by Jack Pine

Created on: February 27, 2008

What does the word geology mean to a child? Not much probably. But if you start talking about dinosaurs, crystals, volcanoes, and rocks, their interest in the subject will generally become piqued, whether they know these things are part of the world of geology or not.

Geology science projects geared toward elementary school aged children are a great way to help them understand the world on which they play beyond pictures of scary, menacing looking, ancient, giant lizards, or the beautiful sparkly wedding ring mom wears upon her finger. Projects can help children gain a basic understanding of complex concepts such as time, natural processes, chemistry, and change, and teach them to be more observant and appreciative of the important role geology plays in our civilization and culture.

Elementary school children's ages begin around five years old for kindergartners and span up to about twelve years old for 6th graders, if your local school system has a separate junior high program for children aged twelve to fourteen in grades seven and eight. But in the world of geology, there is something for them to learn also. And it's not until they reach college age perhaps, that many of the elementary introductions to the subject of geology are fully learned in specific courses on mineralogy, crystallography, paleontology, petrography, sedimentology, plate tectonics, or volcanism. However, many scientists today whose specialties are related to geology will readily tell you their chosen profession was based on some introduction to the subject that they received at a young age.

A child's first introduction to geology consists usually of picking up shiny rocks while on a hike, holding them up to the sunlight, and admiring their brilliant reflective properties, iridescence, or bright colors. Or they might ask mom about her wedding ring and inquire what it was on the ring that sparkled so beautifully and radiated a myriad rainbow of colors. They were probably also read books, or saw cartoons on television of either cute and playful, or scary, realistic looking dinosaurs. They likely saw pictures in books, or depictions in movies of volcanoes that spewed fire, rocks, and billows of smoke, exhibiting great destructive force, and wondered what they were and how they were formed.

Children are naturally curious about everything and constantly ask questions that begin with why, how, what, and where. Parents struggle to explain while trying to keep their responses confined to elementary

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