turn every reader into a junior geologist!

Minerals are solid, naturally occurring substances that make up much of what we use in our daily lives, from household items and medicines to food and computers. Readers will learn how minerals form, how scientists identify and classify them, where they can be found, and how they are mined from the earth. Full of fascinating facts, content-specific vocabulary, and instructive images, this resource is a valuable look into how substances from the earth shape the world we live in.

A great introduction to a physical feature of the environment that tells us a great deal about the Earth's geological history, its current state, and the shape of things to come. Difficult concepts and new vocabulary are introduced and made readily accessible in a lively but information-rich narrative that is peppered with vivid imagery and diagrams. Intriguing questions for budding junior geologists to consider round out a title that reveals the history and mysteries that the soil and rocks all around us contain and can impart.

Young geologists and agriculturalists get an in-depth look at the soil beneath their feet. The book uses photographs to illustrate what soil is, how it's made, what different types of soil there are, and why it's valuable to human life. Using age-appropriate language, the book explains how minerals and different creatures make soil healthy. Young conservationists will also appreciate the final chapters on how erosion and pollution affect soil. Vocabulary, Think About It, and Compare and Contrast elements help readers think critically about the text.