Earth and Space Science - Topic Guides - Math and Science - LibGuides at Pikes Peak Library District

Search Terms

Specific key words or phrases are necessary to find information in databases or the library catalog. We recommend:

Biodiversity
Sustainability
Renewable Resources
Nonrenewable Resources
Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Geosphere, Biosphere
Plate Tectonics
Stellar Evolution
Big Bang Theory
Newtonian Gravitational Laws

Search Strategies

You can use these search terms to find books in the library catalog and eBooks or eAudiobooks in the eLibrary.
To narrow your search, type two terms into a search bar in this format: "Term 1" AND "Term 2". This search will only provide resources that include both terms. Combine any two search terms from the box into a database search bar to see what you find.
Find more database search tips on the Debate Issues & Paper Topics guide, in the Database Search Tops box.

Standards and Knowledge Building

This guide is connected to the following Colorado Academic Standards

The solar system contains many varied objects held together by gravity. Solar system models explain and predict eclipses, lunar phases, and seasons.
The role of radiation from the sun and its interactions with the atmosphere, ocean, and land are the foundation for the global climate system. Global climate models are used to predict future changes, including changes influenced by human behavior and natural factors.

This guide will support students by building further knowledge in:

A variety of earth science, environmental science, and astronomy topics.
Different library resources – what they are and how they are useful for researching information about space travel.
How to effectively find information in these sources using search terms.

Contact

Mikaela Fortune

Email Me

Contact:

5550 N. Union Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO
80918

(719) 531-6333

Welcome to the Earth and Space Science Topic Guide

Databases

Databases are subject-specific search engines that provide access to journal articles and other reliable resources. The following PPLD databases are recommended for students studying earth and space science:

Explora for Public Libraries This link opens in a new window
Find articles and facts from the world’s leading magazines and reference books in one search.
Science Reference Center This link opens in a new window
A one-stop resource for science-related research needs.
The Gale Encyclopedia of Science This link opens in a new window
Covers all major areas of science, engineering, technology, as well as mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology.
Science of Everyday Things This link opens in a new window
This 4-vol. set illustrates the importance of scientific and mathematical principles through their use in everyday life. Each volume focuses on a specific scientific discipline -- biology, chemistry, earth sciences, and physics.
GreenFILE This link opens in a new window
GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 1,000,000 records, as well as Open Access full text for more than 15,000 records.
Environment Complete This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive Coverage for Environmental Studies including agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, and affiliated areas of study.
Encyclopedia of Weather and Natural Disasters This link opens in a new window
Introduction to the topic of weather and natural disasters, covering such topics as weather basics, weather phenomena, forecasting, and climate. Provides information on the scientific aspects of various types of disasters including: blizzards, earthquakes, flooding, tornadoes, volcanoes, and wildfires.

Reference materials are things like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide quick facts and summaries of different subjects. The following encyclopedias and dictionaries in the PPLD catalog support the study of earth and space science:

Encyclopedia of Earth Science by Timothy M. Kusky
ISBN: 9780816049738
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Encyclopedia of Earth Science provides a broad scope of important subjects in the field of Earth science - hydrology, structural geology, petrology, isotope geology, geochemistry, geomorphology, and oceanography. Containing approximately 700 entries, 19 prose essays, 110 line illustrations, and 100 black-and-white photographs, this comprehensive encyclopedia is perfect for high school and early college students.
Super Earth Encyclopedia by DK; Smithsonian Institution (Contribution by)
ISBN: 9781465461872
Publication Date: 2017-07-04
This visual encyclopedia is the ultimate page-turner, bringing our planet's most diverse and dramatic features together in spectacular style.
The Cambridge Atlas of Astronomy by Jean Audouze (Editor); Guy Israel (Editor); Jean-Claude Falque (Editor)
ISBN: 0521434386
Publication Date: 1994-11-10
This new edition is an unrivalled source of information and images covering the whole of modern astronomy. Its 130 articles written by experts form an absorbing panorama of information arranged by topic. Almost every page of the Atlas is richly illustrated with colour photographs, maps, and detailed diagrams. This reference book commences with a survey of the Sun and the solar system, followed by the stars and the Galaxy, and concludes with the extragalactic universe and cosmology.

Reference materials are things like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide quick facts and summaries of different subjects. The following books in the PPLD catalog support the study of earth and space science:

The Science of the Earth by DK; Chris Packham (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9780744060072
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
Biodiversity by Laura Perdew; Tom Casteel (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781619307483
Publication Date: 2019-03-12
Biodiversity is found everywhere on the planet--on land, in the water, and even in extreme environments such as ice and volcanoes. Biodiversity can also be discovered by looking through a microscope at tiny worlds of organisms that can't be seen with the human eye. There are whole microbiomes beneath our feet, in puddles, and even in our belly buttons! All of this biodiversity on Earth helps keep the planet in balance.
How Space Works by DK
ISBN: 9780744027488
Publication Date: 2021-07-20
How the Universe works - and how we explore it - explained in simple words and clever graphics. The clearest, most visual guide to space and the Universe for complete beginners to astronomy.

Explore (multimedia and recommended websites)

Recommended Websites
Multimedia

You can use trusted, online sources to find information. For more information on reliable, online sources, please visit PPLD’s Debate Issues & Paper Topics guide. PPLD recommends:

Khan Academy - Cosmology and Astronomy
Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom.
The Encyclopedia of Earth
The Encyclopedia of Earth (EoE) is an electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The EoE is a free, expert-reviewed collection of content contributed by scholars, professionals, educators, practitioners and other experts who collaborate and review each other's work. The content is presented in a style intended to be useful to students, educators, scholars, professionals, as well as to the general public.
NASA - Earth
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is America’s civil space program and the global leader in space exploration.
PhET Simulations: Earth Science
Founded in 2002 by Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.

Use these multimedia sources to watch or listen to information on this topic.

Crash Course: Astronomy

Crash Course: Ecology

NOAA Photo Library (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
The NOAA Photo Library collections reflect NOAA’s broad mission of advancing science “from the bottom of the ocean to the surface of the Sun.” The collection includes thousands of weather and space images, hundreds of images of shores and coastal seas, and thousands of marine species images ranging from whales to the most minute plankton.
How The Earth Was Made
Spectacular on-location footage, evidence from geologists in the field, and dramatic graphics combine in this stunning series to show how immensely powerful forces of geology have shaped our planet. This video is accessible through Kanopy in the PPLD eLibrary.
Earth Science, for Middle School
Specifically designed for and correlated to the curriulum of a middle school science course, this collection contains a number of video series that explore key concepts of Earth Science and help instructors to teach challenging concepts. The films, and accompanying teacher materials, are a great asset for teachers and teachers in training to use to integrate video into their lesson plans to capture the attention of young minds and enhance learning. The series in the collection include: Astronomy, Earth in Action, Geological History, Natural Resources, Planet Earth, Rocks and Minerals, and Weather and Climate. This video is accessible through Kanopy in the PPLD eLibrary.