August 2012
Where I Live - Rocks, Minerals, and Soil
By: Kelly Esposito
Don’t forget summer learning!
Nothing is more fun than playing in the dirt! It is easy to make playing in the dirt an educational experience. Here are some great links that I found!
- http://schools.fcps.org/outdoor/ - Check out the rock and mineral link as well as the PDF packets
- http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2889/ - Learn more about what is under our feet here!
- http://urbanext.illinois.edu/soil/concepts/concepts.pdf - Understanding soils
- http://schools.fcps.org/outdoor/frederickcountygeologyfor5thgrade.html - This link takes you to a great Powerpoint presentation on the geology of our region.
It is fun to discuss the different layers of soil and rock types using different colors of play dough. Layer and squish different colors and then cut a slice through the play dough. Then compare your sample to the local geological maps!
You can spend hours collecting, cleaning, sorting and identifying rocks from different areas around Frederick. And you can’t help but have fun learning this stuff!
Kelly Esposito lives in Frederick County where she spends her time gardening, cooking, crafting, homeschooling, and blogging about life at www.waypastfab.com. Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Hood College and spent several years working at the National Cancer Institute before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom to her two children.
Photo Credit: Randy Redmond. Photo taken in Western MD.
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