Earth Science Online Textbook
The Earth Science online/digital textbook dives into geology, the environment, and the universe and was written to support the Nitty Gritty Science Earth Science Curriculum.
Students can access information online, or a pdf can be printed for each section. This online textbook is in no way intended to be a complete overview of Earth Science.
The topics covered are grade-appropriate (Grades 6, 7, and 8) and support the Middle School Earth Science Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) along with most state standards. As this is only one resource, it is always recommended that students also learn how to use other resources to fill in the gaps and provide more context for each subject.
Chapter 1: Nature of Science
Chapter 2: Intro to Earth Science
- Section 1: The Study of Earth Science
- Section 2: Lab Safety
- Section 3: Scientific Research and Tools
Chapter 3: Mapping Earth’s Surface
Chapter 4: Rocks and Minerals
- Section 1: Properties of Minerals
- Section 2: Mineral Formation and Resources
- Section 3: Classifying Rocks
- Section 4: Rock Groups
Chapter 5: Plate Tectonics
- Section 1: Earth’s Interior
- Section 2: Convection in the Mantle
- Section 3: Continental Drift & Seafloor Spreading
- Section 4: Theory of Plate Tectonics
Chapter 6: Forces that Shape the Earth
- Section 1: Forces that Shape the Earth
- Section 2: Earthquakes
- Section 3: Volcanoes
- Section 4: Volcanic Landforms
Chapter 7: Earth’s Changing Surface
- Section 1: Weathering
- Section 2: Soil Formation
- Section 3: Erosion & Deposition: Water & Wind
- Section 4: Erosion & Deposition: Mass Movement & Glaciers
Chapter 8: A Trip Through Earth’s History
- Section 1: Fossils
- Section 2: Determining Ages of Rocks
- Section 3: Geological Time Scale
- Section 4: Earth’s Eras
Chapter 9: Earth’s Waters
- Section 1: Earth: The Water Planet
- Section 2: Fresh Water
- Section 3: Composition & Characteristics of Oceans
- Section 4: Ocean Waves & Tides
- Section 5: Ocean Currents & Climate
Chapter 10: Earth’s Atmosphere
- Section 1: Earth’s Atmosphere
- Section 2: Atmosphere Energy Transfer
- Section 3: Winds & Water
- Section 4: Air Quality
Chapter 11: Weather & Climate
- Section 1: Weather Patterns
- Section 2: Weather Forecast
- Section 3: Climates of Earth
- Section 4: Factors that Influence Climate
- Section 5: Climate Cycles & Recent Climate Change
Chapter 12: Astronomy & Space Science
- Section 1: Earth’s Motion
- Section 2: The Moon – Earth’s Satellite
- Section 3: Solar System
- Section 4: The Planets
- Section 5: Stars & Galaxies
- Section 6: Space Exploration