Geology of the Desert Southwest

Venturing through two of the most diverse and fascinating regions of North America, these activity books combine the subjects of geology and physical geography while making them captivating and fun. With a different approach, this series reveals the underlying processes for kids, explaining each region's evolution and illustrating the different forces of nature that have changed the continent over time. The lush forests of the Pacific Northwest, the dry and arid deserts of the Southwest, and even the volcanoes and rainforests of Hawaii are all explored in detail as the chapters chronicle the effects of plate tectonics; landforms such as mountains, plateaus, and canyons; and the elements of climates and ecosystems. A plethora of hands-on projects ensure the learning process is both engaging and entertaining, including making a swamp cooler, creating a rift zone, building a seismograph, constructing basalt columns and water wheels to harness the power of a river, fashioning moving tectonic plates, and even mimicking nature's process of carving an arch.

Cynthia Light Brown is the author of Amazing Kitchen Chemistry Projects You Can Build Yourself, Discover National Monuments, Explore Rocks and Minerals!, Geology of the Desert Southwest, and Geology of the Pacific Northwest. She is a founding partner and vice president of Clover Leaf Environmental Solutions with 21 years of experience as an environmental consultant specializing in pollution prevention, toxicology, and risk assessment. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.