Monsoon
A monsoon is a big wind. It brings much rain. This rain helps plants grow. It can change with the seasons. The wind blows from the sea. We see many big clouds. Do you like the rain?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleEarth Science articles — Page 5
Explore rocks, volcanoes, weather, oceans and the processes that shape Earth. Choose an article below; its reading controls let you move between the available levels.
1,427 public articles · Page 5 of 30
Moraine
Big ice moves over the land. It carries rocks and sand. The ice leaves these piles behind. These piles are called moraines. They can look like small hills. They help us see where ice was. Have you seen a big rock pile?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMount Etna
Mount Etna is a big mountain. It is a volcano. It stays very busy. It can blow out hot fire. This fire makes the soil good for food. It is a very tall mountain. Have you seen a volcano?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMount Pelée
Mount Pelee is a big volcano. It is on a green island. It can blow out hot ash. This can be very dangerous. We watch it to stay safe. Do you like big mountains?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is a big mountain. It is in a place called the Philippines. The mountain had a very big blast. This blast sent ash into the sky. It changed the air for a while. Now, a blue lake sits in the top. Have…
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is a big mountain. It is a volcano. It can blow out hot rock. This happened a long time ago. It changed the land. People can hike there now. Do you like big mountains?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMount Vesuvius
Vesuvius is a big mountain. It is a volcano in Italy. It can blow out hot rock. This can be scary. It is still there today. Do you like mountains?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNatural resource
Nature gives us many things. We use sun and water. We use trees and fish too. These things help us live. We must take care of them. Do you like nature?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNeogene
A long time ago, the world changed. Animals like birds and mammals grew. The land moved and made big mountains. Some first humans appeared in Africa. The air got colder too. It was a busy time! Can you imagine it?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNorwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a big part of the ocean. It is near Norway. Many fish live there. The water stays warm so there is no ice. This helps the land stay nice. Do you like the ocean?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOasis
An oasis is a green spot. It is in the dry desert. It has water for plants. It has water for animals too. It is a safe home. Can you find one?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOcean current
The ocean water moves in big paths. The wind helps push the water. Some water is warm. Some water is cold. These paths help the world stay just right. It is like a big belt for the sea. Do you like the ocean?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOceanography
People study the big blue ocean. They look at waves and fish. They learn how the water moves. This helps us know our world. It is very fun to learn. Do you like the sea?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOil shale
Some rocks hold oil inside. These rocks are very old. They come from tiny plants. We can heat the rocks to get oil. This oil helps us make power. It is a special kind of rock. Do you want to see it?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOre
Ore is a special kind of rock. It has metal inside. We dig it out of the ground. This metal helps us make things. It is very useful! Can you find any metal in your house?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOzone depletion
A thin layer of air protects us. It stays high in the sky. It stops bad light from the sun. This light can hurt our skin. We made new rules to help it. Now the air is getting better. Do you like the sun?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePaleogene
A long time ago, the world changed. Many new animals grew. Small animals became big. Birds and fish grew too. The land moved and made mountains. It was a busy time for Earth. Can you imagine living then?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePaleozoic
A long time ago, life was new. Most things lived in the sea. Then, plants and animals moved to land. Great forests grew everywhere. Life changed a lot during this time. Do you like old fossils?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePangaea
A long time ago, all land was one. It was one big piece of land. It was shaped like a big C. This land helped many plants and animals live. Now the land is far apart. Can you find the big pieces on a map?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePedosphere
Soil is the top layer of Earth. It is made of rocks and air. Living things help make it. Plants and bugs live in it. It helps plants grow big. Do you like to play in the dirt?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePermafrost
Some ground stays frozen for a long time. It is very cold under the dirt. It stays frozen for years. This cold ground is in far places. It can even be under the sea. It helps keep the world cool. Do you like the cold?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePermian
A long time ago, the world was different. One big land held all the ground. It was very hot and dry. New animals began to live there. Many animals died out at the end. Can you imagine a world like that?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePermian–Triassic extinction event
A long time ago, many animals died. This happened to plants and sea life too. It was a very hard time for Earth. It helps us learn about our world. Can you imagine a world without them?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePetrology
People study all kinds of rocks. They look at how rocks form. Some rocks come from hot, melted stone. Some rocks are made of small bits. They help us know our world. Do you like to find rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePhanerozoic
Life is everywhere on Earth. Many plants and animals live here. They grew and changed over a long time. This helps us see how we live. It is a big, amazing story. Can you find a plant or animal?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePhilippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a big sea. It is near many islands. Many fish live in the water. It helps give food to people. We can see sharks and turtles there. Do you like the ocean?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePhoenix Islands Protected Area
A big part of the sea is safe here. It has many fish and birds. Many colorful things live in the water. This helps the ocean stay healthy. We must help the sea stay blue. Can you see the fish?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePlateau
A plateau is a high, flat land. It looks like a big table. It rises up from the ground. Some are made by hot, melted rock. Others are made by ice or water. These lands are very big. Have you seen a flat hill?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePolar vortex
A polar vortex is spinning air. It is very cold. It stays near the top and bottom of the Earth. This cold air can move toward us. It makes the weather very chilly. Can you feel the cold wind?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePond
A pond is a small pool of water. It stays still in the ground. Many animals live there. You might see frogs or fish. It is a busy home. Have you seen a pond?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePoyang Lake
This is a very big lake. It is in China. Many birds fly here to rest. Some birds stay all winter. The water helps many animals live. We must help keep the lake safe. Do you like to see birds?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePrecambrian
Earth is very old. Long ago, the world was new. It was very different then. We study old rocks to learn. This helps us know our home. Do you like old rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePrecipitation
Water falls from the clouds. It can be rain. It can be snow. It can even be ice. This water helps our world grow. Do you like the rain?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePyroxene
Some rocks have tiny stones inside. These are called pyroxene. They form deep inside the Earth. They can also be in lava from a volcano. They help make many kinds of rocks. Can you find a rock with shiny parts?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleQuartz
Quartz is a very hard stone. It can be many colors. Some are clear. Some are purple. People use it for pretty jewelry. It is found all over the Earth. Do you like shiny stones?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleQuaternary
We live in a special time. Large sheets of ice once covered the land. This was a long time ago. Now the world is warmer. This time helps us learn about the past. Do you like looking at old things?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRapids
Some rivers move very fast. The water splashes over rocks. It looks like white foam. This helps the water stay clean. It is fun to see! Do you like fast water?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleReservoir
A reservoir is a big lake. We build a wall to hold water. This water helps us all. It can make power for homes. It can help plants grow. Do you like to swim in lakes?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRing of Fire
A big ring of fire sits in the ocean. It has many volcanoes. It also has many earthquakes. These things can shake the ground. This ring is very long. Can you find it on a map?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRoss Sea
The Ross Sea is a cold sea. It is in a place called Antarctica. Much of it is covered in ice. Many fish and birds live there. It is a very special place. Do you like the cold?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRuby
A ruby is a red stone. It is very hard. Some rubies look like pink. They are used in pretty jewelry. Do you like red stones?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSand
Sand is made of tiny bits of rock. These bits are very small. They can be white or even black. We use sand to make glass. We also use it to build big things. Do you like to play in the sand?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSandstone
Sandstone is a hard rock. It is made of tiny sand. Other things glue the sand together. This rock can be red or tan. It can even be black. Do you like to play in the sand?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSapphire
A sapphire is a pretty stone. It can be blue. It can be pink or green too. People wear them in rings. They are very hard stones. Do you like bright colors?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is in the ocean. It has lots of brown seaweed. The water is very blue and clear. Many fish and eels live there. It helps us breathe. Can you see the seaweed?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSchist
Some rocks can split into thin flakes. This rock is called schist. It forms deep in the ground. Heat and pressure make it. It can look like many layers. You can see the tiny bits. Do you like looking at rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSeabed
The seabed is the bottom of the ocean. It is very deep and dark. Many small things live there. Some things sink from above to make mud. It is a big, amazing place. Can you imagine living there?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSea ice
Sea ice is frozen ocean water. It floats on top of the sea. It stays cold and white. This helps keep our Earth cool. It is very big and pretty. Do you like the snow?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article