April 22 is Earth Day, and that is the perfect time to learn about the planet we live on. Earth science involves learning about the earth’s crust and what lies underneath, the oceans and the water cycle, the weather that helps shape our planet, and even the atmosphere that surrounds our planet and makes life possible.
One of the best ways to learn is through hands-on experiments. The activities in these books can be done in your home or backyard, and provide an excellent way for young scientists to explore and discover the world they live on. All of these books are available in print form at several EVPL locations or as eBooks that can be downloaded through Hoopla or OverDrive.
Earth Science Activity Books
Geology Lab for Kids: 52 Projects to Explore Rocks, Gems, Geodes, Crystals, Fossils, and Other Wonders of the Earth’s Surface by Garret Romaine
Geology Lab for Kids features 52 simple, inexpensive, and fun experiments that explore the Earth’s surface, structure, and processes. This family-friendly guide explores the wonders of geology, such as the formation of crystals and fossils, the layers of the Earth’s crust, and how water shapes mountains, valleys, and canyons. There is no excuse for boredom with a year’s worth of captivating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities. In this book, you will learn: How to identify the most common rocks and minerals; how to maintain and display your rock collection; how insects are trapped and preserved in amber; how geysers and volcanoes form and erupt; how layers of rock reveal a record of time; how to pan for gold like a real prospector…Geology is an exciting science that helps us understand the world we live in, and Geology Lab for Kids actively engages readers in simple, creative activities that reveal the larger world at work.
Geology Rocks: 50 Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth by Cindy Blobaum
Presents fifty hands-on activities to introduce the science of geology and explain the formation and history of the earth. Dig into our ever-changing earth and discover how geology rocks your world every day!
Maker Lab Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects by Jack Challoner
Twenty-eight science projects and experiments to be done outside will spark kids’ creativity and help them develop science skills through hands-on learning. Projects focus on Earth and the environment, plants and animals, rocks and minerals, and space, bringing science learning home and into the backyard. Young scientists can make a cave system and find out about underground rivers, construct a working model of tectonic plates and learn about earthquakes, build a telescope and look to the planets and stars, and more.
Dynamic Planet: Exploring Changes on Earth with Science Projects by Tammy Enz (eBook)
Illustrated instructions guide readers through Earth Science experiments pertaining to changes on Earth, including plate tectonics, erosion, the greenhouse effect, and glaciers. An engaging way to support the Next Generation Science Standards. Experiments are simple, accessible, and something that could be used at a science fair, in the classroom, or at home. Exploring changes on Earth has never been simpler.
Fault Lines & Tectonic Plates: Discover What Happens When the Earth’s Crust Moves: With 25 Projects by Kathleen M. Reilly
Learn about earthquakes and volcanoes and how the earth’s surface is always changing. Explore the intersection between geology, engineering, and human needs as natural disasters that happen around the world or close to home become more understandable.
Janice VanCleave’s Wild, Wacky, and Weird Earth Science Experiments by Janice VanCleave (eBook)
In a series of fun and involving hands-on earth science experiments, kids learn why the Earth bulges at the equator, demonstrate the movement of the Earth’s axis, determine how the composition of the Earth affects its motion, and replicate the cause of the day-and-night cycle. They will also determine why the sky is not dark as soon as the Sun sinks below the horizon, learn how salt beds are formed, demonstrate how air takes up space, observe the effects of cool and warm temperatures on air movement, and replicate the formation of sea breezes. Featuring color illustrations and safe, simple step-by-step instructions, Janice VanCleave again shows just how much fun science can be.
