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News Release 486
MISSOURI STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT LAND SURVEYING, ROCKS, MINERALS AND FOSSILS DURING EARTH SCIENCE WEEK
Volume 35-486 |
Contact: Hylan Beydler |
(For immediate release) |
573-368-2118 |
ROLLA, MO, OCT. 30, 2007 -- The 10th annual Earth Science Week celebration was held Oct. 14 through Oct. 20 and, as is customary, the Division of Geology and Land Survey led the effort for the Department of Natural Resources.
Geologists and land surveyors capitalized on the opportunity by sharing some of the wonders of earth science with Missouri students. The American Geological Institute and its member organizations sponsor the event nationwide. "The Pulse of Earth Science" was this year's theme. Earth Science Week activities across the country promoted public and professional awareness of the status of earth science in education and society.
Missouri was no exception as Edie Starbuck, a department geologist, spent part of an afternoon visiting with four classes of second graders at Truman Elementary School in Rolla. Teacher Regina Hoss said, "My students loved learning about earth science. We had lots of fun with the rocks and fossils! Several parents sent notes with their children saying how much they enjoyed having the geologist in the classroom." Peter Bachle, also a department geologist, shared information about geology with four fourth grade classes at the Dixon Elementary School. The students at both schools learned geology basics, such as rock types and uses for rocks and minerals in everyday life. Many of the children were surprised to learn about some of the things that they use daily contain rocks and minerals. The most excited response from the students was when they were told that fine limestone is an ingredient in toothpaste. It is used as a mild abrasive and also helps develop and maintain teeth, which are made up of calcium compounds. One teacher remarked that using toothpaste could indeed help make teeth "rock-hard." Teachers were given rock collections for later use.
Staff capped off the week by hosting an outdoor classroom at the 2000 U.S. Population Center near Edgar Springs. Seventh and eighth grade students from Edgar Springs met department surveyors at the survey monument established by the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey and others in the year 2000. Each decade, after tabulating the decennial census, the Census Bureau calculates the center of population. The center is determined as the place where an imaginary, flat, weightless, rigid map of the United States would balance perfectly if all 281,421,906 residents were of identical weight.
Bruce Carter and Scott Faenger, employees with the department's Land Survey Program, taught at the outdoor classroom where they explained the significance of the monument, along with control and survey markers in general. They shared with students the importance of land surveying and specifically how land surveying plays a role in determining property boundaries. The students were introduced to a number of modern surveying instruments including a surveyor's station, prisms and global positioning systems. They also had an opportunity to use the surveying instruments.
Some of Missouri's geologic treasures are on display at the Rolla High School library through October, thanks to Library Media Specialist Jennifer Elmore and the department. Rocks, minerals, fossils, maps and posters are all part of the exhibit. State geologist and Director of the Division of Land Survey MimiGarstang presented Elmore with a copy of the popular book published by the division, "Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri." Garstang said, "Part of our goals is to increase awareness in the importance of the geosciences. We hope to encourage our nation's youth to pursue careers in this area."
"We have many students who are interested in the strange wonders you can find in our region," Elmore said. I appreciate the donation of Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri to our high school library so students can satisfy their curiosity." Along with the display, educational posters about the geologic characteristics of Missouri and why it is important to understand the state's geology, along with a large, panoramic photo of the sinkhole collapse that occurred in Nixa late last year complete the exhibit at the high school library.
The impressive display of rocks minerals and fossils, all of which were either, found, unearthed or mined in Missouri are from the Ed Clark Museum of Missouri Geology. Open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the museum is located at the department's Division of Land Survey, 111 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, and is also on the Web at www.dnr.mo.gov/geology. For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel.
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Editor: Photo is available at /newsrel/dgls-edgar.jpg.
Cutline: Edgar Springs seventh graders peer through survey equipment at the site of the 2000 Census Monument near Edgar Springs. Scott Faenger, survey crew member with the department's Division of Geology and Land Survey, looks on.
Editor: Photo is available at /newsrel/dgls-truman.jpg.
Cutline: Edie Starbuck, a geologist with the department's Division of Geology and Land Survey, shares rocks, mineral and fossils with Harry S. Truman Elementary students and teachers.
Editor: Photo is available at /newsrel/dgls-dixon.jpg.
Cutline: Peter Bachle, a geologist the department's Division of Geology and Land Survey, shares rocks, minerals and fossils with Dixon Elementary students and teachers.
