This Physical Geology textbook uses cutting edge research to guide the creation of carefully structured pages that cover topics commonly taught in introductory physical geology courses. The book is focused around images and emphasizes the key concepts Research (e.g. Mayer, 2003) indicates that students learn more deeply: - when extraneous material is excluded rather than included, - from words and pictures than from words alone, - when printed words are placed near rather than far from corresponding pictures, and - when words are presented in conversational rather than formal style. Most traditional geoscience textbooks do not address this research. Although geoscience textbooks are image-rich, the text is often separate from figures, generally with a note in the text referring the student to look at the image. Research indicates that many students just glance at the images or ignore them altogether, resulting in a less productive learning experience than intended by the authors. Also, most textbooks, even "essentials" versions, tend to have more information than an introductory student can learn in a semester, and the students, therefore, have a difficult time distilling the key concepts from the details. Images play an integral role in the textbook. There are no long blocks of text to read, but, instead, most information is presented incorporated in or around figures. Students therefore examine the images, integrating text and figures, which results in a deeper learning experience. Concepts are represented in multiple ways (photographs, written descriptions, detailed drawings, sketches, graphs, analogies, etc.) to maximize student learning. Because research indicates that students have a difficult time pulling out the key points from images, many of the images in this book are simple, without too many realistic-but-distracting details. Many of the photographs are accompanied by a simplified sketch of the same area illustrating the important geological features shown. The process of comparing two images presenting the same information in different ways (e.g. a photograph and a sketch) directs students to observe the important features and requires students to integrate those two images, strengthening their learning. Simple language is used when writing, and non-essential vocabulary words are omitted, so students will not focus on memorizing definitions without understanding the concepts. The book has a more conversational style than many current textbooks. This textbook presents the key concepts in geoscience without additional distracting details. As a result, this book is shorter than other books currently on the market. The concise nature of the book encourages students to read it. Because it emphasizes the key concepts, students have a better understanding of the fundamentals and will come to class more prepared. Therefore, instructors will be able to cover additional information in class, because the fundamentals are already understood by the students. The themes in the book are plate tectonics, water cycle, rock cycle and how geology and people affect each other. These are concepts that are key in understanding geoology and learning why it is relevant in today's society. These three themes are emphasized, and individual topics are related back to the overarching themes.

Innovative college level physical geology textbook based on cutting edge education research.

The Focus On Middle School Geology Student Textbook introduces young students to the scientific discipline of geology. Students will learn about the many branches of geology; the steps in the scientific method; tools and equipment used by geologists; rocks, minerals, and soils—how they are formed and what they are made of; the various layers inside Earth and how they function; the dynamic Earth—plate tectonics and the formation of mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes; the atmosphere—its layers and composition; the hydrosphere, including the hydrologic cycle, oceans, freshwater, and human interactions; the biosphere—its cycles and ecosystems; magnetism, Earth’s magnetic field, and the magnetosphere; Earth as a system and Earth System Science; and more. The Focus On Middle School Geology Student Textbook has ten full color chapters with many illustrations and includes a glossary and pronunciation guide at the back of the book. Grades 5-8.

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning view of the continent, across the fortieth parallel and down through 4.6 billion years Twenty years ago, when John McPhee began his journeys back and forth across the United States, he planned to describe a cross section of North America at about the fortieth parallel and, in the process, come to an understanding not only of the science but of the style of the geologists he traveled with. The structure of the book never changed, but its breadth caused him to complete it in stages, under the overall title Annals of the Former World. Like the terrain it covers, Annals of the Former World tells a multilayered tale, and the reader may choose one of many paths through it. As clearly and succinctly written as it is profoundly informed, this is our finest popular survey of geology and a masterpiece of modern nonfiction. Annals of the Former World is the winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction.

Eastern California boasts the greatest dryland relief in the contiguous United States, offering a rich variety of environments and spectacular geology. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and diagrams, Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley provides an on-the-ground look at the processes sculpting the terrain in this land of extremes for everyone interested in how the earth works.

This book helps a novice to explore the terrain independently. Geoscience fieldwork with a focus on structural geology and tectonics has become more important in the last few years from both academic and industrial perspectives. This book also works as a resource material for batches of students or geological survey professional undergoing training as parts of their course curriculum. Industry persons, on the other hand, can get a first-hand idea about what to expect in the field, in case no academic person is available with the team. This book focused on structural geology and tectonics compiles for the very first time terrains from several regions of the globe.

This practical guidebook provides a basic grounding in the principles of geology and explains how to apply them. Using this book, readers will be able to figure out whether they are standing on an ancient seafloor, coal swamp, or sand dune. They will be able to determine the geologic hazards in their neighborhood, where to look for fossils and minerals, or where best to drill a water well. In plain English, The Geology Companion sheds light on the processes that shape the earth and how geology affects people in their daily lives.

This volume represents a compendium of research conducted by international scholars who participated in the 2nd Symposium on Advances in Geospatial held during “The 5th International Conference on Medical Geology” in Arlington, Virginia, USA, in 2013. The research topics dealt with here mainly focus on the new scientific field of medical geology used to address a variety of human health issues and diseases specifically related to geological materials and earth-system processes. This volume will be of interest to those who wish to learn about current and historical health issues relating to geological materials or other environmental factors. It also represents a useful guide to learning the interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving in the field of medical geology.