This is a web version of a brochure produced by the American Geological Institute to inform people about the importance of Earth science education in K-12 schooling. Educational levels: General public, High school, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, Primary elementary

Michael Smith

English

Digital Library for Earth System Education

WhyEarth Science
“There hasn’t been a moment 
when I had the chance to 
look down on our planet from 
orbit when I haven’t been 
amazed at how geology has 
played a significant role in the 
development of humankind.”
Dr. James F. Reilly, Jr., NASA Astronaut/
Geologist, reflecting on his experience 
working at the International Space Station. 
Nearly everything we do each day is connected in some way to Earth: to its land, oceans, atmosphere, plants, and animals. 
The food we eat, the water we drink, our homes and offices, the clothes we 
wear, the energy we use, and the air we breathe are all grown in, taken from, 
surround, or move through the planet.
By 2025, eight billion people will live on Earth. If we are to continue 
extracting resources to maintain a high quality of life, then we, as individuals 
and citizens, need to know more about our planet — its processes, its 
resources, and its environment. And only through Earth science 
education can students understand and appreciate our complex 
planet.
To ensure a scientifically literate society, one that 
maintains wise stewardship of Earth’s precious resources, 
the American Geological Institute, in coordination with its 
Member Societies, endorses the National Research 
Council’s National Science Education Standards 
(1996) and agrees that Earth science should be:
• Included as part of the science curriculum 
at all grade levels
• Offered as a core credit science course 
for high school graduation
• Assessed through state-mandated 
science tests and exit exams.
Ultimately, however, the future lies 
in the hands of students, parents, 
grandparents, teachers, school 
administrators, school board 
officials, and politicians at all 
levels of government. The 
future of Earth science 
literacy — indeed, the 
future itself — lies in 
your hands.
Because
We Live on Earth
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Our lives and civilization depend upon how we understand and manage our planet — Earth processes affect us all. Weather patterns 
influence the availability of water resources and the potential for forest fires; 
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and floods can kill large numbers 
of people and cause millions or even billions of dollars in property damage.
Just as Earth systems directly affect each of us, we — as 
individuals, communities and nations — affect our planet. Expanding 
technologies and growing populations increase demand on natural 
resources. As we extract and use these resources, we impact Earth 
today, which will in turn impact those who come after us. To 
enhance our stewardship of the environment, we must proceed 
into the future with a sound understanding of Earth systems.
Earth science empowers us to think globally and 
act locally — to make sound decisions about issues 
important in our lives as individuals and citizens. 
People who understand how Earth systems work 
can make informed decisions about where to buy 
or build a home out of harm’s way. They can 
debate and resolve issues surrounding clean 
water, urban planning and development, 
national security, global climate change, 
and the use and management of natural 
resources.
An informed society, conscious 
of our complex relationships 
with our planet, recognizes the 
importance of and insists on Earth 
science education at all grade 
levels — elementary, secondary, 
and adult education. When we 
emphasize Earth science 
education, everyone benefits.
Earth Science 
Benefits Everyone
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Earth Science Creates 
Informed Citizens
I f we intend to live on — and with — this planet, we truly need to understand how it works, and to understand the interactions of the many components 
that make up the Earth. The Earth sciences provide an integrated and 
interdisciplinary approach to a true understanding of our planet. Earth 
science includes and applies knowledge from biology, chemistry, physics, 
ecology, and mathematics to tackle complex interdisciplinary issues.
Earth science education also improves critical thinking skills. It 
offers a historical perspective and improves our ability to predict 
future events. To understand Earth processes that affect us 
now and tomorrow, geoscientists look for evidence of what 
happened in the past. This connects students to the 
past, as well as challenging them to think about the 
future.
Earth science poses questions that are 
exciting as well as practical to children and 
adults alike: Why is California prone to earth-
quakes? Why is the beach eroding and what 
can we do about it? Why isn’t a floodplain 
a good location to build a house? Where 
will we get the fuel to power our cars 
and planes in the future? Where will 
we get fresh water to drink? How can 
I help to protect the environment? 
Earth science problems and issues 
are ideally suited for an inquiry-
based education approach — an 
educational process that most 
closely resembles the reality of 
scientific endeavor.
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The role of Earth science in meeting society’s needs continues to grow in importance. Earth 
science develops skills that help students become better 
problem solvers, including three-dimensional analysis and 
comprehension of time and scale. Earth scientists use 
these skills to ensure a supply of clean water, explore for 
oil, gas, and coal, map the oceans, track severe weather, 
and discover the Earth materials we need to build our 
homes and roads, and the minerals and nutrients we need 
to farm the land.
Earth scientists work for a wide range of organizations, 
including petroleum companies, environmental firms, mining 
companies, and construction companies. They work in 
local, state, and federal government agencies and teach in 
our schools, colleges, and universities. Earth scientists also 
work in non-traditional industries such as telecommunications 
and financial planning, assisting their organizations to address 
Earth-related issues that affect their activities.
More than 800 colleges and universities in the United 
States offer degrees in the Earth sciences. Nearly half of these 
colleges offer a Masters Diploma, the professional degree for 
pursuing a career as an Earth scientist. However, training in the 
Earth sciences builds a foundation for work in other fields, and nearly 
half of those graduating with Earth science degrees establish careers 
in fields as varied as engineering, law, systems analysis, and financial 
management.
Earth science provides a strong background for many career paths 
and instills an understanding of how the Earth system influences the many 
and varied aspects of human activity. However, many students graduate from 
high school unaware of the contributions that Earth scientists make to society and 
the unique problem solving skills that Earth science instills. We must make Earth 
science education a priority at all levels if we, as a society, are to meet the 
increasing demands of the future.
Earth Science Builds 
Careers for Life
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Earth science has been part of the curriculum in American schools for more than 100 years. Yet many people still think that biology, 
chemistry, and physics constitute a complete science education. In the 21st 
Century, that attitude is changing.
The National Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks 
for Science Literacy define science literacy and reaffirm the centrality 
of Earth science in education. The Standards promote the idea that Earth 
science should be taught in parity with biology, chemistry, and physics as part 
of the country’s national strategy for science literacy. Earth science education 
enhances our understanding and appreciation of critical issues that affect every 
state, so it is imperative that students in every state graduate with a thorough 
understanding of Earth science.
In recent years, 49 states have established science learning standards — 
outlining what students must know and be able to do. In every case, these standards 
emphasize the importance of Earth science in producing well-rounded literate citizens. 
State science frameworks across the country note that Earth science is 
necessary for all students and that schools should include Earth science topics 
in the curriculum from kindergarten through grade 12.
To understand how state educational systems have applied standards for Earth 
science content, AGI conducts annual national assessments of K–12 Earth science 
education. Our research shows how far we have come, and how much more work 
we have to do to improve Earth science education. Highlights of our studies 
demonstrate growing emphasis on Earth science education. Nearly fifty percent of 
all states include Earth science content in state-mandated high school exams, 
and thirty-seven states count Earth science courses towards high school 
graduation requirements.
Education is a local and state-based issue. We need your support and 
assistance to ensure Earth science education is appropriately incorporated 
across the country. You need to contact your local school administration 
to determine if Earth science is an option for core-credit science 
courses at the high school level, and to see if elementary schools and 
middle schools teach and assess Earth science.
To learn more about how you can support Earth science 
education in your state’s schools, or to obtain additional 
copies of this brochure to distribute to educators in your 
state, please contact AGI at (703) 379-2480 or 
education@agiweb.org.
Earth Science: 
Make it Happen
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4220 King Street
Alexandria, VA  22302-1502
Not so long ago, we had the first 
view of our planet from space. We 
were startled to see how beautiful and 
how fragile our home appeared, “a pale 
blue dot” said Carl Sagan, very different from the other 
planets in our solar system. Our home — blue with water, 
white with clouds, green with life — is a planet unique in 
our solar system and probably rare in the universe. 
WhyEarth Science
AGI Member Societies
American Association of Petroleum Geologists • American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists • American Geophysical Union • American 
Institute of Hydrology • American Institute of Professional Geologists • American Rock Mechanics Association • Association for Women 
Geoscientists • Association of American State Geologists • Association of Earth Science Editors • Association of Engineering Geologists • Clay 
Minerals Society • Council on Undergraduate Research, Geosciences Division • Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society • Friends 
of Mineralogy • Geo-Institute of ASCE • Geological Society of America • Geoscience Information Society • Geothermal Resources Council • 
International Association of Hydrogeologists/U.S. National Chapter • International Basement Tectonics Association • Mineralogical Society of 
America • National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists • National Association of Geoscience Teachers • National Association 
of State Boards of Geology • National Earth Science Teachers AssociationNational Speleological Society • North American Commission on 
Stratigraphic Nomenclature • Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America • Paleontological Research Institution • Paleontological 
Society • Seismological Society of America • SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) • Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration • The 
Society for Organic Petrology • Society of Economic Geologists • Society of Exploration Geophysicists • Society of Independent Professional Earth 
Scientists • Society of Mineral Museum Professionals • Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts • Society of Vertebrate Paleontology • Soil 
Science Society of America • U.S. Permafrost Association
Photo Credits. (IB = from the AGI ImageBank) “Because” page: Earth, stars: Digital Vision. International Space Station: Pro Modelbuilders Inc. sandstone: Corbis Images. “Benefits 
Everyone” page: ice: Joel Simon—Digital Vision. mine, Seattle: IB Martin Miller. boats: IB Bruce Molnia—USGS. oil rig: Corbis Images. eruption1, eruption 2: IB USGS. earthquake dam-
age: csun. tornado: IB NOAA. flood: IB NRCS. “Informed Citizens” page: water fountain: Bart Simpson. irrigation: Corbis. waterfall: Digital Stock. tributaries: Digital Vision. hydrologist IB, 
structure diagram, sinkhole, flooded car, fault: Martin Miller. planting: Lynn Betts—NRCS. plates map: IB NOAA. volcanologists: IB USGS. “Careers” page: planners, scientists in snow: 
IB NRCS. geoscientists with tubes, with microscope, on hillside IB: Martin Miller. paleontology class: IB AGI. technical lab.: IB Western Geco. mountain background: Digital Stock. water 
testing: NRCS. “Make it Happen” page: brushed metal: John Foxx Images. rock inspection, fossil IB: Martin Miller. soil science class: Colleen Schneider—NRCS. Benchmarks for Science 
Literacy: AAAS/Oxford University Press. National Science Education Standards: National Academy of Sciences Back page: Various: IB, Earth: Digital Vision.
The production and distribution of this brochure has 
been made possible by the generous contributions 
of the AGI Foundation and its corporate sponsors. 
Please visit 
http://www.agiweb.org/associates/list.html 
for a listing.
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Why Earth Science?

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Why Earth Science?

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Digital Library for Earth System Education