Hands-On Science: Geology - by Lola M Schaefer (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In this interactive picture book, young readers push, press, and pound rocks on the page, using their imagination to explore. They learn about different types of rocks, the structure of Earth, and how we humans use rocks and minerals. Back matter includes a real-world experiment for investigating the hardness of rocks"--

Book Synopsis

Press Here meets Bill Nye the Science Guy in this interactive STEM picture book about rocks, minerals, and Earth science.

Welcome to the geology lab! In this interactive picture book, young scientists use their imagination to bring experiments to life. They slide tectonic plates together to create earthquakes, blow on a mountain to make a volcano erupt, and press their hands in mud to make a fossil. After predicting what will happen next, eager readers turn the page to see the results.

Educator and author Lola M. Schaefer draws on her years in the classroom to make science fun and accessible. Back matter includes a simple experiment for investigating rocks and minerals in the real world.

Review Quotes

Explore geology through the pages of a book.

This interactive presentation invites the reader to "touch, pound, scrape, or press" the pages just as a geologist might do to examine rocks. Tapping, blowing, jumping up and down, and rubbing hands together are just some of the actions called for. From time to time, the imagined actions mimic the geologic process: tracing and retracing the route of a river to create a canyon, or pressing a hand into clay to create a fossil. Schaefer's exploration follows a clear narrative arc, beginning and ending with our familiar Earth. She moves smoothly from topic to topic, describing Earth's layers, offering examples of the three major types of rocks, and discussing the uses of rocks and the metals we extract from them. This leads to the building of rockets to explore other rocks in space. Returning to Earth, readers are asked to notice the rocks, minerals, and metals all around--and even inside their bodies. Finally, an activity guide leads readers to discover that rocks vary in hardness. The relatively simple text is arranged on a plain white background, with Santiago's clear digital illustrations supporting the information. The few humans pictured have dark hair and skin. The appealing, accessible design adds to the value of this simple introduction.

Crack this one open with young science experimenters.

--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Lola M. Schaefer was a classroom teacher in grades K-7 for eighteen years. She began writing books for children because she saw how important a good book was to each of her students. Lola is now a writing consultant and the author of more than 275 children's books. She and her husband live in the mountains of north Georgia.

Druscilla Santiago is the illustrator of the Hands-On Science series. When not at the drawing board, she can be found enjoying a good laugh and a sweet treat with her family on the island of O'ahu. www.adventurefun.club