Under The Microscope

MORE EARTHQUAKES EXPLAINED, by J.J. Aitken and M.A. Lowry; Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences,1995; 30 pages; $12.00 introductory price (normally $18.00)

NEW ZEALAND MINERALS AND ROCKS FOR BEGINNERS, by P.J. Forsyth and J.J. Aitken; Institute of Geological Sciences, 1995; 45 pages; $20 introductory price (normally $28.00)

These two publications have been written by GNS scientists specifically for the New Zealand science curriculum and using New Zealand examples. As such, they meet a desperate need for earth science resources that can be used by teachers and pupils. More Earthquakes Explained is written in a question and answer type format and includes black and white graphs and line drawings to illustrate the text. Topics covered include why and how earthquakes happen, how they are located and measured, scales and magnitude, prediction of earthquakes, hazards and risks, and New Zealand case studies. There is also a list of seismological terms, and a comprehensive further reading and reference list at the back of the book.

The introduction states that the material is aimed at Level 5 of Making Sense of the Physical World and Level 7 of Science and Technology. In discussion with a secondary school teacher and checking through the science curriculum, we feel that this booklet could also be used as a background information source for Level 8 of Making Sense of Planet Earth and Beyond, particularly meeting achievement objectives one and two.

The format is large blocks of text in relatively small print and thus some guidance from teachers may be required for less motivated senior students using this book. With guidance, younger students could find valuable information also.

New Zealand Minerals and Rocks for Beginners targets a slightly younger age group with brightly coloured pictures and larger, more broken-up text. It provides an excellent introduction to the rock cycle, types of rocks, what rocks are made up of, New Zealand rocks, and also briefly covers the mineral resources found in New Zealand. Colour photographs are used throughout to illustrate rocks and landforms.

This book would be particularly useful at level six of Making Sense of Planet Earth and Beyond, especially meeting achievement objectives one, two and four.

Both of these books are very reasonably priced and a useful addition to classroom resources at secondary school level.