2007

South Sound Regional Science Fair by Dick Morgan

On Saturday, March 26, 2007, at the Pacific Lutheran University, the South Sound Regional Science Fair for the students of the local schools was held. The work that was expended on the many and varied projects to vie for the honors shows that many students in our school system are extremely hard working and highly intelligent. The judging was done in sessions, with the youngest presenters starting at 8:00 A.M. followed by the middle school and finally the high school students.

As a member of the Boeing Employees' Mineralogical Society, my wife Pat and I were asked to provide a display of fossils, rocks, and minerals and explain the story of the material. The display consisted of about 20 different fossils on the table and several of the similar types available in the boxes behind the table. About the same number of crystals and minerals out on display with others held in reserve to help explain them. The last part of the display was a number of polished cabochons used to explain the lapidary interest in rocks.

The interest in our display was busiest during the first session as many of the elementary students were accompanied by their whole family and it appeared that a rock display was more interesting their brother or sister's presentation. The most questions were asked about the fossil portion of the display and it had the most adults interest also. Some of the students were familiar to me as they attend the schools or classes in which I volunteer. There was also a free polished rock available for each visitor to the display. There was some interest in providing more of these scientific type rock and fossil displays for other school and scout functions.

I have given my phone information to be contacted for these functions in the future. If there is this much interest in the south sound schools and scouts then maybe some of our members can check with their children, grandchildren or their friends about the interest of children in how rocks and fossils came to be. Most rockhounds have a basic knowledge of this and can explain in words children understand.

 

On Saturday, March 18, 2006, the Eighth Annual South Sound Regional Science Fair was held at Pacific Lutheran University for the judging of science projects of students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. The exhibits of students were very well done and organized. They were judged by over a hundred people. Prizes were presented by many groups. There were several local groups asked to show the learning through hobbies and when asked if a club would like to present a demonstration using rocks and minerals, I suggested that someone from BEMS would be able to show.

I asked some other members but the lead time was quite short and many had plans for that day so my grandson Brandon and I packed up some material and headed to PLU. We had a varied assortment of fossils, rock, and crystals. It appeared that the fossils elicited the most questions and attention but the crystals caught the eye of most adults. The table holding the display was surrounded mostly by students from when we first started setting up at 8:00 AM to about 1:30 PM. The whole time was very enjoyable and the day went by rapidly. It appears that there may be another invite next year.

During the course of the day a number of teachers stopped by and asked about demonstrations, and there were questions about helping scouting groups get geology badges. In the past members of BEMS have demonstrations at school, scouting meetings and colleges and at the recreation center have entertained home-schooled groups and scouting groups.

Many of the children that were there said that if they had known that there was someone that knew about rocks they would have brought some of their rocks to be identified.

I also talked to several science teachers about a contest to win a showcase of identified rocks and minerals by having students enter a learning project at the South Sound Gem, Opal, and Mineral Show at the Puyallup Fairgrounds.