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Summary: Too much geo-speak, not much that's engaging or enthusiastic
Review: As an Earth Science teacher, geologist, and director of many summer science camps for K-8 children, I thought this book was interesting for its attempt to clearly describe geologic features, patterns, and phenomena. However, as one who has read nearly all of the Earth Science "discovery" or "hands-on" books currently in print, there are many, many other engaging and wonder-filled books available that you should consider instead. This book is full of projects (42 in a 216 page book), but some are unsafe (Fracturing Glass, heating marbles in a skillet-- marbles often have discrete air pockets and can explode when heated!),some are inappropriate (Soda Pop! involves shaking a can of soda and then pulling the tab--what every parent, caretaker, and teacher loves to clean up), only 1 is illustrated to show you what to expect, none give you age-appropriate guidelines, a few are distinctive (Volcano Tarts), but nearly all are uninspired recitations of time-worn activities associated with geology (vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, examining backyard dirt, plaster casts of "fossils"). If parents, teachers, or curious adults seek to engage themselves or their children in shared discovery, there simply isn't enough creativity or enthusiasm offered to compel discovery of the planet we are all intimately connected to. Discover Nature in the Rocks... is, as Mike Tibby of Booklist asserts, "loaded with facts" and it is a "useful" source of geologic information. Indeed, it reads like a textbook on Physical Geology. But as it excels in competent descriptions, it fails to convey to the reader any sort of passion in knowing--or the excitement of discovering--the Earth's amazing processes, patterns, energy, and beauty. Education experts bemoan the inability--if not indifference--of the general public to grasp basic scientific principles. We need "discovery" books to rekindle and sustain a personal fascination with the Earth. Discover Nature in the Rocks... errs in offering a learning strategy based on proper terminology over useful experiences. This rekindles nothing but indifference.
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Summary: Learning Names a Plus!
Review: I loved this book! I wasn't bothered at all by the authors teaching the names of geologic processes and phenomena. Being a writer, I found it helpful and interesting to read all the new-to-me labels of things. The language of geology seems to be fascinating, and I enjoyed very much that aspect of the book. Beyond that, I found the book fun to read and easy to understand. It's unassuming cover doesn't convey how much information lies within its pages. I've also used it as a reference several times already in my writing. It's fun to have around, and I recommend it highly!
Rating:
Summary: Learning Names a Plus!
Review: I loved this book! I wasn't bothered at all by the authors teaching the names of geologic processes and phenomena. Being a writer, I found it helpful and interesting to read all the new-to-me labels of things. The language of geology seems to be fascinating, and I enjoyed very much that aspect of the book. Beyond that, I found the book fun to read and easy to understand. It's unassuming cover doesn't convey how much information lies within its pages. I've also used it as a reference several times already in my writing. It's fun to have around, and I recommend it highly!
Rating:
Summary: A geology book I could dig right into
Review: This book is a miracle. I understand the Earth now. The concepts are clearly explained, entertainingly illustrated with remarkably weird experiments, and explored with an unmistakable sense of wonder and delight for the natural world. I highly reccomend this book for teachers, parents-or just your average scientist wannabe.
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Summary: An overview of geology for rock enthusiasts of all ages
Review: We're told that immediately after the June 1999 rockfalls in Yosemite National Park, visitors to the Park Service interpretive center went directly to this book, Discover Nature in the Rocks, for answers about avalanches. The visitors found a clear, accurate explanation of the geologic processes they'd just witnessed in action. Rocks presents the principles of geology in terms for a general audience and offers experiments and things to think about to expand the reader's understanding of the concepts of earth science. We wrote Rocks to fill a gap that we identified in geologic materials for the amateur scientist. The book is not just for kids-but also for young adults, people who work with children, and budding rock enthusiasts of all ages. Far from being a textbook, our book gives the reader a broad overview of geology in nontechnical language, covering each major area of interest in an expository (and, in many cases, storytelling) format that lays a solid foundation for the activities that follow. The pen-and-ink illustrations are neither slick nor flashy but are both beautiful and technically correct. The experiments chosen for the book are used successfully in the classroom by one of the co-authors; many experiments that have stood the test of time may be familiar to educators. Those experiments with any element of danger are presented with full caveats for preventing mishap. The messy ones (notably Soda Pop!) are suggested as outdoor activities. We encourage teachers to use the book as a resource in the earth science classroom to provide a foundation for solid, accurate instruction.
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