The United States is filled with beauty, from it's beautiful landforms and bodies of water to what is found underneath- gems and minerals! In this 4 week flex class, we will travel across the United States and uncover the hidden beauty found within. Through video, commentary, worksheets and challenges, We will discover where certain gems and minerals can be found, what they are made of, what gives them their beautiful color and we will have the opportunity to dig up some of these beautiful gems and minerals from the comfort of our own home. We will discuss how to find gems and what specifically to look for when digging through the dirt. We'll talk about sluicing techniques as well as digging techniques so that when you have the opportunity to travel to one of these mines, you will have great success in uncovering these beauties. We will also talk about how gems and minerals are valued. Learners will have the chance to uncover their own beautiful gems (see supplies listed below). In addition, we will divide up into teams and go on a scavenger hunt where clues will be given to each team and they will need to work together to uncover a mystery location and what gems are found in that location. Each team will be given their instructions and their clues and they will be able to collaborate using flipgrid.com.