[meteorite-list] Meteorites and Kids

From: Frank Cressy <fcressy_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:53:59 2004
Message-ID: <001e01c1ac0c$826c3880$ef35ff3f_at_pavilion>

Hi Walter and all,

Last year I also presented to a class of third graders and thought I'd share
a great way to get the class's attention (as if that is needed). Getting
ready for the presentation, I laid the meteorites out on a metal side table
which the teacher provided. Knowing that part of my talk was on how to
identify meteorites from terrestrial rocks, I obviously bought along a rare
earth magnet. A flash of genius struck ;-)
Holding tightly, I carefully put my rare earth magnet on the metal table.
(You probably know where I'm going). During the talk I asked young "Billy"
to come up and help me demonstrate that meteorites were magnetic. It was his
birthday and being a larger third grade boy made it all the better. I held a
small Canyon Diablo iron and asked him to pick up the magnet and show the
class how it stuck to the meteorite. Young "Billy" reached for the magnet
and......obviously wasn't able to move it, try as he might. Both he and the
class got a good laugh and the class paid even more attention than they
might have.
The third graders were a great age group to share our love of meteorites
with. Their minds were sponges, soaking up every bit of knowledge there was,
they were interested in and liked learning, and they were studying the solar
system. A perfect audience.
A few days later, I received a package containing letters from every one of
the students. I still have them, and hopefully they also still have their
small, weathered piece of the solar system (a great way to get rid of those
small broken weathered NWA pieces).

Regards,
Frank

P.S. I probably wouldn't use this trick on older students. They might
actually get the magnet off the table than then pinch their finger between
the magnet and table or meteorite. Coincidently, just the other day I was
playing around with a couple of rare earth magnets and the result was a nice
blood blister to show for it. Guess one of these days I'll grow up :-)
Received on Sat 02 Feb 2002 12:10:24 PM PST