Geological Society of Minnesota

Home Content

Outreach


 Home

 

Up
Winter Lectures
Contact Us
Other Web Sites
Outreach
Mission
Membership
Newsletters
GSM History
Brownstone
Video Library
Field Trips
PHOTOs
EarthQuake Links

 

Hands-on Geology

 

Classroom Presentations & Science Fair Exhibits

 

The Geological Society of Minnesota (GSM) has teamed up with the University of Minnesota, Macalester College, and Carleton College to offer Geological Classroom Presentations and Science Fair Exhibits  for schools and organizations in the Metro and Northfield areas.

 

CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS

 

Second Grade Level-  Silt, Sand, Gravel, Sedimentary Rocks & Fossils  -Complements the related FOSS® Science Module. Topics covered: Weathering and Erosion Make Sediments, Sedimentary Rock Formation, Fossil Formation, Evolution, and a Hands-on Session with the large GSM collection. Talk portion about 20 minutes. Entire presentation usually about 45 minutes.

Third-Fifth Grade Levels- Three Rock Types & Fossils  -Topics covered: Earth’s Layers, Igneous Rocks, Sedimentary Rocks, Fossils, Evolution, Metamorphic Rocks, and a Hands-on Session with the large GSM collection. Talk portion about 30 minutes. Entire presentation usually about 60 minutes.

Eighth Grade Level- 1.) Three Rock Types & Fossils  and/or  2.) Special Topics  - 1.) Similar in scope to description just above, but with considerably more depth. 2.) Special Topics as requested by classroom teacher may include but not limited to: Plate Tectonics, Geological Dating, Earth’s Structure, Geomagnetism, Hydrology, etc. Both 1 & 2 include a Hands-on Session with the large GSM collection. Talk portion about 30 minutes. Entire presentation usually about 60 minutes.

 

TALK & HANDS-ON SESSION

The many ideas and relationships are illustrated with specimens from the large GSM collection (more than $3500) of carefully chosen and clearly identified rocks, minerals, and fossils. Rocks from Minnesota are abundant in the collection and are used as examples whenever possible. After the talks, the students are invited to come up and enjoy a close examination of the entire collection while the presenter answers their questions, typically with small-group dialogue. They can also examine some field tools of a geologist: rock pick, rock chisel, hand loupe, map compass, magnets, etc. This hands-on, participative portion has proven to be a most exciting and memorable learning experience!

 

PRESENTERS

The presenters are advanced undergraduate or graduate students in Geology or Geophysics. Many are interested in a teaching career.

REQUESTING AND SCHEDULING

Presentations are available in the Metro and Northfield areas for groups of no more than thirty students per presentation. If you’d like to be contacted by a presenter, simply email a message containing your name, school, grade, how many presentations you want, approximately when you want them, your email address, and an evening phone number. A presenter will return your inquiry, work out a schedule with you, and note any special topic requirements you want covered. Science Fair Exhibits do not include the free materials described above. To request presentations or an exhibit please contact our program Director, Bill Farquhar at  bfarquhar16@hotmail.com

 

COST AND PAYMENT

The cost is $40 for a single presentation; $35/ea for two presentations per visit; and $30/ea for three or more presentations per visit. We strongly encourage batching, because repeat trips to schools is very difficult with the demand for these presentations so great! Please make your check out directly to the presenter who schedules with you and have it ready when they visit. Science Fair Exhibits are priced according to the duration and distance.

 

GSM - Supporting and Promoting Public Interest in the Geological Sciences since 1938.

 


The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.