Investigating Different Rock Types Activity Source: Adapted with permission by the Association of American State Geologists from AGI’s Investigating Earth Systems, Rocks and Landforms, pp. 1-3. Background In this investigation, you will explore the characteristics of various types of rocks. Why are rocks important to citizen scientists? There are a number of reasons: We live on the topmost layer of the Earth, the crust, which is made of solid rock. We also make structures out of this rock, as well as mine it for useful minerals. [Read More]

Investigating Rock Types Activity Source: AAPG. Adapted with permission from “Investigating Earth Systems,” AGI. In any science, it is important to accurately and understandably describe your observations for others. Whether for advancing research or informing the public, communicating your work is critical. For geologists, this comes down to describing rocks’ colors, patterns, shapes and other features. These features may reveal evidence about the past, clues to their suitability for a construction project, or signs of valuable natural resources hidden within them. [Read More]

Investigating Soil Activity Source: “Soils Sustain Life,” American Geosciences Institute, 2005. Adapted with permission. Materials Piece of heavy duty PVC pipe about one inch in diameter and 10 inches long Piece of wood doweling that will fit inside the PVC pipe Hammer Wood block Leather garden glove Hand lens Non-toxic marker Large sheet of white posterboard Six clear plastic sandwich bags Plastic knife Tools for separating soil, such as tweezers, tongue depressor, drinking straw Paper towels (for clean up) Procedure Chose a spot to investigate the soil on publicly owned land. [Read More]

Investigating Water Use in Your Home Activity Source: American Geosciences Institute Water is often called a renewable resource, but what does that really mean? Is water an unlimited resource? What happens to water after we use it? This investigation will help you understand exactly how much water you use in your home and how you can keep from wasting water. If many people are participating in this investigation, work in small groups of 3-5. [Read More]

Iron Minerals on the Moon Activity Source: Minerals Education Coalition. Adapted with permission. This easy exercise models one of the processes currently being researched at four U.S. universities to enable recovery of iron and other materials found on the Moon to construct an inhabited workstation. Research is being done to perfect magnetic separation techniques to recover iron-bearing minerals from the lunar soil. Magnetic separation is used to separate iron from other materials in iron ore processing. [Read More]

It’s About Time Activity Source: National Park Service. Adapted with permission. Geologic time can be difficult for people to understand. Our own lives are so short when we compare them to the age of the Earth, that the hundreds of millions of years of geologic time are almost too much to grasp. But for us to understand Earth activities today, we must have at least some basic understanding of geologic time. [Read More]

No Child Left Inside Activity It’s the “Rain,” Man Grade Level: K-12 Earth Science Activity Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Adapted with permission. Background People find inspiration in many different places and things. Among them is taking joy in sensing the Earth around you. Feel the breeze on your face. Take in the fresh smell of the air after a spring rain. Use your hands to build something. Wherever you live you can get outside, savor your surroundings and observe what makes up the rhythms of the place you live. [Read More]

Karst Topography Model Activity Source: National Park Service and Forest Service. Adapted with permission.from the U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 97-536-A Karst Topography Computer animations and paper model, 1997 Did you know that a quarter of the world’s population gets drinking water from karst aquifers? Karst is the type of landscape that forms by dissolution of carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite) or other highly soluble rocks such as evaporates (gypsum and rock salt). [Read More]

Know Your Energy Costs Activity Source: National Energy Education Development Project. Adapted with permission. It takes energy to run the appliances and machines we use everyday. The national average commercial cost to use this energy is $0.10/kilowatt hour. In addition to the financial cost, there is also an environmental cost in the form of carbon emissions. The general rule of thumb is that every kilowatt- hour of electricity produces 1.6 pounds of carbon dioxide. [Read More]

Lasting Impressions: Making Models Activity Source: National Park Service Background Fossils are evidence of organisms that have lived in the past. A fossil can help us understand when and where organisms lived. Scientists can also use fossils to figure out what different environments were like in the past. One type of fossil is known as a mold fossil, which forms when an organism is buried, then decomposes, but the sediment keeps the shape (impression) of the organism. [Read More]