Complete all Requirements.

1. Do the following:

2. Look for different kinds of rocks or minerals while on a rock hunt with your family or your den.

3. Do the following:

4. Do the following:

5. Identify on a map of your state some geological features in your area.

6. Do the following:

Complete Materials List

Geology is the study of the earth, including the materials it is made of, the structure of those materials, and the processes that act on them. An important part of geology is studying how the earth changes over time. While the earth might not seem to change much, it is actually always changing. Wind and rain wear down mountains, earthquakes shake the ground, and volcanoes spew melted rock into the air. Even the continents are moving. North America is actually moving to the west-southwest about an inch a year!

A geologist is a scientist who studies the earth. Some geologists study how the earth was formed and how it changes. Other geologists study earthquakes and volcanoes and try to reduce the damage they cause by learning how to predict them. Still others work to improve our lives by using rocks and minerals to supply many of the things we use every day.

Petroleum geologists study the earth’s natural resources of oil and gas. Engineering geologists and structural geologists work on building projects. Hydrogeologists work with our water resources. Environmental geologists study the effects we humans have on our planet Earth. What type of geologist would you like to be?

Everywhere you look there are rocks and minerals. They are part of your world every day. Some rocks are small pebbles, and some are gigantic mountains. Your own backyard and neighborhood are good places to begin collecting rocks. Think about how these rocks were formed and how they ended up where you found them.

KINDS OF ROCKS/ MINERALS

Many times when we think of a rock it is actually a mineral! And, minerals are found in different types of rocks.

Igneous

Any rock made by cooling magma (hot, molten material that flows under the Earth’s surface) or lava (molten rock that comes out of a volcano). Examples of igneous rock include basalt, granite, and obsidian.

Sedimentary

Gravel, sand, clay, or soil that settles and hardens out of water in riverbeds, ponds, lakes, and oceans. Sediment may contain shells and skeletons. Sedimentary rock is formed in layers, like a giant cake, after sediment has been under great pressure for millions of years. If the sediment was originally sand, it becomes sandstone. Clay turns into shale. Shells and skeletons make limestone.

Metamorphic

Rock has been through a process much like baking. (Meta means changed, and morphic means form.) The change is caused by intense heat and great pressure deep in the earth. Under these conditions, sedimentary limestone becomes marble. Sedimentary sandstone turns into quartzite. Igneous granite changes into gneiss (pronounced “nice”).

1. Assemble Your Testing Kit: Many experienced rock collectors carry a mineral testing kit on their rock-hunting trips to test hardness and other mineral characteristics. Knowing the hardness of a mineral will not always tell you its identity, but it will help rule out some possibilities. Assemble:

☐ Penny - for testing hardness

☐ Nail - for testing hardness

☐ Pocket Knife - for testing hardness (Don’t forget to carry your Whittling Chip!)

☐ Unglazed tile - for streak/ color testing

☐ Plastic Squeezable Eye Liquid Dropper Container - for chemical testing

☐ Magnet - for testing magnetism

2. Hunt: Take a hike and see what you can find! With a magnifying glass, take a closer look at your collection. Do you see anything different when looking up close? Remember, collecting rocks is not allowed in national parks and in many state parks. Ask permission before you collect anywhere.

3. Identify: Use your kit and hunt printouts to identify the specimens you find.

Geological features are all around us. Plains, lakes, rivers, swamps, and caves are just some of the natural features that may be found near where you live. And there may be man-made features like dams, quarries, mines, canals, and channelized streams.

Look at this map of Houston. Can you find:

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 5 bayous or creeks

☐ ☐ ☐ 3 rivers

☐ a bay

☐ an island

☐ a peninsula

Activity: Take a walk or drive. Here are a few places to look for some types of rocks in the city:

• Granite. This strong igneous rock is used often in city buildings. Look for it on the outside of buildings. It can be gray, pink, or a deeper rose color. It has a speckled pattern. The darkest flecks are mica crystals, and the glasslike areas are quartz crystals. You can find both rough and polished granite in buildings.

• Sandstone. In eastern cities, many older homes called brownstones were built of brick and then covered with brown sandstone blocks.

• Slate. This metamorphic rock, changed by heat and pressure, was once clay. It can be split into slabs. You might find an old sidewalk made of gray slate. Chalkboards in schools used to be made of smooth black slate. Some roofs are made of slate. The Washington National Cathedral is made of limestone.

• Marble. Look for marble in the lobbies of office buildings and banks. A streaky, swirling pattern of mixed color and a smooth, shiny surface will be the main clues. Marble comes in many different colors. The main color might be black, gray, green, pink, or white. You can find marble in museums and parks, too. Pure white marble is often used for sculptures, statues, and monuments.