Begin your study not in a book but in the world. Find a place where you can sit quietly for five full minutes, outside if possible, beside a window at least. Take a blank page and divide it into three columns labeled land, water, and air.

In each column, write down every example you can notice in that moment: the soil or pavement under you, any visible water or dampness, the temperature and movement of the air, the clouds overhead, the plants growing nearby, any animal you see or hear.

Do not interpret yet; simply record what is present, as fully and honestly as you can. When the five minutes end, look at your three columns and circle the single observation that most makes you want to know why. Then write one question about it in a sentence.

That question is now yours, and you will carry it through the course, checking back to see whether your growing knowledge helps you answer it. The goal of this exercise is not to produce a perfect list but to practice the two foundations of Earth science: close observation and genuine curiosity.

A scientist is, at heart, someone who has learned to look slowly and to let what they see raise questions. You have just done exactly that, and the habit you practiced is the same one that led to every great discovery in the field.