Level 3 & 4 Geology

Key Texts

Level 3 Year 1: 

Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing Earth by Herman Schneider and Nina Schneider

Recommended resource:

Sabbath Mood Homeschool Geology Form 3 Study Guide (Secular Version)  This guide includes background, supply lists for experiments in the book, as well as related poetry, podcasts, and video links.

Alternate plan: Skip to two year plan from Level 3 Year 2/Level 4.

Level 3 Year 2 and Level 4:

A Doorway of Amethyst by Mary Daly

The Field Guide to Geology by David Lambert

Many of the narrations in these books lend themselves to written narrations of sketches or drawings and notes. Those would be acceptable as an alternative or supplement to an oral narration.

Recommended reading:

Level 3 Year 2: Rocks, Gems and Minerals (A Golden Guide) by Paul Shaffer and Herbert Zim and The Ghost Lake: The True Story of Louis Agassiz, by John Hudson Tiner

Level 4: A geology guide for the local area or one which you visit on vacation. For example: Roadside Geology series

Level 3 Year 1

1x/weekly

Rocks, Rivers, and the Changing World by Hermann and Nina Schneider 

Recommended Alternative: Use the Sabbath Mood Homeschool Geology Form 3 Study Guide (Secular Version) by Nicole Williams 

Follow the schedule of the study guide with one lesson each week.

Schedule: 

For each scheduled lesson, students should read and narrate, and are encouraged to try any activities in the text.

1. 1. 1. A Leaf and a Stone, Rivers to the Sea (From Rain to River) pp. 3-6, do the experiment on p. 6
      2. A River Flows Downhill pp. 7-8, do the experiment on p. 7
      3. A RIver Keeps Flowing pp. 8-10, to the experiments 
      4. Changes with the Seasons and Other Changes pp. 10-13, do the experiment on p. 12
      5. A River Picks Up Things and Down Steep Mountains pp. 13-15, do the experiment on p. 14
      6. In Less Steep Places, Through Hollows, In Flat Land, End of the Line — River’s Mouth pp. 16-22, do the experiment on p. 16
      7. The Moving of Soil: Slow Erosion, Fast Erosion, and How Erosion Affects Us pp. 23-27
      8. What We Can Do About Erosion and How Dams Can Help pp. 28-30
      9. Underground Water to the Sea: Water Under the Ground, The Water Table, and Where Is the Water Table pp. 31-34, do the experiment on p. 32
      10. Using the Water Table, A Well, High Water Table, and Swampland, pp. 35-39, do the experiments
      11. Low Water Table, Very Deep Water Table, An Oasis, Underground Lakes and Rivers, A Rock Sandwich, An Artesian Well, and You and the Water Table pp. 40-47
      12. Exams / Catch-up
      13. Precious Cargo: What Are Minerals?, Minerals in Underground Rivers, Icicles of Stone pp. 49-55, do the experiment on p. 51
      14. Cargo to the Sea, Why the Ocean Is Salty, and Water Goes Around and Around pp. 55-59
      15. Mountains Unmade, High Land Is Cut Down by Water, Rivers of Icea to the Sea pp. 61-66, do the experiment on p. 66
      16. The Work of a Glacier and Wind Cuts Down Mountains pp. 67-73
      17. Sunlight Cracks Mountains and Freezing Breaks Rocks pp. 73-77, do the experiments on p. 74 and p. 76
      18. Plants Split Rock and Plants Change Rock pp. 78-80, do the experiment on p. 78
      19. What Is Soil? and Changing Rock pp. 81-84, do the experiment on p. 81
      20. The Land and the Sea Meet pp. 85-91, do the experiment on p. 87
      21. The Ocean: Let’s Look at the Ocean pp. 95-101
      22. When the Ocean Fills Up and Will the World Drown pp. 102-106, do the experiment
      23. Catch-up
      24. Exams / Catch-up
      25. Oceans on Top of Mountains: The Riddle, The Answer to the Riddle, Sediment, Sediment Under Pressure, Sedimentary Rock pp. 109-116
      26. Sea Bottom in Use, Sedimentary Rock in Buildings, and Iron pp. 116-119
      27. Fuel and You and the Bottom of the Sea pp. 120-124
      28. The Ups and Downs of the Earth: The Answer of the Baked Apple pp. 125-127
      29. The Answer of the Toothpaste Tube pp. 128-134, do the experiment on p. 128
      30. The Earth Inside: Magma, What Magma Does, and Folded Mountains pp. 135-141
      31. Igneous Hills, Volcanoes, and Volcanoes Out of the Ocean pp. 142-147
      32. More Volcanoes, Lava Into Soil, Precious Stones, Precious Metals, and All Kinds of Igneous Rocks pp. 148-154
      33. The Earth Inside and Out: A Fault and Magma Meets Water pp. 155-161
      34. Steam Wells, Hot Springs, Metamorphic Rock, Baked Rock, and Magma, The Great Earth-Changer pp. 161-166
      35. The Earth’s Story pp. 169-171
      36. Exams / Catch-up

Level 3 Year 2

Week 1

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst – Introduction pp 1-2. 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 12-15 (Introduction, Earth in space). 

Week 2

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 16-19 (How everything began, Birth of the solar system) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 8-10 (Origin of the Solar System to the end of the chapter). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 20-21 (Our layered planet) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 3-4 (Depths of the Earth, stop before “What is rock? What is it made of?”)

Week 3

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 22-23 (Earth’s size and shape).
   2. Go on a walk somewhere you can collect a few rocks. Keep them in bags or containers labeled with the date and location you collected them.

Week 4

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 24-25 (Earth’s building blocks) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 4-6 (“What is rock? What is it made of?” Stop before Heat from within).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp. 26-27 (Earth’s building blocks 2).

Week 5

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 28-29 (Energy and Earth) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 6-7 (Heat from Within, stop before Earth’s magnetism) AND p 11 (To see convection cells).
   2. Catch-up

Week 6

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 30-31 (Earth as a magnet) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 7-8 (Earth’s magnetism). 
   2. Collect more rocks for your collection. Try to go to a new location. Remember to store your rocks with the date and location of their collection.

Week 7

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 32-35 (Introduction, Earth’s changing surface).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 36-39 (The ocean floor, Oceanic crust).

Week 8

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 40-43 (Seafloor spreading, How seafloor disappears) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 13-14 (Land and Sea, stop before Ocean crust: four layers). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 44-45 (The continental crust) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 14-16 (Ocean crust: four layers through Continental crust; stop before Why we think they move).

Week 9

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 46-49 (Clues to continental drift, How continents evolve) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 16-18 (Why we think they move, How to build a continent; stop before Mountain vocabulary).
   2. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.

Week 10

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 50-53 (Mountain building, Rocks recycled) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 18-19 (Mountain vocabulary and Mountain building).
   2. Catch-up

Week 11

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 19-21 (Continental cross section; stop before Rocks and Minerals). A Doorway of Amethyst. Copy page 19 for your notebook and color and label it using the text. Narrate using the diagram.
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 20-22 (Rocks and minerals through the end of the chapter).

Week 12

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about the inside of the earth. (unit 1)
  • Tell what you know about the Earth’s crust and continental drift. (unit 2)

Week 13

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 54-57 (Introduction, Rocks from magma) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 25-26 (stop before Volcanic structure).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 58-61 (Fiery rocks formed underground, Volcanic rocks).

Week 14

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 62-65 (Anatomy of a volcano, Volcanic landforms) and A Doorway of Amethyst pp 26-27 (Volcanic structure; stop before Lava has many shapes). Optional – Explore Volcano World online: http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 66-71 (Volcanic products, Hot water, gas, and mud, Fiery rocks of other worlds) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 27-30 (Lava has many shapes, Near the Deep Hot…, Extraterrestrial Geology, Exotic Waters, Etymology of the word “lava”).

Week 15

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst p 32-33. Make the globe on page 33.  Explore the Digital World Tectonic Activity Map: https://www.gifex.com/fullsize-en/2009-11-06-10855/Digital-World-Tectonic-Activity-Map.html
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.

Week 16

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 72-75 ((Introduction, Rocks from sediments).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 76-79 (Rocks from fragments 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 35 (Sediments; stop before Coal and limestone).

Week 17

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 80-83 (Rocks from chemicals, Rocks from living things) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 35-37 (Coal and limestone, Conglomerates, Sediments; stop before How sediments forms) and p 43 (How to identify common sedimentary rocks).
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 37-39 (How sediments form; stop before The geologic column).

Week 18

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 39-41 (The geologic column). Optional: complete the lost geologic drill log exercise on pp 40-41.
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.

Week 19

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 84-89 (Introduction, Rising and sinking rocks, Tilting and folding rocks) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 45-46 (Rock types and their ages, Metamorphic rock is bent; stop before Six faults)
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 90-91 (Breaking rocks: joints and faults) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 46-47 (Six faults; stop before Many parts; one earth). Draw and label the six fault types for your notes.

Week 20

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 92-95 (Earthquakes, Bombs from space) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 47 and 49 (Many parts; one earth, Earthquakes, Asteroid marks; stop before Ways to metamorphose rocks). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 96-99 (Rocks remade 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 49-51 (Ways to metamorphose rocks, Metamorphic rock families).

Week 21

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 100-105 (Introduction, Rocks attacked by weather 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 54 (Hadrian’s Wall).
   2. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.

Week 22

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 106-107 (Soil from rock) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 55-56 (Agents of change; stop before Soil: four horizons).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 108-109 (Types of soil) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 56-58 (Soil: four horizons, Soil types).

Week 23

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 110-113 (Mass movement, Slopes) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 60-62 (Gravity erosion). Sketch the different kinds of gravity erosion for your notes.
   2. Catch-up

Week 24

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about volcanoes and volcanic rocks. (unit 3)
  • Tell what you know about sedimentary rocks or the geologic column. (unit 4)
  • Tell what you know about rocks that have been deformed or altered or about metamorphic rocks. (unit 5)
  • Tell what you know about soil and/or erosion by weather or gravity. (unit 6)

Week 25

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 114-119 (Introduction, Running water, Water comes and goes) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 65-66 (Erosion by water, The water cycle). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 120-123 (How rivers form valleys 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 68 (Why rivers run downhill, Widening the river, When rivers meet faults).

Week 26

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 124-127 (Where rivers shed their loads, Rivers revived) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 69-70 (Rivers: therefore sediments; stop before Drainage Patterns) and p 72 (Rivers changing their beds; stop before Plateaus and Ridges).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 128-129 (Rivers underground) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 67 (Underground waters).

Week 27

1. 1. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 130-131 (Drainage patterns) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 70-71 (Drainage Patterns).

Week 28

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 132-133 (Plateaus and ridges) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 48 (Hogbacks) and pp 72-73 (Plateaus and Ridges; stop before Lakes).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 134-137 (How lakes form, Vanishing lakes) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 73-76 (Lakes, Vanishing lakes, A hole is forever—almost, Karst landscape, Caverns).

Week 29

1. 1. Catch-up
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 138-143 (Introduction, The sea in action, Sea attacks the land) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 79 (Waves and coastlines; stop before Rising and falling seas).

Week 30

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 144-145 (Drowned coastlines) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 79-81 (Rising and falling seas; stop before Causes of Waves). Draw and label different kinds of coastlines for your notes.
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.

Week 31

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 146-149 (How sea builds land, Shores risen from the sea).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 150-151 (Where coral grows) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 81-82 (Causes of Waves).

Week 32

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 152-155 (Introduction, Glaciers and ice sheets) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 93-95 (Rocks with Scratches; stop before Gathering the rocks).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 156-157 (How ice attacks the land) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 95-96 (Gathering the rocks, Glacial scratches; stop before Erratics).

Week 33

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 158-161 (Debris dumped by ice 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 96 (Erratics).
   2. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.

Week 34

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 162-163 (Around an ice sheet’s rim) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 97-98 (Glacier, Louis Agassiz). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 164-167 (Wind the eroder, Windblown deposits) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 98-99 (Dunes, Loess, through end of chapter).

Week 35

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 168-169 (Lands shaped by wind and water).
   2. Catch-up

Week 36

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about the water cycle, rivers, or how lakes form. (unit 7)
  • Tell me what you know about how the sea builds and destroys land. (unit 8)
  • Tell what you know about how glaciers, ice, and wind shape land. (unit 9)

Level 4

Week 1

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 170-173 (Introduction, Relative dating: using rocks) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 86 (Fossils in geology; stop before Biologic dating – fossils). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 174-177 (Relative dating: fossils 1 and 2) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 86-87 (Biologic dating—fossils; stop before Pre-Cambrian life).

Week 2

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 178-181 (Clocks in rocks, The geologic column) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 109-110 (The geologic column; stop before Major Geologic Periods). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 182-183 (Early times).

Week 3

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 184-185 (The age of former life).
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.

Week 4

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 186-189 (Introduction, The Age of Visible Life) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 87-88 (Pre-Cambrian life; stop before The Paleozoic).
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 88-89 (The Paleozoic). 

Week 5

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 190-191 (Cambrian period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 110-111 (Major Geologic Periods: Cambrian). 
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found. 

Week 6

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 192-193 (Ordovician period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 112 (Ordovician). 
   2. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.

Week 7

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 194-195 (Silurian period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 112 (Silurian). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 196-197 (Devonian period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 112-113 (Devonian; stop before Carboniferous). 

Week 8

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 198-199 (Carboniferous period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 113 (Carboniferous).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 200-201 (Permian period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 113-114 (Permian; stop before Mesozoic: Triassic). 

Week 9 

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 102-104 (The Mesozoic Era; stop before The Mesozoic ends).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 202-203 (Triassic period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 114 (Mesozoic: Triassic; stop before Jurassic). 

Week 10

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 204-205 (Jurassic period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 114 (Jurassic; stop before Cretaceous).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 206-207 (Cretaceous period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst p 104 (The Mesozoic ends, Buttercups and magnolias, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic) and pp 114-115 (Cretaceous; stop before Cenozoic: Tertiary and Quaternary). 

Week 11

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 208-211 (Paleogene period, Neogene period).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 212-213 (Quaternary period) AND A Doorway of Amethyst pp 115-116 (Cenozoic: Tertiary and Quaternary etc.; stop before Evolution – evidence for design). 

Week 12

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about the record of Earth’s history and how we know what we know about it. (unit 10)
  • Tell what you know about the Age of Visible Life. (unit 11)

Week 13

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 91-92 (The merry trilobite, Geologic eras & things, Songs of Zoic times). 
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 116-117 (Evolution–evidence for design). 

Week 14

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 163-166 (Appendix 2: Evolution; stop before Philosophy vs. Science). 
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 166-168 (Appendix 2: Philosophy vs. Science through the end of the appendix).

Week 15

1. 1. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found. 
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 119-121 (The Williston Basin).

Week 16

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 123-125 (The Williston Basin in North Dakota; stop before Cretaceous). Sketch and label this part of the column for your notebook.
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 125-135 (Cretaceous; stop before Jurassic). Sketch and label this part of the column for your notebook.

Week 17

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 135-137 (Jurassic; stop before Triassic). Sketch and label this part of the column for your notebook.
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 137-143 (Triassic, Paleozoic, Mississippian; stop before Devonian). Sketch and label this part of the column for your notebook.

Week 18

1. 1. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 143-149 (Devonian, Silurian, Ordovician, The Cambrian, Pre-Cambrian). Sketch and label this part of the column for your notebook.
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found. 

Week 19

1. 1. Catch-up
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 214-215.

Week 20

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 216-223 (Introduction, Mapping rocks, Finding minerals and fossils, Extracting and displaying finds).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 224-227 (Useful minerals, Gemstones). 

Week 21

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 228-233 (Oil and gas, Geological prospecting, Mining).
   2. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.

Week 22

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 234-237 (Working with rocks, Man-made rocks). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 238-243 (Introduction, Remote sensing 1 and 2). 

Week 23

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 244-247 (Landsat, Global positioning system). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 248-251 (Mapping the surface, Ice cover). 

Week 24

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about the Williston Basin.
  • Tell what you know about how people find and use rocks and minerals. (unit 12)

Week 25

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 252-253 (Volcanoes).
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 254-257 (Earth’s gravity field, Earth’s magnetic field).

Week 26

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 258-261 (Faults and earthquakes, Seismic monitoring). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 262-265 (Satellite laser ranging, Prospecting). 

Week 27

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 266-271 (Ocean surface topography, Seafloor profiling, Ocean flow). 
   2. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.

Week 28

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 272-277 (The Ring of Fire, Acoustic monitoring, Submersibles). 
   2. The Field Guide to Geology pp 278-281 (Monitoring the atmosphere, Ozone mapping).

Week 29

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 282-283 (Future developments). Look up one of the “planned Earth observation missions” (which should already be completed or underway) and report on its findings.
   2. Catch-up

Week 30

1. 1. The Field Guide to Geology pp 284-289 (Introduction, Great geologists 1 and 2).
   2. A Doorway of Amethyst pp 151-160 (Geologist & Catholic).

Week 31

1. 1. Find a new rock or two for your collection. Remember to store them with labels with the date and location where they were found.
   2. Choose a geologist to research. Write a report or prepare a presentation on the life and accomplishments of your choice.

Week 32

1. 1. Research the early life of your geologist.
   2. Research the education of your geologist.

Week 33

1. 1. Research what your geologist loved most about geology.
   2. Research the contributions your geologist made to the field of geology.

Week 34

1. 1. Make an outline and write a draft of a report on your geologist.
   2. Edit and complete your report.

Week 35

1. 1. Examine the rocks in your collection. Use a hand lens if you have one. Pick one or two to draw for your notebook. Tell or write as much as you can about them.
   2. Catch-up

Week 36

CATCH UP/EXAMS

Example exam questions:

• • Tell what you know about how the earth is monitored. (unit 13)
  • Describe one or more rocks in your rock collection.
  • Tell what you know about one geologist.