CEOAS Outreach Examples

Summary: The science of minerals and gems is often an invisible science due to tiny scales of atomic and elemental bonds. Gemstones, a specific category of minerals, are often inaccessible to the general public by nature of their rarity and the resource cost to obtain them. Yet, they are popular among young people due to their attractive appearance and seemingly otherworldly effects. In this lesson, learners will understand that gemstones and birthstones are minerals, and consequently, reflect systematic properties. They will listen to a lecture about 12 birthstone varieties, have the opportunity to handle all specimens with bare hands, and express personal choice/preferences by taking home a free mineral with a personalized specimen notecard.

By learning about the connection of birthstones to specific mineral varieties during the lecture and direct handling periods, students can begin to form scientific questions about objects that they are usually excluded from interacting with. Furthermore, this may give learners their first opportunity to form a connection with rare gemstones. The invitation to handle specimens with bare hands shows that they can be active participants in learning. The activity concludes with an offering of a take home specimen for every learner, which bridges the gap between learners and the inaccessible world of attractive minerals/gemstones.

• Participant Age Range: Late elementary to college
• Ideal # participants: 20 per instructor
• Length of Activity: 1-1.5 hours

Participants will come away with:

1. Knowledge of their birthstone, or example of a birthstone (which coincides with a month)
2. Definition of a gem vs. a mineral vs. a rock!
3. Exposure to how chemistry dictates what things look like– several gemstones are the same mineral, just different color. Or shape of a crystal reflects internal order
4. Opportunity to select mineral sample to take home– for any reason (doesn’t have to be their own birthstone)
5. Ideally, how to use a hand lens, microscope if applicable, and ergonomic considerations to ensure they never get eye strain when using optical tools! Teach them young!
6. If older high school students or college-aged…
   1. Examples of how some minerals are the focus of geology research that is done at Oregon State University
   2. Information about how synthetic gems are produced, how natural ones can still be experimentally treated in industrial applications

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Summary: The process of transforming minerals to consumer products is often inaccessible to the general public. The science of minerals and gems is essentially an invisible science, due to tiny scales of atomic and elemental bonds. In this lesson, learners will understand that minerals have systematic properties due to their elemental composition and structure. They will learn how minerals are used as resources by connecting minerals to everyday items that students often have previous experience with.

• Participant Age Range: All ages
• Length of Activity: 5-10 minutes

Participants will walk away understanding:

1. Minerals are key components in many common goods
2. The properties of minerals are what make them functional for common household needs
3. Geologists study minerals

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Summary: Students will learn about one of three paleo archives (ice, sed or corals) and what the paleo record from such an archive tells us about past climate. Students will then share what they learned to the larger group, developing a communal time series plot with 3 records (sea level, temperature, and CO2), and discuss how the records change over time. Students will conclude by connecting what they learned to the modern day climate.

• Participant Age Range: 11-adult
• Ideal # participants: 10-20
• Length of Activity: 75 minutes

Participants will walk away with understanding:

1. Any person who is interested in investigating questions about the natural world is qualified to study earth sciences
2. Paleoclimate scientists use archives found in the natural world to reconstruct components of climate of the past
3. Ice cores and deep sea sediment cores tell us that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere change in sync with changes in temperature and sea level
4. All earth systems are interrelated, and scientists study these interactions to learn more about how to protect the environment

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Summary:After an introduction explaining the basics of volcanoes and volcanic rock, participants make observations to identify rocks as intrusive or extrusive, based on their properties.

• Participant Age Range: Middle-high school
• Ideal # participants:8-30
• Length of Activity:45 min - 1 hour

Participants will walk away understanding:

1. Observation is a key skill of scientists
2. The difference between intrusive and extrusive volcanic rock

We include these with outreach interactions for participants, and we can also share for entire classes or groups to go along with in classroom learning, on request

Summary: This coloring sheet and talking points about interconnectedness of the components of the earth systems is intended to be used in any context.  Ideal as a short activity and handout for a classroom, or as a tabling activity at an event.

• Participant Age Range: All ages
• Length of Activity: 5-20 min

Participants will come away with:

1. Understanding that earth, ocean, atmosphere all interact to provide environment for life
2. Understanding that scientists study each of these components
3. Connection between current activity and where it fits in the larger system (when used as an intro to activity)
4. Understanding of majors and careers in earth sciences (for interested high school groups)

Stay tuned! More info coming soon!

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