Products
In celebration of Earth Science Week, approximately 1000 students from more than 30 local schools are signed up to visit the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park on Thursday, Oct. 16, from 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., to meet with scientists for hands-on activities, workshops, and demonstrations.
Students will discover Topo Salad Trays, and the Lean, Mean Landslide Machine. They can examine tiny organisms through microscopes, and learn about creeping earthquake faults (they're not just creepy on Halloween!). Marine scientists will be displaying the strange critters and mineral chimneys discovered during mid-ocean ridge explorations, and students will have the opportunity to compare the volcanic eruptions of Mount St. Helens, Yellowstone, and Kilauea, learn about tsunamis (When the World Waves Back), view fluorescent minerals, and much more. A full list of exhibits is at http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/about/edu/esd/exhibits.php.
In addition to USGS exhibits, our partners the California Geological Survey and the California Academy of Sciences will be in Menlo Park with their own activities and displays. While the focus is on the students, teachers will not go home empty-handed. A special table with classroom resources is part of the day's event.
Earth Science Week is celebrated this year Oct. 12-18. "No Child Left Inside" was selected as the theme of Earth Science Week 2008 to will encourage young people to learn about the geosciences by getting away from the television, turning off the computer, and being out of doors.
The USGS in Menlo Park is only one venue in the nationwide celebration for Earth Science Week. Earth scientists at universities, government agencies and businesses nationwide are opening their doors to visitors, visiting classrooms, and hosting field trips. Earth Science Week was established in 1998 by the American Geological Institute (AGI) to give students and citizens new opportunities to discover Earth sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth. Earth Science Week promotes understanding and appreciation of the value of Earth science research and its applications and relevance to our daily lives. AGI and the USGS are sponsoring national essay, visual arts, and photography contests for school children. More information about USGS Earth Science Week activities is available from http://www.usgs.gov/earthscience/2008 and information about the national celebration is at http://www.earthsciweek.org/.
