School Outreach Program

The Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club has an outreach program for students in grades 3-4 who study geology and who would appreciate seeing actual samples of the minerals, rocks and fossils that they learn about in their curriculum, and to reinforce the terms they are hearing about in their school course.

The CRLC’s program is presented in the grade 3 or 4’s classroom by 1 or 2 volunteer club members, lasting 1-2 hours, expecting class sizes of about 30 students.

The club has assembled a sample set of minerals, rocks and fossils. Each sample is described according to which category it belongs, and is passed around to the students so that they receive a “hands on” experience.

Categories are:

  • Minerals eg. Quartz, Mica, Feldspar, Magnetite, Pyrite, etc.
  • Rocks -Igneous- ‘Intrusive’ eg. Granite, Diorite, Gabbro, etc.
  • ‘Extrusive’ eg. Basalt, Pumice, Obsidian, etc.
  • Sedimentary eg. Sandstone, Shale, Limestone, coal, etc.
  • Metamorphic eg. Quartzite, Slate, Marble, Gneiss, schist, etc.
  • Fossils – Marine ( water living ) eg. Trilobites, Clamshells, etc.
  • Land living. eg. Dinosaur bone, petrified wood, etc.

Also available: how to identify minerals:
– a simple demonstration of the MOHs hardness scale
– colour samples eg. sulfur, feldspar, mica, etc.
– streak test

Questions about this program, or to book for your students, please contact one of our volunteers using our Contact Us form.