The glossary provides the name of the artist for each spread and the medium the artist used in creating the illustration. The glossary also defines many of the animals, plants, and other concepts touched upon in the poem. Because of the wide-ranging material covered and the types of questions that the text is likely to provoke, this is not a simple ABC book for preschoolers or beginning readers. However, it can be used as a departure point for discussions on any number of topics, including creation, evolution, history, art, and poetry. The book is divided informally into four sections covering Earth science, Earth's creatures, the human body, and human invention and industry.
Planet Earth is effective in the classroom as an adjunct to traditional science textbooks.
A teacher might have each student choose from a hat a piece of paper with one of the science questions on it. The students can use other resources to research the answer to their questions and then check their answers against those given in the book. The Kingfisher Young People's Book of Planet Earth, by Martin Redfern, is an Earth science reference book intended for upper elementary and middle school students. The book closes with a chapter on the historical interactions between human beings and Earth, both good and bad. Throughout, colorful photographs, art, charts, and graphs dramatically enhance the text.