Timely Take-Aways for Life-Long Learning: Geology

How the Mountains Grew: A New Geological History of North America John Dvorak August 2021 Pegasus Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Themes: Science, Nature, Ecosystems, Geology, Geologic History, Mountains

Tracing the geologic history of Earth, HOW THE MOUNTAINS GREW by John Dvorak skillfully weaves common knowledge and established theories with new research findings. The well-established theory of plate tectonics changed our perception of how our continent was formed. However, recently uncovered evidence demonstrates that scientists are just beginning to understand the complexity of our changing landscapes.

This epic story of the geological history of North America celebrates our rapidly changing knowledge of Earth’s past. Of particular note to Earth Science teachers and geology buffs, this engaging narrative also appeals to readers interested in broader areas of science from astrophysics to climate change. From young adults to seniors, Dvorak’s conversational style will be popular with leisure readers.

Let’s explore seven timely take-aways for life-long learners:

1. In the 1960s, the theory of plate tectonics became widely accepted. However, it was not able to explain the existence of the Black Hills or the diamonds of Arkansas. The intertwining of geology with other traditional and emerging sciences is needed to trace the entire span of geological history.
2. On August 17, 2017, the first gravitational waves were detected in the direction of the constellation Hydra. This confirmed the collision of neutron stars. These collisions are responsible for most of the heavier elements in the universe such as gold and silver. Prior to this discovery, these collisions were purely theoretical.
3. In 2015, the International Commission on Stratigraphy determined that the 4.030 billion year old Acasta Gneiss found in the remote Northwest Territories of Canada represents a major milestone in geologic history marking the beginning of the Archean Eon. It’s considered to be the oldest known rock on Earth.
4. Luis and Walter Alvarez published a paper in 1980 hypothesizing that an extraterrestrial body caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. In 2016, a scientific drilling project penetrated the seafloor identifying the Chicxulub impact crater.
5. In geodynamics, delamination is the loss of the lowermost lithosphere from its tectonic plate. Asthenosphere rises to replace the sinking lithosphere. This process causes uplifts and sometimes volcanism playing an important role in the continuing “growth spurt” of mountains such as the Sierra Nevada. Seismic tomography allows geoscientists to generate images from the crust to the core. 5) In 2019, delamination was found through seismic tomography in the Appalachian Mountains.
6. In 2019, a fossilized forest containing palm-like trees was found near Cairo, New York demonstrating that complex forests existed at least as early as 388 million years ago.
7. Although working groups at the major geological societies have not yet recognized the Anthropocene as the current geological epoch, the term as been used informally for a couple decades. The benchmarks for this new epoch include the impact by humans on the natural world. From human-made rock such as concrete and bricks to plastic fragments, human have already made profound changes in the rock record.

Whether helping educators keep up-to-date in their subject-areas, promoting student reading in the content-areas, or simply encouraging nonfiction leisure reading, teacher librarians need to be aware of the best new titles across the curriculum and how to activate life-long learning. - Annette Lamb

Synergy: Mountaineering

From climbing indoor walls to ascending the world’s highest peaks, mountaineering is a sport involving climbing and bouldering in mountains. Hazards include falling, avalanches, bad weather, and altitude sickness.

Read the recently published nonfiction book, then learn more at the website:

INTO THE CLOUDS by Tod Olson tells the thrilling and tragic stories of three expeditions to K2. This engaging work of nonfiction includes the incredible experiences of Charlie Houston and a team of climbers attempting to conquer K2 in 1953. The fast-paced text includes maps and historical photos.

The AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB documents successes, failures, and mishaps associated with mountain climbing. The KNOW THE ROPES section of their website provides websites and articles related to safe climbing.

To visit the website, go to https://bit.ly/2IuPBwb

ARC courtesy of National Geographic.

Book Review: Hey, Baby!

HEY, BABY! by Stephanie Warren Drimmer introduces children to a collection of pictures, poems, and stories exploring animal babies.

From mountains and plains to oceans and seas, each of the eight chapters explores animal babies from a different region of the world. Anecdotes and short stories are told through poems, folktales, short narratives, and descriptive passages along with fact boxes and high-quality photographs. The book concludes with a map, additional resources, and an index.

Librarians will find this adorable collection to be popular with children of all ages. Parents would find this coffee-table sized book useful for short, bedtime reading, while teachers could use excerpts for information reading activities. The index provides easy access to particular animals for students doing reports on animal babies.

Published by National Geographic Children’s Books, an imprint of Random House on November 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.