The latest earth science textbook by Dr. Wile is here!
Written in his warm, conversational style, this book is a spectacular introduction to earth science. Filled with stunning images, detailed descriptions, and awesome experiments, this book has it all.
These experiments are designed specifically to increase understanding of the concepts introduced.
Some of the experiments require particular items available in the optional lab kit. You can take a peek here at the list of materials included in the kit for the lab experiments, as well as the items you’ll need to provide.
Let’s explore the chapters and the science contained inside.
Introduction
Dr. Wile gives a thorough explanation of how to get the most out of your Discovering Design with Earth Science book, experiments, and worksheets and how to incorporate science study in your homeschool schedule.
He covers the importance of including hands-on learning through experimentation. He also stresses the need to keep up with notes and record the results of experiments performed.
Dr. Wile wants to make sure your student has access to as much support as needed. He has created a special online library including videos and links to incredible online resources hand-picked to add more understanding to each concept.
And finally, Dr. Wile is available to answer questions through a dedicated website for students that also contains searchable questions and answers.
Chapter 1 Basic Concepts Required to Study Earth Science
Dr. Wile presents the essential concepts students need to understand how to study earth science. From phases of matter to measurements, each topic is spelled out clearly and demonstrated with concrete, hands-on experiments. Students learn different ways to measure matter and the reasons behind each. He goes on to show how different units are used in scientific study with easy-to-understand equations. These basics are applied throughout the rest of the book.
Chapter 2 It’s a Little Crusty
This chapter introduces the layers of our beautiful planet with its defined sections of atmosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere. Dr. Wile digs into the soil to show the makeup of the geosphere and how it is affected by different physical events. He also begins his comparison of uniformitarianism and catastrophism, along with definitions of each and how they compare. These two comparisons continue throughout the book with a fair and balanced approach.
Chapter 3 Minerals
Continuing his exploration of the crust, Dr. Wile makes minerals the focus of this chapter. He explains chemical compositions of rocks and explains how they are formed. There is a section on how we use minerals in our everyday lives to bring the science to life. The experiments help solidify these concepts so students have a wonderful hands-on experience with the rocks provided.
Chapter 4 Rocks
Expanding on the previous chapter, Dr. Wile talks about the different types of rocks and how they are formed, along with discussions of major rock formations. He describes the rock cycle so students can see how each type is connected. He also compares and contrasts the views of uniformitarianism and catastrophism. Many of the concepts in this chapter flow into those following, which makes the topics much easier to understand.
Chapter 5 The Lithosphere
Now the book concentrates on the whole crust with its continents and oceans. Dr. Wile takes students through a description of Earth’s magnetic field and its effects. Plate tectonics, the movement of the continents, and crustal displacement feature in this chapter. Again, hands-on experiments make the broad concepts much easier to understand.
Chapter 6 More About Motion in the Lithosphere
Continents move, sometimes slowly, sometimes violently. Dr. Wile explores these movements in this chapter with clear explanations of earthquakes and seismic waves. He weaves in concepts learned in earlier chapters to deepen students’ understanding of the different results on our planet such as mountains and rifts.
Chapter 7 Fossils in Rocks
Now Dr. Wile discusses the once-living plants and animals present in different rock formations. He explores the different approaches taken by uniformitarianism and catastrophism to explain the presence of tell-tale evidence of life long past. He also includes cautionary tales of fossil interpretation and introduces the geological column. The lab kit contains fossils students can explore up close and in person.
Chapter 8 Interpreting the Geological Column
In this chapter, students learn about radioactive decay and how this process is used to date rocks and once-living organisms. Dr. Wile touches on the differing viewpoints of scientists using radioactive decay in determining the age of the earth and those things found on it.
Chapter 9 Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism
Using a solid compare-contrast approach, Dr. Wile explores both the uniformitarianism and catastrophism ideas used to explain the evidence found in the geological record and discusses the bias each side holds. He introduces evidence from both sides that strengthen their viewpoints, but does not push one over the other. He encourages students to investigate both sides for themselves and draw conclusions from their own research.
Chapter 10 Water and Hydrosphere
Now Dr. Wile moves from the land into the oceans, lakes, and rivers. He dives into the polarity of water and how water behaves. He includes wonderful hands-on experiments to demonstrate the exceptional properties of water including the stark difference between freshwater and saltwater such as density and freezing points. This chapter includes a detailed explanation of the hydrologic cycle.
Chapter 11 More on the Hydrosphere
The beginning of this chapter focuses on the oceans, their currents, waves, and the effects of the sun and moon on tides. He goes deeper into global oceanic currents and explains how and why they are so important to life on earth. He then talks about the freshwater on the earth and where it is located in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Chapter 12 The Atmosphere
Up into the air, Dr. Wile now explores our atmosphere. One of the experiments dramatically demonstrates air pressure. He then goes into the composition of our air and the different layers of our atmosphere. He includes an investigation of ozone, pollution, and an acid-base tangent that leads right back into the effects of carbon dioxide on the atmosphere and the pH of the ocean.
Chapter 13 Weather, Part 1
Expanding on the previous chapter, Dr. Wile goes into a thorough exploration of weather by beginning with a breakdown of the different types of radiation and light coming from the sun. He describes the tilt of the earth during its trip around the sun and how this creates our seasons. He introduces wind, temperature, global wind patterns and trade winds as some background information before heading into a detailed review of clouds.
Chapter 14 Weather, Part 2
Now, Dr. Wile gets into the detail of weather systems and describes weather fronts and how to read a weather map. He talks about precipitation and humidity, then talks about severe weather systems such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Chapter 15 The Earth’s Solar System
This chapter heads into outer space to discuss gravity and our neighboring planets. He touches on comets and asteroids and explains why the heliocentric view of the solar system replaced the geocentric view.. Then he focuses on the sun and moon and their properties and behavior.
Chapter 16 Earth’s Solar System and the Universe
Dr. Wile teaches about parallax and its use in determining some distances throughout the universe. He covers the heliosphere and explores the vast tapestry of stars and their colors, brightness, and classifications. Then he describes our galaxy and others in the universe and shares breathtaking images of some of them.
In fact, every page of the book has incredible images or detailed illustrations to help further understanding. Dr. Wile sums up his wonderful earth science book with this passage:
Psalm 24:1-2, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who live in it. For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.”
We hope you will add this text to your library and enjoy it not only for a season, but for years to come
.Get Started with Discovering Design With Earth Science
In addition to solid science and thought-provoking questions, this set includes printable Worksheets as well as a Student Notebook for exploring questions and keeping track of chapter review answers.
If this looks like the perfect book for your junior earth science adventure, head over to Discovering Design With Earth Science.
What would you recommend for a high school level physical science? Physical Science is required by our umbrella school for high school credit, but Exploring Creation with Physical Science is advertised as only a middle school level course.
Discovering Design with Earth Science is a physical science so it would be an acceptable high school credit. Exploring Creation with Physical Science 2nd Edition was a high school credit also even though it appears in the sequence for eighth grade (we recommend our earth science in eighth grade also even though it is a high school credit). You’d have to check with the publisher to see if the third edition of physical science is a high school credit.