Many geology projects can be done by older children without supervision.
Geology is the study of the physical earth, which includes sediment, landforms and natural events relating to them, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Many fun projects can help children understand geological principles.
Making Stalactites and Stalagmites
Stalactites are conical rock formations which form over hundreds of years on the ceilings of caves, as water droplets formed by condensation deposit trace amounts of minerals. Beneath them, mirroring stalagmites often form. Fill two glass jars with hot water and epsom salts, and set them in a warm place with a plate between them. Tie both ends of a small length of wool or cotton yarn around washers, and let each washer drop to the bottom of a separate jar. Allow the middle of the yarn to sag between both jars, over the plate. Over time, the water and salt from each jar will creep up the yarn and drip onto the plate. Small stalactites will form along the yarn, and stalagmites will form on the plate.
Growing Salt Crystals
Another fun geology project is growing salt crystals. Fill a small Mason jar with warm water and half a cup of salt. Mix the solution thoroughly. Tie a small length of string to a toothpick. Let the toothpick rest over the top of the jar or hang outside of it while the string rests inside the solution. Crystals will form on the string over time.
Limestone Rock Test
Have children identify limestone rocks by using a special fizz test. Gather many rocks, some of which you know contain limestone, such as pure and oolitic limestone, and other varieties that do not, such as quartz. Observe each sample under a hand magnifier, and drop a few drops of a lemon juice onto the rock. If the sample rock contains limestone, it will begin to form small bubbles.
Rock Layer Experiment
Take four different colors of clay or Play-Doh, flatten each color into a flat pancake shape and layer them on top of each other. Each layer can represent a different stratification or rock layer. Encourage children to construct different types of geological forms, such as synclines (u shapes), anticlines (upside-down u shapes), using varying pressure and angles.
Tags: will form, small length