Physical geology
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Environmental Geology - Instructor Course Pack (OER textbook + course)Curated by Steven Earle, Thompson Rivers University (Canada), 2023. Course designed to be used for either a condensed (6 weeks) or condensed (12 to 13 weeks) term. Designed around the OER textbook Environmental Geology by Steve Earle. "The course covers the typical environmental geology topics (earthquakes, volcanoes, slope failures, etc.) but has a strong emphasis on Earth systems and especially on climate change. The motivation behind making this course open and widely available is the urgency of environmental issues like climate change, which is more important at this time than ever before." Organized into 5 main units plus a final exam. OER textbook available in online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and editable OpenDocument formats. Instructor and course materials, including assignments and rubrics, lecture notes, videos, and slides, available in multiple formats. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand for applicable materials.
Introduction to Earth Science (OER textbook)Laura Neser, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), 2023. "This text includes various important features designed to enhance the student learning experience in introductory Earth Science courses. These include a multitude of high-quality figures and images within each chapter that help to clarify key concepts and are optimized for viewing online. Self-test assessment questions are embedded in each online chapter that help students focus their learning. QR codes are provided for each assessment to allow students using print or PDF versions to easily access the quiz from an internet-capable device of their choice." Organized into 17 chapters. PDF and e-book formats. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Principles of Earth Science (OER textbook)Katharine Solada and K. Sean Daniels, 2021. "Designed to serve Earth Science students non-science majors at the community college level." Organized into 17 chapters + a glossary; includes chapters on rock formation, volcanoes, glaciers, rivers, earthquakes, and more. Each chapter includes review answers. Online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and Common Cartridge formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
An Introduction to Geology (OER course/text)Salt Lake Community College instructors, 2017. "It is designed to give you a comprehensive introduction to Geology at no or very nominal cost. It contains both written and graphic text material, intra-text links to other internal material which may aid in understanding topics and concepts, intra-text links to the appendices and glossary for tables and definitions of words, and extra-text links to videos and web material that clarifies and augments topics and concepts." Organized into 16 chapters + glossary, with integrated H5P activities. Online (Pressbooks), PDF, EPUB, and Common Cartridge formats. Original online format available at https://opengeology.org/textbook/. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Physical Geology - 2nd Edition (OER textbook)Steven Earle, Thompson Rivers University (Canada), 2nd ed., 2019. "A comprehensive introductory text on the physical aspects of geology, including rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciation, groundwater, streams, coasts, mass wasting, climate change, planetary geology and much more. It has a strong emphasis on examples from western Canada." Online, PDF, EPUB, and editable OpenDocument formats. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Fundamentals of Geology (OER textbook)Original content from Kimberly Schulte (Columbia Basin College) and supplemented by Lumen Learning, last updated 2020. Organized into 12 main chapters. Online, PDF, and LMS file (click the blue "Downloads" button in upper right corner). CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Physical Geology (OER course)OER course by Anne Huth, Pima Community College, and currently hosted by LibreTexts. Organized into 16 modules. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
Earth Science (OER course)OER course from Lumen and currently hosted by LibreTexts. Defines Earth Science and includes modules and content on geology, geography, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. Includes review questions, vocabulary, and discussion points to consider. Online and PDF formats. Course pages may have different CC (Creative Commons) open licenses. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
A Physical Geology Lab ManualC. Branciforte & E. Haddad. Lab manual developed for California Community Colleges. "Within this manual we have worked to curate the most current content, websites, data, and resources available for introductory geology community college students." Organized into 20 sections, with multiple activities per section. PDF and editable Word formats. CC BY SA license (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
GEOS: A Physical Geology Lab ManualC. Branciforte and E. Haddad, ASCCC's OER Initiative, 2020. Organized into 20 chapters. Google Drive of editable Word files. Integrated activities throughout. PDF version available here at https://ccconlineed.instructure.com/courses/4543/files/520370 . CC BY SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Laboratory Manual for Introductory Geology (OER textbook)University of West Georgia instructors, 2015. "This textbook is a comprehensive lab manual for the core curriculum Introductory Geosciences classes with both informational content and laboratory exercises. Topics include basic laws and theories in Geology, the Earth's interior and plate tectonics, water and climate change, igneous rocks and volcanoes, and earthquakes." Form to request instructor ancillary resources. PDF and accessible PDF formats. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Geology Online Lab Activities: An Open Educational Resource for Community College Students and Instructors (OER activities)Rondi Davies, CUNY Queensborough Community College, 2022. Developed "during two years of forced online synchronous learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This open educational resource collects many of Dr. Davies’ favorite open-access materials and supplements them with her own work within a single, cohesive laboratory manual intended for two-year, non-major college students." Focuses on geology of New York area, but lessons could be adapted for the PNW. PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Virtual Field Experiences for Physical Geology - GOL 105 (OER Canvas course)To view: First, log into your TCC Canvas faculty account, then click on the Canvas Commons link/icon in the global navigation menu, and then finally click this link to view this Canvas course content. Canvas course shell shared by Russell Kohrs, Virginia's Community Colleges, 2019. "Virtual Field Experiences (VFEs) are contained within this CANVAS shell that can be used, adapted, modified, and added to based upon the needs of the instructor. The VFE modules are designed to be used in an introductory college level Physical Geology course to enhance online and hybrid learning environments." VFEs are designed as quizzes. Public domain license.
GeoScience Videos (playlists)"These videos describe content featured in college-level introductory geoscience courses but may also be applicable to other disciplines and to high school curricula. Most videos are approximately 6 minutes long but we have recently started posting shorter, minivideos that deal with a single concept. We use the longer videos as part of our flipped-class teaching model and the shorter videos as learning supplements." Most of the videos created 2015-2016. Video playlists for Plate Tectonics, Rocks & Minerals, Geologic Time, Hydrologic Cycle, Volcanic Processes, Earthquakes, and more. Videos are not openly licensed but freely available to view and link to/embed.
GS 106 - Introduction to Physical Geology (OER ancillary materials)Linn-Benton Virtual College, 2015. "A survey course providing non-science majors a broad background in earth science." Organized into 4 units, with a Canvas course file. Includes info and links to lab kits that need to be purchased. CC BY (Creative Commons - Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
National Geologic Map DatabaseNational Geologic Map Database catalog search for maps, including filters by state and counties. U.S. Geological Survey and Association of American State Geologists. USGS-authored or produced data and information are considered to be in the U.S. Public Domain.
America’s Geologic Legacy - National Park ServiceExplore videos and more from the National Park Service's collection of videos and multimedia of America's geologic legacy. Sections include Coastal Geology, Geologic Tour, Park Geology (for specific national parks), and Education. Public domain.
Plate Tectonics (OER mini-course)OER modules by OpenLearn, first published 2012 and updated 2016. "Plate tectonics is an earth sciences topic that attracts a good deal of interest, given that it a topic very often featured in popular science programmes on TV and radio. It is a subject that has strong visual appeal." Organized into 5 modules, with an estimated 15 hours of content. Online, PDF, EPUB, and editable Word formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license.
Science Stories"Science Stories brings scientific work into social spaces." Browse annotated stories and videos about scientists from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. A mix of historical and current stories. Covers all areas of STEM. Open access (okay to link to and/or embed videos).
Fossils and history of life
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
The Story of Earth: An Observational Guide (OER lab manual)Daniel Hauptvogel and Jinny Sisson, Univ. of Houston, 2021. Lab manual organized into 8 chapters: Plate Tectonics, Earth Materials, Geologic time, Sedimentary Structures, Stratigraphy, Fossil Preservation, Fossils, and Paleoenvironments. Includes a glossary. Each chapter integrates several exercises, with QR codes for Google Earth. Online, digital PDF, print PDF, and XML formats. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
The Dynamic Earth (OER textbook)Online version of Kious and Tilling’s This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics, originally published 1996, online version updated 2020. Organized into 7 main chapters. Online + PDF formats for full book. Public domain. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Library e-books:
Use permalinks to integrate chapters or pages into Canvas. Library e-books generally have an unlimited user license.
History of life by Richard CowenCall Number: Online
Publication Date: 2013
“This text is designed for students and anyone else with an interest in the history of life on our planet. The author describes the biological evolution of Earth's organisms, and reconstructs their adaptations to the life they led, and the ecology and environment in which they functioned.” Organized into 21 chapters. Online + PDF formats. Not eligible for Print on Demand. Unlimited user license.
The history of life: A very short introductionCall Number: Online
Publication Date: 2008
"There are few stories more remarkable than the evolution of life on earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a succinct guide to the key episodes in that story - from the very origins of life four million years ago to the extraordinary diversity of species around the globe today.” Online and PDF formats. Not eligible for Print on Demand. Unlimited user license.
The story of life in 25 fossils by Donald R. ProtheroCall Number: Online
Publication Date: 2014
“Best-selling paleontology author Donald R. Prothero describes twenty-five famous, beautifully preserved fossils in a gripping scientific history of life on Earth. Recounting the adventures behind the discovery of these objects and fully interpreting their significance within the larger fossil record, Prothero creates a riveting history of life on our planet.” Online + PDF formats. Not eligible for Print on Demand. Unlimited user license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Freezer Full of Fossils v2.02018. “A rich dataset to help students explore concepts of fitness, replication, and adaption.” Focuses on data stemming from a 1988 evolution experiment with 12 populations of E. coli. Dataset is in an Excel file, and notes are available in Word files. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand, if applicable.
Natural Selection and Adaptation (OER module)Norwalk Community College, 2016. Shared via SkillsCommons site. “In this booster, you learn about Natural Selection and Adaptation. We discuss levels of selection, methods of study, modes of selection and kinds of adaptation. These files are SCORM packages and can be easily uploaded to your Learning Management System (LMS).” Booster module, pre-test, and post-test files. CC BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are complied into a print-ready format.
Gemology (OER textbook)The Gemology Project via LibreTexts. Chapters on minerals and gemology taken from The Gemology Project non-profit wiki-style database, and this site was last updated in 2019. Organized into 17 chapters, e.g. 2: Origins of Minerals. Online + PDFs for each chapter and full book. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons - Attribution - Noncommercial - ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Ecology - Crash Course video playlistCrash Course video series, last updated 2020. Includes “The History of Life on Earth - Crash Course Ecology #1” video. Crash Course videos are high-quality, with a mix of live-action and animated graphics. Not openly licensed but freely available to view, link, and embed into courses.
TED Talks and TED-Ed Lessons - GeologyTED Talk lectures and TED-Ed Lessons, which are animated educational videos produced by TED and usually include lessons or links to related readings. CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivatives) license.
Historical geology
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Historical Geology (OER course/text)Salt Lake Community College instructors, created 2020, updated 2023. A "free textbook for college-level historical geology courses." Includes sections on case studies, virtual field experiences, and virtual sample sets. Online format. CC BY NC (Creative Commons - Attribution - NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand if materials are compiled into a print-ready format.
Historical Geology (Wikibooks)Wikibooks OER textbook, originally written in 2013 and last updated 2024. "This book has a single purpose: to explain how it is even possible to reconstruct the history of the Earth from data available in the present. The emphasis of this book is therefore methodological: rather than explaining what is known, we shall look at how it is known." Organized into 6 main sections, plus appendices. Online format. CC BY SA (Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike) license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Digital Atlas of Ancient LifeSite managed by the Paleontological Research Institution, and supported by the National Science Foundation. "Identify fossils and explore the diversity and history of life on Earth." Teaching resources section includes classroom lesson plans, activities, and associated materials that relate to the Ordovician, Cretaceous, and Neogene Atlases. Not openly licensed but educational use encouraged.
Geology Online Lab Activities: An Open Educational Resource for Community College Students and Instructors (OER activities)Rondi Davies, CUNY Queensborough Community College, 2022. Developed "during two years of forced online synchronous learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This open educational resource collects many of Dr. Davies’ favorite open-access materials and supplements them with her own work within a single, cohesive laboratory manual intended for two-year, non-major college students." Focuses on geology of New York area, but lessons could be adapted for the PNW. PDF format. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
GeoScience Videos (playlists)"These videos describe content featured in college-level introductory geoscience courses but may also be applicable to other disciplines and to high school curricula. Most videos are approximately 6 minutes long but we have recently started posting shorter, minivideos that deal with a single concept. We use the longer videos as part of our flipped-class teaching model and the shorter videos as learning supplements." Most of the videos created 2015-2016. Video playlists for Plate Tectonics, Rocks & Minerals, Geologic Time, Hydrologic Cycle, Volcanic Processes, Earthquakes, and more. Videos are not openly licensed but freely available to view and link to/embed.
History of life on earth videos - Khan AcademyVideo series and lessons about the Earth's formation. Created by Sal Khan. All videos include transcripts. Not openly licensed but educational use allowed.
Structural geology
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Geological Structures: A Practical Introduction (OER textbook)Published by Open Education Alberta (Canada), 2020. "The course that this document supports is about doing structural geology ... This manual consists of both readings and lab exercises, which alternate through the text. The readings are designed to be read and understood outside the lab sessions, whereas the labs contain specific instructions and questions to be completed." Organized into 14 chapters. Online, PDF, and EPUB formats. CC BY-NC (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial) license. Eligible for Print on Demand.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
National Geologic Map DatabaseNational Geologic Map Database catalog search for maps, including filters by state and counties. U.S. Geological Survey and Association of American State Geologists. USGS-authored or produced data and information are considered to be in the U.S. Public Domain.
GeoScience Videos (playlists)"These videos describe content featured in college-level introductory geoscience courses but may also be applicable to other disciplines and to high school curricula. Most videos are approximately 6 minutes long but we have recently started posting shorter, minivideos that deal with a single concept. We use the longer videos as part of our flipped-class teaching model and the shorter videos as learning supplements." Most of the videos created 2015-2016. Video playlists for Plate Tectonics, Rocks & Minerals, Geologic Time, Hydrologic Cycle, Volcanic Processes, Earthquakes, and more. Videos are not openly licensed but freely available to view and link to/embed.
Geology of the PNW
Textbooks, courses, and readers:
Living with Earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (3rd ed.)Written by Robert S. Yeats, Oregon State University, previous editions published in 1998 and 2004. Third edition has been expanded and revised, with a new intro explaining updates by the author. Organized into 4 major parts, with 16 chapters. Online, PDF, and EPUB formats. This site includes faculty peer reviews of the text. CC BY-NC-SA (Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike) license.
Supplemental tools and materials (incl. games, lessons, videos, exercises, etc.):
Northwest Geology Field TripsBegun in 2009 by Dave Tucker, geology instructor at Western Washington University, this site is still publishing current posts in 2024. "This website ... post[s] illustrated geology field trips to sites where you can lay hands on cool geology, or get good overviews of the geology of northwest Washington and southwestern British Columbia." Site sections include Field trips, Geo basics, Citizen geology, and more. Includes links to additional videos and sites that feature Washington-state virtual and self-guided field trips. CC BY NC SA (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial- Share Alike) license.
Oregon Virtual Field TripsWebsite created by Chemeketa Community College instructor in Oregon. "This website was created to give ... students a chance to visit geologic sites of interest in Oregon interactively. These webpages were formatted specifically to be accessible by geologists, geology students, and those who are interested in the world around them." CC BY NC ND (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives) license.
National Geologic Map DatabaseNational Geologic Map Database catalog search for maps, including filters by state and counties. U.S. Geological Survey and Association of American State Geologists. USGS-authored or produced data and information are considered to be in the U.S. Public Domain.
America’s Geologic Legacy - National Park ServiceExplore videos and more from the National Park Service's collection of videos and multimedia of America's geologic legacy. Sections include Coastal Geology, Geologic Tour, Park Geology (for specific national parks), and Education. Public domain.
Culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy
The Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Pedagogy OER Subject Guide, linked below, provides a starting point for OER professional development and curricular materials relating to issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion; trauma-informed practices; and culturally responsive, inclusive, and anti-racist pedagogy and practices. This guide includes concepts and keywords; TCC OEDI resources; introductory and more in-depth professional development resources (toolkits, guides, etc.); curriculum resources (activities, assignments, etc.); OER and EDI rubrics; instructional design; accessibility; as well as EDI-focused OER in different disciplines across the curriculum, including STEM.
History of life by 
Prehistoric life: Evolution and the fossil record by 
The history of life: A very short introduction
The story of life in 25 fossils by 
