Rocks and Minerals: Get the Dirt on Geology

by Chris Eboch, Alexis Cornell (Illustrations)

A fun and informative introduction to the earth science happening beneath our feet, packed with hands-on science experiments and STEM research projects that help readers ages 12 to 15 discover the amazing world of geology! Did you know that minerals were necessary for the beginning of life? Or that geothermal power could provide all the energy the world needs? Planet Earth is our home, but how much do you really know about the world beneath your feet? Rocks and Get the Dirt on Geology offers a glimpse under the surface of the earth and explores the forces that have shaped―and continue to shape―our world. • Make career connections and learn all that geologists do, including help communities find water and plan how to use it, find the safest places to construct buildings and roads, help oil and gas companies find resources to keep our homes and schools powered, help the environment by investigating climate change in the past, predicting the future, and exploring ways to trap poisonous carbon deep underground. • Middle schoolers dive deep into earth science with a discussion of plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and erosion, while exploring the earth as an energy resource and looking ahead toward what the future might bring in terms of the planet. • Science-minded STEM activities such as constructing a model turbine, making a geologic timescale with a roll of toilet paper, and comparing energy sources encourage young readers to think like geologists, while critical thinking exercises, essential questions related to geology, fascinating facts, links to online resources, and brief sidebars encourage readers to explore their incredible planet. About the Inquire & Investigate Earth Science set and Nomad Press Rocks and Minerals is part of a set of three Inquire & Investigate Earth Science books that explore the earth, the atmosphere, and everything in between. The other titles in this series are The Science of Natural When Nature and Humans Collide and The Science of Weather and Rain, Sleet, and the Rising Tide . Nomad Press books in the Inquire & Investigate series integrate content with participation, encouraging readers to engage in student-directed learning. Combining content with inquiry-based projects stimulates learning and makes it active and alive. Nomad’s unique approach simultaneously grounds kids in factual knowledge while allowing them the space to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers. All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.

128 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2020

About the author

Chris Eboch writes a variety of genres for all ages. Advanced Plotting helps writers identify and fix plot weaknesses.

The Genie’s Gift is a lighthearted action novel. Shy Anise seeks the Genie Shakayak to claim the Gift of Sweet Speech. How will she get past a vicious she-ghoul, a sorceress who turns people to stone, and mysterious sea monsters, when she can’t even speak in front of strangers?

The Eyes of Pharaoh is a mystery set in ancient Egypt. This story of drama and intrigue brings an ancient world to life as three friends investigate a plot against the Pharaoh.

In The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan girl in ninth-century Guatemala rebels against the High Priest who sacrifices anyone challenging his power.

Read excerpts at www.chriseboch.com.

Other books by Chris Eboch include the Haunted series for ages 8-12, which follows a brother and sister who travel with their parents’ ghost hunter TV show. They try to help the ghosts, while keeping their activities secret from meddling grownups. In The Ghost on the Stairs, an 1880s ghost bride haunts a Colorado hotel, waiting for her missing husband to return. The Riverboat Phantom features a steamboat pilot still trying to prevent a long-ago disaster. In The Knight in the Shadows, a Renaissance French squire protects a sword on display at a New York City museum. During The Ghost Miner’s Treasure (2012), Jon and Tania help a dead man find his lost gold mine—but they’re not the only ones looking for it.

Jesse Owens: Young Record Breaker and Milton Hershey: Young Chocolatier are inspirational biographies in Simon & Schuster’s Childhood of Famous Americans series, written under the name M.M. Eboch.

Ms. Eboch also writes for adults as Kris Bock. Kris Bock novels are suspense and romance involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. . Counterfeits starts a new series about stolen Rembrandt paintings that may be hidden in a small New Mexico art camp. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a suspense with romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. Rattled follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com