How Tectonic Plates Shaped Earth

In this book, early fluent readers will learn about the features of tectonic plates, how they have shaped Earth's surface in the past, and how they could change Earth in the future. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage young readers as they learn more about tectonic plates and their impact on our planet. A Take a Look! infographic, sidebars, and STEM activity aid understanding and allow readers to explore further. Children can learn more about tectonic plates using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. How Tectonic Plates Shaped Earth also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, a glossary, and an index. How Tectonic Plates Shaped Earth is part of Jump!'s Earth Shapers series.

Did you know that Earth's surface is always moving? The planet's crust is made of huge sheets of rock, and those Tectonic Plates Are On the Move Sing along as you explore What Shapes Our Earth This hardcover book comes with CD and online music access.

The ground beneath your feet is solid, right? After all, how could we build houses and bridges on land if it was moving all the time? Actually, the ground beneath us really is moving all the time! In Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates: Discover What Happens When the Earth’s Crust Moves, readers ages 9 through 12 learn what exactly is going on under the dirt. The earth's crust is moving constantly, but usually it’s moving too slowly for us to notice it. In Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates, readers learn about Pangea, the giant landmass that scientists believe existed long ago, and the tectonic plates that Pangea broke into, which we know as continents. And what happens when these slowly drifting continents bump up against each other along fault lines? Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves! Readers learn the geological reasons behind earthquakes and also practical ways of behaving in those types of natural disasters. In addition to earthquakes, tectonic plates create the landscape of our world over time. Mountains and trenches are the results of the slow movement of the earth’s crust. With science-minded projects such as a homemade earthquake “shake table” and edible tectonic boundaries, the complex and fascinating topic of plate tectonics is made accessible for kids to grasp, helping to raise their awareness about this amazing planet we live on. Links to online primary sources and videos make concepts clear and encourage kids to maintain a healthy curiosity in the topic. Guided reading levels and Lexile measurements place this title with appropriate audiences.

Presents the online edition of the publication "This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics" (ISBN 0-16-048220-8) by W. Jacquelyne Kious and Robert I. Tilling, published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Denver, Colorado. Posts contact information via mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail. Notes that a hard copy of the publication is available. Provides a table of contents and endnotes. Links to the USGS home page.

In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics started a revolution in the earth sciences. Since then, scientists have verified and refined this theory, and now have a much better understanding of how our planet has been shaped by plate-tectonic processes. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly all geologic processes, past and present. Indeed, the notion that the entire Earth's surface is continually shifting has profoundly changed the way we view our world.

A New York Times-bestselling author explains how the physical world shaped the history of our species When we talk about human history, we often focus on great leaders, population forces, and decisive wars. But how has the earth itself determined our destiny? Our planet wobbles, driving changes in climate that forced the transition from nomadism to farming. Mountainous terrain led to the development of democracy in Greece. Atmospheric circulation patterns later on shaped the progression of global exploration, colonization, and trade. Even today, voting behavior in the south-east United States ultimately follows the underlying pattern of 75 million-year-old sediments from an ancient sea. Everywhere is the deep imprint of the planetary on the human. From the cultivation of the first crops to the founding of modern states, Origins reveals the breathtaking impact of the earth beneath our feet on the shape of our human civilizations.

This book goes into great detail about the different layers of the Earth and how the shifting tectonic plates can cause natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In-depth information and stunning photographs reinforce the informative text.

"In this book, early fluent readers will learn about asteroids, their composition, how they have changed Earth's landscape, and how they could change the future of life on Earth and in space"--