[meteorite-list] Elementary school presentation tips?

From: Walter Branch <branchw_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue Feb 14 13:59:49 2006
Message-ID: <011901c63198$d7fb52c0$6a01a8c0_at_DrCollman>

>Where I cant use orbiting kids

Awe, reconsider Gary. Orbiting kids are fun!!!

Gotta watch those collisions though. Some kids carry it a bit too far......

-Walter




-----------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary K. Foote" <gary_at_webbers.com>
To: "Walter Branch" <branchw_at_bellsouth.net>
Cc: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 1:42 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Elementary school presentation tips?


> Thanks Walter. I figured to walk around the class with samples letting
each hold them
> one at a time to keep track of things. Talk while I walk. Not sure if I
can get use of
> the theatre for the orbits because the whole school would come and the
'playing field' of
> discussion would have to be too wide.
>
> Am planning to take pics of Barringer and some satellite pics of old
impact scars to show
> erosion. Bringing some orienteds and some shrapnel. A slice of 869 and
some sandpaper
> [good tip i heard earlier here] and some fragments to hand out.
>
> I like the pop bottle breccia idea too - thanks. Where I cant use
orbiting kids i plan
> to use the blackboard. yuk. but at least it works.
>
> Gary
>
> On 14 Feb 2006 at 12:43, Walter Branch wrote:
>
> > Hi Gary,
> >
> > Apologies for typos. I am writing this between patients.
> > Done this many times. It's fun. Here is what I suggest.
> >
> > Kids that age are very visual and active. One neat thing to do is to
have
> > some "volunteers" act out the positions of the planets, including the
> > asteroid belt. If you have enough room, have them "orbit" the sun. It
> > shows them that the universe is not statis and things do change "up
there".
> > No need to go into detail on Kepler's laws of motion, however. It also
is a
> > chance to demonstrate how collisions among asteroids can produce
meteorites
> > here on earth.
> >
> > If you can, ask the teacher beforehand and see who the students are who
are
> > not interested in science type stuff and get them involved in the solar
> > system demonstraton.
> >
> > If anyone has seen the "Mad Mission to Mrs" at the visitors center at
the
> > Kennedy Space Center, you know what I am talking about!
> >
> > Another thing you could do is to take along an empty pop bottle (1 or 2
> > liter size) to demonstrate how asteroids ca become breciaas and how
> > different inclusions can end up in different materoites. Pour in some
sand,
> > mix some different rocks, more sand, etc. Make sure the rocks end up so
the
> > kids can see them through the plastic. Ad lib as needed but keep the
> > language simple. You want to show them that meteorites are made up of
> > differenet things.
> >
> > Pass around some material but be careful. Dont' pass around sharp
> > Sikhote-Alin shrapnel or really fragile stuff. I once passed around a
Riker
> > mount with the most beautiful large slice of Allende in it and when it
> > returned, the Allende was broken. Lesson learned. I never have been
able
> > to replace it (sigh...)
> >
> > While the kids are looking at it, explain in simple terms the fusion
crust
> > and why it is so heavy for it's size but keep it simple.
> >
> > If you can, bring in some meteorwrongs and explain the differences. At
my
> > last talk, the kids were prepared and brought in several "meteorites" of
> > their own. Be respectful and polite and let them down easy if they
bring in
> > some rocks for you to examine.
> >
> > If you can, give away small samples with a brief, simple one-page write
up.
> > Gear some of this for their parents, with web site URLs etc. Keep it
> > simple. I did one last week with a picture of meteor crater, which is
> > always an attention-getter.
> >
> > Kids also remember things more easily if you can somehow relate the
> > discussion back to themselves. You can expliai that much of the "stuff"
> > found in meteorites is the same "stuff" in their bodies. The iron and
> > calcium is the same iron and calcium in the blood and bones. Again,
keep it
> > simple so don't use words like nucleosynthesis.
> >
> > Hope this helps. Have fun and remember it is more important that with
that
> > age group, you promote interest and enthusiasm, rather then trying to
force
> > them to remember a bunch of scientific facts.
> >
> > -Walter Branch
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Gary K. Foote" <gary_at_webbers.com>
> > To: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 9:52 AM
> > Subject: [meteorite-list] Elementary school presentation tips?
> >
> >
> > > Hi Everyone,
> > >
> > > Ron Wesel has been gracious to offer some samples of NWS to me for a
> > couple of class
> > > presentations I will make on meteorites this coming month. I've been
> > reading all the
> > > books and think I know it all now [HA!]
> > >
> > > Ron and a few others had some good advice [thanks everyone], but I
wonder
> > if anyone else
> > > can offer me some tips on making a good, lasting impression on 8 year
> > olds.
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________
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> > > Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
> > > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
Received on Tue 14 Feb 2006 01:59:53 PM PST