Discover! Science Library

ScienceSchoolHouse’s new Discover! Science Library for grades 6-8 and 9-12, have the following features and components:

1. Interactive multimedia tutorials: Each Unit includes up to 200 screens with text and pictures/illustrations plus interactive exercises and lots of video clips. All core text is fully narrated (with an on/off option). Built to pedagogically correct standards with appendices for advanced research.
2. Two text levels: Students can toggle between grades 9-12 and grades 6-8 text levels or stay at one of the two text levels throughout. All vocabulary checked for age appropriateness.
3. One 30-minute, high-resolution, digital video associated with each Unit, with content indexing and one-click navigation.
4. Quizzes for the students and Test Banks for teachers.
5. Teacher’s Guides and state and national curriculum correlations on our website.

System Requirements

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7+, Firefox 10+, Safari 4+, Opera 9+

In this Unit:

Quizzes and Test Banks

Manual

Interactive Exercises

• 1_2 Periodic Table
• 1_5 Mineral Identification
• 1_11 The Rock Cycle
• 2_6 Rock ‘n Roll
• 5_2 The Farm
• 5_12 Surface Coal Mining

Movies and Animations

• 1_3 Atoms
• 1_6 Mars on Earth
• 2_3 Landslides
• 2_4 Crustal Age
• 2_5 Volcano Activity from 1960 through 1995
• 3_3 The Grand Canyon
• 4_2 Subduction
• 5_1 Energy Use
• 5_2 Alternative Energy Sources
• 5_4 Solar Power
• 5_8 Wind Power
• 5_12 Coal Mining
• 5_13 Natural Gas Formation
• 5_14 How Oil Forms
• 5_15 Nuclear Power
• 5_16 Mining & Reclamation

Interactive Multimedia Tutorial Tables of Contents

Chapter 1: Minerals and Rocks

Explore the fascinating world of beautiful mineral crystals and discover the three rock groups that make up our entire planet.

• 1.1 What are Minerals?
• 1.2 Minerals are Matter
• 1.3 Structure of Atoms
• 1.4 How Minerals are Built - Bonding
• 1.5 Mineral Identification
• 1.6 Minerals and Rocks
• 1.7 Rock Groups
• 1.8 Igneous Rocks
• 1.9 Sedimentary Rocks
• 1.10 Metamorphic Rocks
• 1.11 The Rock Cycle

Chapter 2: Igneous Rocks

A look at the so-called “rocks of fire” -- igneous rocks. Understand the differences between lava and magma, and between igneous rocks that form at the surface and those that form deep in the Earth.

• 2.1 Igneous Rocks - At the Surface
• 2.2 Igneous Rocks - At Depth
• 2.3 Igneous Rocks - Erosion and Uplift
• 2.4 Crustal Abundance
• 2.5 Extrusive Igneous Rocks
• 2.6 Intrusive Igneous Rocks

Chapter 3: Sedimentary Rocks

Learn how loose bits of existing rock, soil, and organic debris are laid down in layers and eventually form sedimentary rocks that blanket the Earth.

• 3.1 Sediments
• 3.2 Organic Debris
• 3.3 Sedimentary Rocks
• 3.4 Clastic Sedimentary Rocks
• 3.5 Chemical and Biochemical Rocks

Chapter 4: Metamorphic Rocks

Learn how heat, pressure, and fluids change existing rocks into metamorphic rocks, and about the new minerals that form.

• 4.1 Metamorphic Rocks
• 4.2 Subduction Zones
• 4.3 Texture, Composition, and Fabric
• 4.4 Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
• 4.5 Nonfoliated Metamorphic Rocks

Chapter 5: Renewable and Non-renewable Resources

Discover Earth’s bounty -- renewable and non-renewable resources -- from solar, wind and other alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. Learn about conservation, reclamation and the four “R’s”.

• 5.1 Stop and Think about Energy
• 5.2 What is Renewable Energy?
• 5.3 Alternative Energy Sources
• 5.4 Solar Energy
• 5.5 Hydroelectric Power
• 5.6 Tidal Energy
• 5.7 Geothermal Energy
• 5.8 Wind Energy
• 5.9 Biomass Energy
• 5.10 Non-renewable Resources
• 5.11 Fossil Fuels
• 5.12 Coal - Buried Sunshine
• 5.13 Oil and Natural Gas
• 5.14 Where Do You Find Oil and Natural Gas?
• 5.15 Nuclear Energy
• 5.16 Mining and Reclamation
• 5.17 Conservation
• 5.18 One Voice - Recycling
• 5.19 The Four R’s

Note: Appendices A, B and C are common to all Discover! titles.

Appendix A: Scientific Method

• A.1 The Need to Know
• A.2 What Makes Science Different?
• A.3 Induction
• A.4 The Scientific Method
• A.5 Hypothesis and Deduction
• A.6 Experiments and Observation
• A.7 Acceptance of Hypotheses
• A.8 Theories and Laws
• A.9 The Cycle of Scientific Inquiry
• A.10 Scientists Build Models
• A.11 Scientific Theories and Revolutions
• A.12 Scientists Doing Science
• A.13 Open Communication
• A.14 Ethical Responsibilities
• A.15 Role of Technology
• A.16 Science and Society

Appendix B: Measurement Systems and SI Units

• B.1 The Need for Common Units
• B.2 Some Old Units of Measurement
• B.3 Problems with Different Measurement Systems
• B.4 The SI (Metric) System
• B.5 Basic Units of SI
• B.6 Derived Units
• B.7 More Derived Units
• B.8 Decimal Multipliers
• B.9 SI Prefixes
• B.10 Scientific Notation
• B.11 Large and Small Numbers
• B.12 Exact and Approximate Numbers
• B.13 Precision Measurements
• B.14 Significant Figures
• B.15 Scientific Notation and Precision
• B.16 Accuracy and Precision
• B.17 Dangers of Many Digits
• B.18 Working with Scientific Notation

Appendix C: Careers in Science

• C.1 Careers in Science
• C.2 Careers in Geology
• C.3 Careers in Oceanography
• C.4 Careers in Atmospheric Science
• C.5 Careers in Astronomy
• C.6 Geological Field Safety

Appendix D: Mineral Groups

• D.1 Introduction - Mineral Groups
• D.2 Feldspars
• D.3 Micas
• D.4 Quartz
• D.5 Olivines
• D.6 Pyroxenes
• D.7 Amphiboles
• D.8 Clay Minerals
• D.9 Native Elements - Metals, Semimetals, Nonmetals
• D.10 Carbonates
• D.11 Oxides
• D.12 Sulfides
• D.13 Sulfates
• D.14 Halides
• D.15 Hydroxides
• D.16 Phosphates
• D.17 Other Minerals

Appendix E: Mineral ID Tables

• E.1 Mineral Identification
• E.2 Mineral ID Charts
• E.3 Mineral ID Chart - Hardness and Luster
• E.4 Mineral ID Chart - By Breaking and Special Features
• E.5 Mineral Properties
• E.6 Rock Identification

xMedia Movie

The Reelfoot Rift (27 min.)

Lying beneath the cities of the American midlands is the Reelfoot Rift, a hotbed of seismic activity. Follow the rift from its formation millions of years ago, to the havoc it wreaked in 1811, and finally to the threat it poses today.

• Introduction - New Madrid Seismic Zone
• New Madrid Quakes of 1811 - +8 Temblors
• Mississippi River Disruptions
• Reelfoot Lake Created
• Largest Area of Quake Damage on Earth
• Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 - 8.3 on Richter Scale
• Plate Tectonics
• Plates' Cores or Cratons are Rigid
• North American and Pacific Plates
• Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989
• Soft Sand and Mud React to Seismic Waves
• Mississippi Valley Sediment
• Many Large Cities are in the New Madrid Earthquake Zone - Damage Potential High
• Gas and Oil Pipelines Are Also at Risk
• When Will Next Earthquake Occur?
• San Andreas Fault - A Different Geology
• Scientists Must Probe Rock Beneath Mud
• Reelfoot Rift - Earthquake Activity
• Epicenters in Deep Faults
• Area was Formed 500 Million Years Ago
• Tectonic Forces Cause Earthquakes
• Where and When - Next Major Earthquake
• This Area Would Suffer Major Damage
• Sand Blows
• Lateral Spreading - Land Sliding
• Shaking Damage
• Memphis Most Vulnerable
• Modern Earthquake Building Codes Adopted
• Summary