Image: Mikaya Press, Inc.
Educational apps that teach something to everyone, no matter what age, are great for filling your iPad. By now I’ve accumulated a decent collection of them, but I only recently discovered one that teaches basic geology, from mountain building to plate tectonics to the rock cycle.
Mikaya Press, Inc.
Photographed and narrated by pilot, geologist, and photographer Michael Collier, Wonders of Geology is a sight to behold. It is filled with gorgeous photos of prime examples of geologic features located in the United States. Mountains, volcanoes, canyons, landscapes, it’s all there.
After the cinematic app introduction, there are several sections to peruse. Each contains plenty of photos and educational narration, as well as diagrams and animations explaining what you are seeing and how the surface of our planet works.
“Geology 101” goes into the three different types of rocks plus the rock cycle, plate tectonics, mountain building, and many different kinds of erosion. There are a lot of magnificent photos accompanied by inspirational quotations and informative text. Tap on the highlighted words and the app gives their definitions. A narration plays while you are perusing the photos, telling you about what you are seeing, with arrows pointing to pertinent features as it goes along.
“Mountains of America” goes into depth about the mountains that are in America. The Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains are highlighted, including pictures, diagrams, and text, and this section also teaches several different ways in which mountains are made. The app takes you on a tour of them all, narrating the tour of beautiful scenery that is combined with lessons. It is like watching a beautiful documentary.
Mikaya Press, Inc.
“Mountains Past and Future” talks about how mountains change over time. The narration is very well-written, so while this app is filled with excellent geology lessons, it also takes you on a poetic journey around the country.
Wonders of Geology also contains a table of contents and a map that will show you the location in the United States for any of the images you see.
Wonders of Geology costs $12.99 from the iTunes store. This digital picture book is a great way to learn about geology and mountain building, seeing real life examples of each concept as they are taught. It is a fantastic resource for kids and adults of all ages.
Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this app for review.
