Mad Scientists Club: Geology

  • Program Goals
    • Practice following instructions/directions
    • Practice the scientific method/inquiry
    • Attendance: 35
Experiment: Smashing rocks
We had safety glasses, hammers, and a selection of rocks. We smashed them. It was endlessly fascinating and the kids lined up for their turn over and over again.

Project: Making fossils
Jess collected a wide variety of things for the kids to use - the most popular were shells and some rubber snakes.
  • Supplies
    • air-dry clay (purchased on Amazon)
    • misc. things to make shapes with
    • popsicle sticks
    • foil
Project: Sand strata
I had a bunch of pictures of geological strata in rocks and sand formations and a couple kids got into it, but mostly they were more interested in making art with the sand. Which was fine.
  • Supplies
    • colored sand (purchased from Discount School Supply)
    • construction paper
    • glue
    • funnels, spoons, and trays for excess sand
    • pictures of geological formations
Evaluation
  • 6-22-17
    • Attendance: 36
    • Notes: This went really well actually. I also had a bunch of sorting mats and rocks that Jess had put together which some of the kids enjoyed using. I'm just tired. I was most worried about the clay getting ground into the carpet or clogging the sink - we had a big plastic container of water to rinse hands in and covered all the tables and it worked out ok.

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