CoreKids K-12 Outreach

  • Students explore a shark jaw

    Making sense of specimens also makes for fun! Students explore a shark jaw in front of the Kelley Collection of Fossil and Modern Shark Teeth.

  • Students watch as a CoreKids instructor demonstrates the water pump

    During a CoreKids water pump demonstration, students learn that rocks really do have holes in them!

  • A CoreKids student laughs as a laboratory volcano erupts

    This young CoreKids student erupts with laughter as red lava "erupts" out of a laboratory volcano!

  • Students explore the augmented reality sandbox

    CoreKids students enjoy an interactive mapping project as they explore the augmented reality sandbox in the Schmaltz Geology and Mineral Museum.

  • At the Schmaltz Geology and Mineral Museum, who is smiling more, this ancient coelacanth or the CoreKids student?

The fundamental mission of CoreKids, the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education’s K-12 outreach program, is to increase awareness and understanding of the earth, its processes and its natural resources. The rock samples and data archived at MGRRE, as well as the many research interests of the faculty, provide a rich environment for developing inquiry-based hands-on displays and activities. These resources enable K-12 students and their teachers to visualize what lies beneath their feet, often in their local area.

CoreKids outreach programs include coordinating scientists’ visits to schools and community events, field trips to MGRRE, internships for high school students and K-12 teacher workshops. Dr. Peter Voice, director of CoreKids, has developed several modules regarding: geologic history, groundwater, geologic hazards to shale energy and hydraulic fracturing. Through this program, we aim not only to excite students about earth resources by relating them to their daily lives, but also to inspire some of them to think about the geosciences as a possible career choice.