Pebblekeeper

Yet another challenge – where the object we are studying – we are very familiar with, but learned . . . that we weren’t.

After reading the challenge I set to go find a few quartz rocks from the bucket in our learning library. But first, I peeked at the websites suggested:

Thinking of Quartz, I had more of an image of Quartz Crystals, or something maybe like Granite. I had one specimen on the nature collection shelves. BUT – I read up on the websites – and saw that the elements of quarts could form different colors and shapes, agates, jasper, opal, etc. What? Back up the thinkin’ truck! So – I asked the boys the same thing the challenge asked me, and on a rainy day asked them to . . .

Go to the Nature Collection Shelves and find your 3 favorite quartz rocks . . . . . Both boys went to the shelves, and came back with one rock, and said they weren’t sure. So I showed them the websites as well, read a bit from the Handbook of Nature Study book, and as soon as the word Jasper and Agate, Minerals, Silicon, etc were mentioned – they were off and running.

In the Pacific Northwest – our most abundant form of quartz would be – Sand! After that, it would be the rocks under the layer of sand – Agates! We emptied out the jars from the Agates from just this year, and played with the colors.

(That’s a Turkey Roasting Pan Folks)

Banding and Color. We each collect different types, sizes, shapes. Hubby like jelly bean shapes, I like different colors like Red, Green, Pink, Purple and Blue. Jon likes Black and White. Nate? Eagle Eye Nate finds all sorts of goodies. The more different, the more he likes it.

I can’t find the website / book reference, but I did read that even fossils and petrified wood is a form of quartz.

This is Nate’s color rainbow, and below is his favorite find, only a small portion was sticking out of the sand, and it was yellow on the outside, not blue.

Jon’s color rainbow. He has to add a “lil jon” and the sun.

Mom’s rainbow colors. We talked about the glass being a form of Quartz as well. We also had some bunny trails on the properties, as we are studying the elements in Chemistry with Nate.

This was a good time to clean off the discovery shelf, and to take some time to enjoy all of those items that get found as I wash jeans . . . .

As always – I encourage you to jump into one of these challenges. You might not have a family full of rock collectors – But with a nick name like Pebblekeeper, and a school name like Petra School – what would you expect less?