[meteorite-list] Elementary School Show n Tell

From: Rob McCafferty <rob_mccafferty_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue May 2 11:58:25 2006
Message-ID: <20060502084824.17593.qmail_at_web50908.mail.yahoo.com>

Gary,

It's fantastic isn't it, the look on the faces of the
young ones who truly appreciate what it is they see
and hold.

Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be loaned a
sample of Apollo rocks for my own exhibition up here
in the Western Isles of UK. A few hundred people came
along and most of the kids at the school saw them too.
I would have liked more to come but sadly advertising
is not allowed until the samples have long gone.
Yet many of the adults were truly awestruck by what
they were holding (albeit encased in lucite), it
having been part of their growing up.

The natural history museum lent me a fist sized iron -
which always got a reaction when I dropped it into
someones hand - a rather tatty pallasite, a lovely
large chondrite slice, polished to perfection with
fusion crust on one side, a Murchison and a Nakhla
(only about 1cm square but still a piece of Mars).

The exhibition was a great sucess, the police were
great over the security arrangements for the week and
it made front page news in the local papers which was
also nice.

My personal thanks must go out to a few people who
allowed me the opportunity to put together my own
collection in the run up. I'm well and truly hooked
now. If only my wife would share my enthusiasm.

So thanks to Greg and Adam Hupe, Michael Cottingham,
Siegfried Haberer and especially Eric Twelker. Without
you guys, the display would have been much less
impressive.

Delighted it went well for you Gary, I understand how
much work is needed, especially with the little ones.

Rob McCafferty

--- "Gary K. Foote" <gary_at_webbers.com> wrote:

> Well, list, I finally got together with the first
> grade and the third grade classes at
> the local elementary school for a little meteorite
> presentation. I took along about 15
> or 20 of my own specimens as well as a NWA fragment
> for each of 27 children [courtesy of
> Rob Wesel of Nakhla Dog Meteorites]. Thanks a
> million Rob. The kids were thrilled to
> each have a little piece of something that actually
> came from outer space.
>
> First my wife and daughter [who works at the school]
> passed out a meteorite to each
> child. We also gave each classroom a Sikhote for
> their own display. Then I opened by
> asking who knew what a meteorite was. The talk just
> kind of flowed from their questions
> that popped up all over the place. Along the way I
> told them about their meteorite
> fragments and showed them an individual NWA and a
> slice of NWA869 and told them of their
> geographical relationship. I used the map on the
> class wall to point out NWA.
>
> I had each child rub their hands together briskly to
> demonstrate friction and then
> compared that to the air 'rubbing' on the meteor as
> it flew thru the atmosphere, burning
> and melting and eventually exploding, either above
> the ground from air pressure or upon
> impact. We also talked about meteorite origins. We
> let them handle all but the slice of
> 869. We passed a few irons around to let them feel
> their weight. They got close up
> after to look through magnifying glasses we brought
> along.
>
> Etched Gibeon slice
> NWA Individual
> Sliced NWA endcut with high metal content
> Campo 'Space Coin'
> Three Campos
> Three Sikhotes
> 10 Tektites
> Canyon Diablo
> Meteorwrong
>
> We had fun - the kids had fun and they learned
> something and now each holds a piece of
> the sky in their pocket.
>
> Here are three pictures my wife took;
>
>
http://www.meteorite-dealers.com/images/comwayel1.jpg
>
http://www.meteorite-dealers.com/images/comwayel2.jpg
>
http://www.meteorite-dealers.com/images/comwayel3.jpg
>
> Thanks again Rob! The kids really were amazed to
> have what you gave them.
>
> Gary Foote
> http://www.meteorite-dealers.com
>
> ______________________________________________
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> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>


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Received on Tue 02 May 2006 04:48:24 AM PDT