Monday, February 6, 2012

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:
·    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
Cataclysms on the Columbia by Allen, Burns, and Sargent
· North Cascades
Geology of the North Cascades by Tabor and Haugerud
· Mt. Rainier
· Mt. St. Helens
Several great books listed in my Eruptions book list

Web links

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.

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