FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jordi Fabre]

Lynda St-cyr (welcome to the forum Linda) in an other topic ( https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=2873#2873 ) wrote the text below that I copied here, because by its content it merit to open a new topic and at same time will permit that the topic of Linda Smith remain devoted to her collection.

About the request of Linda St-cyr (....I was not able to attach my email to my signature...) you be allowed to write your email address just on this way:
https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=74

Jordi

>Hello Linda and everyone else, too, since this is my first ever posting. Linda, you said you are a science educator. Perhaps we can correspond some because my goal for 2009 is to start a small science museum with inexpensive gadgets that I already have, and as many ideas as I can assemble. I also have the possibility of adding rocks to the mix, including an educational display of US minerals (which won a prize at the county fair) and educational displays of Arkansas and Nevada rocks. This invitation is open to everyone, of course - if you have ideas about science/mineral demos or even a clever way of explaining scientific phenomenon (did you know that traffic resembles supersonic flow?), I'd love to hear it. Now I must ask the administrators how to do that, since I was not able to attach my email to my signature - am I allowed to put it here? Apparently not, the preview function reprimanded me! But I know you want to keep the topics on minerals, so...?

[Linda St-Cyr]

Thank you, Jordi!

OK everyone, here is my email: Linda(at)MiddleEarthMinerals(dot)com that you can use for science museum ideas that are non-mineral related, so we don't clog up this forum.

But for mineral-related stuff, I'll toss this question out - what kind of minerals do you think should be in a kid's science museum?

My own answer to that question is: cubic pyrite on matrix (because it left me speechless when I first saw it), a "fuzzy" mineral (because I HAD to have one when I first began collecting), some minerals that they can touch, fluorescents, some collections with themes (like habits of quartz, rocks from one locality, etc.).

What do you guys think?

Thanks!

Linda

[MaryFender]

Talc because it is so soft, mica because it peels, geodes because everyone is fascinated by those, bornite (peacock ore), ulexite (tv rock), calcite (exhibiting double refraction). Franklin fluorescent minerals because they light up the night, ditto with the wernerite -technical name is party rock (sorry John, I know it is meionite).

A guessing game as to what is in the everyday item

gypsum - wall board
mica - makeup and sparkles in bubble bath
graphite - pencils
etc...

Rob Lavinsky, with donations from our club, has started a nature exchange first at the Dallas zoo and now at the Garland schools. It is a first taste of natural science for young children. It requires they go out and collect natural objects which they can then trade up for minerals, fossils or other natural objects. The little ones can bring things as simple as a leaf or acorn. Each object is given a point value so they can "save" to acquire a better thing. Of course I always donate some smaller things also that they can trade in one for one. Say a small quartz point for an acorn. Don't want the little guys and gals to get discouraged by the high price of minerals.

[Linda St-Cyr]

WONDERFUL ideas, Mary! I do have a geode collection that I forgot to mention, intended for the museum, of course.

If anyone has an uncommon geode that they might want to trade, it would go into the museum...?

[Linda Smith]

Some other minerals might galena, because of its cubic habit, some of the copper carbonates because of their color, fluorite cubes or octehedrons. Magnitite because of its magnitism. Obsidian, volcanic glass. I also find that some of the counter top samples are a good example of rocks that are used in construction. Of course the carbonates, like calcite because they will fizz when reacting with vinegar or HCl. Just some ideas.

[Claus]

Linda,

The key to any museum - for kids and adults - is to 'tell a good story'. Assume your visitors know little or nothing, tell them something they can relate to in a way so they remember. Please remember, you are not preaching to the choir - the visitors will not be mineral collectors and need a little firm guiding!

1) Hands-on displays are superb. Messy but superb! Let the visitors handle three Quartz crystals, three feldspar crystals and three Calcite crystals and appreciate they differ but each mineral has its own characteristics.

2) Ditto for density (e.g. Hematite, Quartz, feldspar), cleavage (fledspar, mica, Calcite, obsidian), scent/flavour (Sulfur, Halite, Sylvite, Pickeringite, Quartz, Hematite, ..) Let whatever your have decide topic & what to display.

3) Relate minerals to everyday objects: Hematite -> steel -> cars; Bauxite -> aluminum -> soda can; Chalcopyrite -> copper -> electric wire, etc. You pin the mineral to something they know, increasing understanding and make the visitors appreciate minerals aren't just pretty rocks, they are essential for our life.

4) Do include gems and an aesthetic display.

And by all means do distribute information for local clubs so those who 'fall for it' can go somewhere to continue.

Good luck and thank you for making the effort!


All the best

Claus

[Linda St-Cyr]

Thanks to everyone for the fine ideas which will definitely get put into practice.

Claus, I think your "Messy but superb" quote may become the motto, because the way in which this museum will differ from all others in existance is that just about all of the exhibits are messy and superb, things like paper airplanes, rubberband-powered machines, magnets and copper tubes, math puzzles and magic tricks. All of your ideas are great and I will plagiarize with pleasure.

Linda, I particularly like your countertop samples idea. When I made an exhibit of minerals from each of the 50 US states, I learned a lot about the less glamorous but much more economically significant rocks and minerals and petroleum products that come from every corner of the US. Fizzing rocks and galena, fluorite, magnetite, obsidian (an obsidian arrowhead, too - wouldn't that be cool?), and plenty of colorful rocks definitely belong.

Mary, the guessing game and nature exchange ideas are fabulous. I knew that Rob Lavinsky does a lot more for the hobby than most people realize, but I was not aware of the nature exchange.

Now I truly feel ready to make 2009 my Year of the Biggest Changes.

Linda
Linda(at)MiddleEarthMinerals(dot)com