Rocks and Minerals introduce third-grade students to geology¿the scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth. Students will read about different kinds of rock, and about how and why those rocks formed. They will meet scientists who study rocks and minerals, and learn about their scientific tools. They will read about a stonemason who selects and works with stone to create beautiful and lasting monuments and buildings. They will visit the breathtaking Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in the American Southwest. Other stories describe magnificent structures created from rock in ancient times¿the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico¿and more recently¿Mount Rushmore and the National Museum of the American Indian.