Washington State Geology - Resources for Homeschoolers

It's true for any location, in addition to selections from the below list, you and yours need a rock hammer and a hand lens to really get into geology.  And most importantly, get outside!  Indoor learning is great too, but it is nothing without the context. 

Jessica's list of Washington State Geology resources for homeschoolers:

Books

General geology  for the youngers:

·    Magic School Bus Inside the Earth by Joanna Cole

·    Any rock/mineral guidebooks with nice pictures (like Eyewitness books, Smithsonian Handbooks, DK Pockets). Rocks and minerals resource recommendations will be the subject of a future book list.

Regional geology, field trip ideas, and out and about information, appropriate for all ages:

·    Geology of the Pacific Northwest by Cynthia Brown (great for late elementary!)

·    Hiking Washington’s Geology by Babcock and Carson

·    Roadside Geology of Washington by David Alt

·    Gem Trails of Washington by Garrett Romaine

Further regional geology overviews for high school/adult:

·    Northwest Exposures: A Geologic Story of the Northwest by Alt and Hyndman

·    Restless Northwest: A Geological Story by Hill Williams

·    Geology of National Parks by Harris and Tuttle.  Fairly technical and pricey, it includes sections on North Cascades, Olympic, and Rainier National Parks as well as many, many others across the USA. This one I always consult before planning a trip.

Specific topics for the intrigued:

· Channeled Scablands and Ice Age Flooding

On the Trail of Ice Age Floods by Bruce Bjornstad

Cataclysms on the Columbia by Allen, Burns, and Sargent

· North Cascades

Geology of the North Cascades by Tabor and Haugerud

· Mt. Rainier

Roadside Geology of Mount Rainier National Park and Vicinity by Patrick Pringle

· Mt. St. Helens

Several great books listed in my Eruptions book list

Web links

• Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Links to the discussion on different regions of the state as well as field trip lists, guidelines for collecting, research science, and information on landslides, earthquakes, good stuff! http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/GeologyofWashington/Pages/geolofwa.aspx
• Burke Museum! Great to visit in person, solid online exhibits, and even fun educational materials to rent: http://www.burkemuseum.org/geology  
• Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network. Keep track of our recent earthquakes: http://www.ess.washington.edu/recenteqs/latest.htm  
• Science with Mrs. A. An elementary teacher’s website with a some great Washington fossil sites: http://www.sciencewithmrsa.com/
• Washington Interactive Geologic Map: https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/geology/?Site=wigm
• YouTube video of a completed geology puzzle project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdulAw_foXY
• "Garret’s World of Geology" YouTube channel. This is the author of Gem Trails of Washington and he has several short videos that include rockhounding hunts in Washington, including jade near Darrington (episode 7) and quartz near Snoqualmie Pass (episode 2): http://www.youtube.com/user/DustyFingers5
• Stonerose Interpretive Center: http://www.stonerosefossil.org/index.html  (this site will make you want to go find fossils in Republic!)

TV Shows/DVDs, most available through Netflix or Library

·    Cash and Treasures with Kirsten Gum A Travel Channel series on hunting for gems , now off the air.  A few episodes took place in Washington.

·    How the Earth Was Made  Great documentary series from History Channel.  Season 2 Ep 10 is Mt. St. Helens.

·    Mystery of the Megaflood: Nova  Describes the Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington and the fascinating story of J. Harlan Bretz.