These exercises or "studies" will help students understand how ancient conditions can be read from rocks and fossils, how geologic forces at the surface and within the planet can alter the environment, and how events of the past can be placed within an integrated chronological sequence. The exercises are designed for students who may not intend to specialize in geology. This does not mean, however, that the treatment is superficial, nor that it cannot give adequate preparation for students pursuing an academic major in the earth sciences.