Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 20 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 4 months ago by 6boys1girl.

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December 23, 2010 at 3:30 am
6boys1girl
Participant
My boys are VERY interested in all things rock. I would love to encourage this but know almost nothing about it myself. We do have a gems and minerals field guide and we have done the rock part of Considering God’s Creation. Can anyone suggest some good books-both living and “informative” that would help us study them?
Thanks, Rebecca
December 23, 2010 at 4:19 am
coralloyd
Participant
I got this group of books for my dd:http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|GG862~~f|/Assortments/Lakeshore/ShopByAgeOrGrade.jsp
I don’t know how cm they are but she loves rocks and loved these books.
December 23, 2010 at 4:22 am
coralloyd
Participant
Sorry my link didn’t work.
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|GG862~~f|/Assortments/Lakeshore/ShopByAgeOrGrade.jsp
December 23, 2010 at 5:36 am
6boys1girl
Participant
Those look neat! I actually have one of them (digging a hole to the other side of the world) and forgot about it. Have to dig it out again.
Does anyone have anymore? All age ranges would be appreciated as my kids range from 21 months to 14 years!
Thanks!
December 23, 2010 at 2:44 pm
thepinkballerina
Participant
I just checked out ton of books at our library–we are in the midst of studying rocks and minerals (we are using 106 days of Creation but extended our rock study). The 2 books that I enjoy the most are Geology Rocks! 50 Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth by Cindy BLobaum and DK Eye Wonder Rocks and Minerals (I like the photographs). I don’t know anything about rocks so found some information to help me understand at: http://rocksforkids.com/
How rocks are formed: http://rocksforkids.com/RFK/howrocks.html#Igneous
We bought rocks to observe here: http://www.rocksmineralsandfossilsforkids.com/rmf-p-deluxe.htm

HTH!
Tara

December 23, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Esby
Member
We are studying geology this winter, and I’m using Earth’s Adventures: The Story of Geology for Young People by Carroll Lane Fenton. I don’t think the book is still in print, but I found it used online easily. I’m using with my 12yo and my 9yo together. The chapters are rather short, which makes it easy to use CM style. I’m using this book as a spine and then venturing off with other books I find at the library. Once we read the spine, the reference books with all the photos and diagrams make more sense. Each child is also keeping a journal on the topic.
What’s missing from our studies is a biography of a geologist or rock hound. Anyone have a suggesion?
December 23, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Kirsty
Member
Hi everyone,
(this is my first post here – been reading for a bit and love it all though!)

I am studying geology at university part time and loving it and as such my 9 and 10 year old have been really interested too. I’d be very interested in any living book suggestions for this area. I haven’t seen them, but there seem to be a few books about Mary Anning that look good like this one if fossils are of interest.

One thing I would say is that lots of what we know about geology today has been fairly recent discoveries and so older books might not have up to date thoughts if you know what I mean. Just something to bare in mind really.
December 23, 2010 at 6:54 pm
thepinkballerina
Participant
Esby, can you share what site you found Earth’s Adventure on? Thanks!

Tara

December 23, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Kirsty
Member

I was inspired to have a little search and found this book from Gutenberg – Madam How and Lady Why by Charles Kingsley (also in Yesterday’s Classics if you like a real book). I haven’t had a read yet, but hopefully soon.
Pioneers of Geology looks worthy of a try also but out of print and expensive, maybe it’s available at someone’s library though so I thought I’d link to it.
Has anyone read any of these?
There has been a fab set of documentaries on the BBC (I’m in the UK) with the geologist Prof Iain Stewart presenting which I have enjoyed. He seems to have done a few dvds that are on amazon too and might be worth a look, but might need pre watching depending on your views.
December 23, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Esby
Member
Tara and Kirsty:
I don’t recall where I found the book. I usually use Amazon or Abebooks, so perhaps start there if you want the book.
Kirsty, can you share some of your expertise? The book I’m using was published in 1942, so it is an old book. I skipped the chapters on solar system and how the world began and supplemented with new books from the library to cover those subjects since I know there are many changes in those topics even since I was in school (and the definition of what Pluto is a lively topic to explore!).
However, I assumed the other topics such as the three rock types, weathering, erosion, volcanoes, earthquakes, plates, etc. are still valid at this level, even if the text is old. Kirsty, can you share some of the recent discoveries in geology that I should keep an eye out for in the older text? (I don’t mean specifics or long explanations, just general ideas I should be aware of.)
Thank you.
December 23, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Kirsty
Member
Hi Esby,
I’m not sure I have much expertise as I have just started my course, but I know my tutor has said to keep to newer books as the science in this area is changing so much. So that might mean that in general, you don’t need to worry and it’s only for more in depth study. I don’t know.
The one area I know that is fairly recent (and may not be in your book) is about plate tectonics as I think this theory was developed in the 50’s and 60’s. This was what was in my head when I said before, sorry I should have elaborated.
I have to go out quickly now, but if I think of anything else I shall post.
I’ll have to have a search for that book though, it looks interesting.
December 23, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Esby
Member
Thank you for your reply, Kirsty.
It seems that several of us are currently studying rocks now. I am thoroughly enjoying this post and hope others will add some resources they have used and enjoyed. I plan to continue with this topic as our science studies for a few more months and I might have some more resources to post about later.
Thank you to pinkballerina as well – I checked out your links and want to purchase the rock specimens.
December 23, 2010 at 9:35 pm
thepinkballerina
Participant
I found Earth’s Adventure at our library as well as The Rock Book by same author. Never too late to add them to our resources!
Thanks,
Tara
December 23, 2010 at 10:17 pm
crazy4boys
Participant
This is my list of “to study” books about geology. We’ll be using it with kids under 12. I have not personally read all of these yet (just looked through online samples and read reviews).
Rocks & Minerals
Main book: Eyewitness Explorers: Rocks and Minerals
Topics to cover:
The types of rocks and how they form
Erosion
How weathering occurs
Minerals
Mohs’ mineral hardness scale
The structure of the Earth
Volcanoes, lava, and magma
How mountains form
Books to use:
Cracking Up: Story of Erosion – Jacqui Bailey
Dirt (Jump Into Science) – Steve Tomecek
DK Eye Wonder – Rocks and Minerals
Geology Rocks – Cindy Blobaum
How Mountains Are Made – Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World – Faith McNulty
If You Find a Rock – Peggy Christian
Let’s Go Rock Collecting – Roma Gans
Magic School Bus Inside the Earth – Cole
Millions and Millions of Crystals – Roma Gans
Planet Earth/Inside Out – Gail Gibbons
Rock Collecting – Roma Gans
Rock Factory: Story of the Rock Cycle – Jacqui Bailey
Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth and Rough – Natalie Rosinsky
Rocks & Minerals: A Gem of a Read – Simon Basher
Rocks in His Head–Carol Otis Hurst
Volcanoes – Franklyn M. Branley
Why Do Volanoes Blow Their Tops? – Melvin Berger
December 24, 2010 at 5:34 am
6boys1girl
Participant
WOW! You are all awesome! I step away from my computer for the day and come back to this huge list of books and other ideas. I’m definitely going to be looking at everything mentioned here. I’m sure it’ll lead to a wonderful rock/gem/mineral study for my kids.
Thanks so much!
Rebecca