Kevin Kurtz
Children's Author & Educator
How to Read a Rock, Vol. 1 is the free explainer graphic novel/comic book, written for intermediate, middle school, and early high school students, that is a funny, slightly irreverent, but scientifically accurate guide to how scientists learn about the Earth by studying rocks! It focuses on actual cores of rocks and sediment drilled by the R/V JOIDES Resolution that told the story of one of the most catastrophic events of the last 20,000 years. This graphic novel is written by Kevin Kurtz and illustrated by Nicole Kurtz, who are not related in any way whatsoever (Really! They met because they were both educators on the JOIDES Resolution).
Teachers and homeschool parents can use the book to teach concepts of:
The scientific method
Earth’s history
Weathering and erosion
Rock and sediment layers
Radiometric dating
Forces of motion
How to Read a Rock, Vol. 1 is available for free as a PDF (it was written to support the scientific research organization the International Ocean Discovery Program’s (IODP) education and outreach efforts, which are funded by the National Science Foundation). You can download a PDF here that is suitable for reading on any digital device. You can download a higher resolution PDF that is suitable for printing on the JOIDES Resolution website.