✨Come and explore rocks, gems, minerals, and crystals together!  During our class sessions, we will discuss and observe the student's favorite specimens.  Please know that students may bring any rock or specimen they'd like to share with the class.  

💎We will discuss and uncover some fascinating items from my collection that I will share with the students.  As a member of a local “rockhounds” club with my son for many years, we’ve grown quite a collection of unique specimens and acquired great knowledge.  A few items in our collection were once displayed in a local museum and arrived by train to the curator many years ago. My love of minerals and gems started as a child with my rock tumbler.  It’s been wonderful taking this journey with my son and learning from the geology and museum curators.  I will also upload various coloring pages after select classes.

👉During our time together in class, we will refer to the Mohs hardness scale and talk about the aspects related to their “show and tell specimen.” Students will be led to uncover new concepts related to their specimens and be guided with specific questions to use those critical thinking skills and "dig" deeper. 

We will have a basic format to follow for each session:
1.) Welcome and Introductions
2.) New concept or question of the Day: (examples below)
    ▪︎Why do minerals fluoresce? 
    ▪︎How can I “dig” deeper into learning about geology?
    ▪︎What are minerals, rocks, and gems?
    ▪︎How does chemistry and the periodic table of elements relate to geology specimens?
    ▪︎Exploration of various dig sites together. 
    ▪︎Physical properties to identify minerals
    ▪︎What is a native mineral?
    ▪︎How can crystal habit change a mineral?    
 3.) Introduction to a few unique specimens from my vast collection! (Pyrolusite, Chabazite, 
    Heulandite, Apache Tears, Citrine, Calcite, 
    Purple Fluorite, and many more...) 
      *Note: We will see a few new specimens each week as time permits during our class. I 
    have hundreds!
4.) Learners will present their specimens if they would like to share. (questions and sharing 
     from others will be encouraged)

💥I can’t wait to share the wonderful world of geology with your student.  This is a fascinating and vast area of science that leads to discovery and investigation.  The students will leave class feeling encouraged and gaining knowledge to continue building their collection should they choose.