How Do People Use Rocks

From Stone Age hunters who carved spearheads from rock, to modern-day construction workers building skyscrapers and sidewalks, people have been using rock for millions of years. Today, we build with rock, we use it to make statues, we extract metals and precious gemstones from rock, and we even use it to make pencils! Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of an early elementary audience, this colorful, fact-filled volume gives readers a chance not only to learn, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. From stunning photographs to high-interest text, this book makes learning about the ways in which people use rock a lively, engaging experience.

Rocks, more than anything else, underpin our lives. They make up the solid structure of the Earth and of other rocky planets, and are present at the cores of gas giant planets. We live on the rocky surface of the planet, grow our food on weathered debris derived from rocks, and we obtain nearly all of the raw materials with which we found our civilization from rocks. From the Earth's crust to building bricks, rocks contain our sense of planetary history, and are a guide to our future. In this Very Short Introduction Jan Zalsiewicz looks at the nature and variety of rocks, and the processes by which they are formed. Starting from the origin of rocks and their key role in the formation of the Earth, he considers what we know about the deep rocks of the mantle and core, and what rocks can tell us about the evolution of the Earth, and looks at those found in outer space and on other planets. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Most people do not think to observe geology from the sidewalks of a major city, but all David B. Williams has to do is look at building stone in any urban center to find a range of rocks equal to any assembled by plate tectonics. In Stories in Stone, he takes you on explorations to find 3.5-billion-year-old rock that looks like swirled pink-and-black taffy, a gas station made of petrified wood, and a Florida fort that has withstood three hundred years of attacks and hurricanes, despite being made of a stone that has the consistency of a granola bar. Williams also weaves in the cultural history of stone, explaining why a white fossil-rich limestone from Indiana became the only building stone used in all fifty states; how in 1825, the construction of the Bunker Hill Monument led to America’s first commercial railroad; and why when the same kind of marble used by Michelangelo clad a Chicago skyscraper it warped so much after nineteen years that all 44,000 panels of it had to be replaced. This love letter to building stone brings to life the geology you can see in the structures of every city.

Learning Primary Geography: Ideas and inspiration from classrooms celebrates children’s learning in primary geography. It is a book for all student and practising teachers who would like children to learn about their world in an enjoyable and stimulating way. Every page presents inspiring examples of children’s learning, and explains how and why creative approaches such as enquiry learning, learning outside the classroom, and using imaginative resources work so well in primary geography. Using illustrated case studies from a range of schools and classrooms, each chapter showcases the fantastic work all children can do in primary geography. The book explores a wide variety of geographical learning, with chapters focusing on key aspects of the subject, including: primary geography through the school grounds topical geography through issues and events learning about places in primary geography children’s agency and action through primary geography Throughout the chapters, the role of primary geography in helping children develop all types of literacies, including spatial, critical and digital literacies, is explored. Written by a highly experienced teacher and lecturer in education, Learning Primary Geography is underpinned and illustrated by examples from a wide range of primary classrooms. It will be a source of support, guidance and inspiration for all those teaching geography in the primary school.

Linda Perez presents "Rockology," an interdisciplinary unit that focuses on rocks, intended for use with 1st grade classes. This unit involves such activities as classifying rocks, weighing rocks, graphing the lengths and widths of rocks, and more. Perez offers an overview of the unit and highlights the lesson procedures. The College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides the unit online as part of the 1995-1996 Year-Long Project, an elementary student teaching project.

A chunk of granite rock may look gray and boring, but take a closer look under a microscope and it’s possible to see that the rock is made from billions of tiny colorful grains. Each microscopic grain is a substance called a mineral, and it’s minerals that are the ingredients that make up all the rocks on Earth. In this book, readers will learn how different combinations of minerals create different types of rocks. They’ll discover that metals, such as gold, are actually minerals that can be found in rocks. And they’ll learn that some minerals grow as beautiful shapes called crystals that can be made into precious gemstones such as rubies and sapphires. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of an early elementary audience, this colorful, fact-filled volume gives readers a chance not only to learn, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. From stunning photographs to high-interest facts, this book makes exploring the topic of rocks and minerals a lively, engaging experience.

Which mountain is more than 5 miles high? How was the mile-deep Grand Canyon formed? Where in the world can you visit a giant rock that’s taller than the Chrysler Building or an entire city carved into rock? Packed with fascinating facts and plenty of rock science, this book takes readers on a journey around the world to discover intriguing rock structures made by people as well as Earth’s most amazing natural rock formations. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of an early elementary audience, this colorful, fact-filled volume gives readers a chance not only to learn, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. From stunning photographs to high-interest text, this book makes learning about Earth’s most famous rocky places a lively, engaging experience.

Mountains are made of it. Buildings can be too. Read more to find out the facts on rocks.