[meteorite-list] Re: Kids 'n meteorites :-)

From: Dave <Dave_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:37:31 2004
Message-ID: <00b601c05f0e$936dc780$fae2fccc_at_dave>

> ... so all I can do is urge other List members to take a couple of hours
to
> go into their nearest school and show pieces of their collection to the
kids,
> it's very rewarding and great fun too. The "!!!!!!!" look on a kid's face
> when they realise they're actually holding Something From Space is just
> amazing... and really takes me back to the thrill *I* felt when I acquired
my
> first piece.
>
> I'd be very interested in hearing about anyone else's schools Outreach
> experiences.
>
> Stu

I pass around a kilogram piece of Canyon Diablo at the end of our
planetarium program, with a quick explanation of what it is and the basic
types of meteorites. As Stu indicates, the looks on the students' faces
when they realize what they are seeing are priceless! Most are very careful
as they pass it around, but the most likely people to drop it are about 13
to 15 years old. I guess they are just too cool to believe me when I tell
them it will be heavier than they expect. We also pass around the Canyon
Diablo after outreach programs in schools.

In addition, we make the meteorite available to audiences after the public
planetarium programs, too, although only about 1/4 of the people take us up
on it.

I would guess that our meteorite has been handled by 60 to 70 thousand
people by now! It'll be on temporary vacation for a while -- our star
machine was removed yesterday and today for renovation and installation in
our new museum building opening in early 2002.

Dave Hostetter
Curator of the Planetarium
Lafayette (LA) Natural History Museum and Planetarium
Received on Tue 05 Dec 2000 05:56:13 PM PST