Mr. Kramer shared a presentation that included examples of the type of work geologists do. One project that really caught the attention of the students was the precise blasting being done to form the Crazy Horse monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The students were equally fascinated with historical cataclysmic events, particularly the discussion around meteorites, which helped shape earth formations. Students learned geological formations around the globe as well as in our playground. The learned that even in Minnesota, we have earthquakes!
Students applied their basic understanding of minerals and rocks to the real-world applications. They learned which minerals are extracted from rocks to produce specific products used in construction, in our homes, and even in our vitamins and food. Students in 3rd and 4th grade ran a series of experiments on five samples to see if they could identify the minerals.
The 8th graders were able to tie together information from this presentation to a former presentation by the Minnesota Dept of Transportation. Students learned more geological detail of what the engineers had to work with when securing the footings for the new St. Croix Crossing bridge (30 feet with in the bedrock!). Kate Seanger, a Geologist with 3M, joined Mr. Kramer for the 8th grade presentation. She encouraged the students to consider careers such as: Geological Engineering, Geothermal Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Archeologist, Paleontologist, Mining Management, and several others.
See our Exploring Geology photo album.