My last blog post was all about creating your own geology or earth sciences collection for classroom use. If you haven’t seen it, you can check it out here. But once you’ve got a good selection of rocks, fossils, and crystals, how do you make sure they are kept in great condition for use with students time and time again? In this post, I give my top tips for looking after your geology resources.
Storage
Although rocks and fossils are generally fairly robust, you do want to avoid them bashing against each other in storage, especially if they are soft or crumbly (like chalk). There are various storage solutions you can use but my favourite type is a tray or case with a foam insert.
Something like a shallow flight case has a handle for easy transport between classrooms, as well as providing a protective barrier between objects. The added bonus is that when you put the objects away after a lesson, you can see clearly if anything is missing. Choose something with a foam insert that can be removed in cubes (sometimes called pick and pluck). You don’t want to be cutting out the exact shapes with a knife as it takes ages!
Here are some ideas for suitable storage cases with foam:*
Take a photo of the layout of your stored objects, print, and label them. If you switch classes, the next teacher in your room will know what everything is called!
Handling with children
Should children be allowed to handle fossils that are millions of years old and could be broken if dropped? 100% yes! Set the scene before using your geology collection in a hands-on way by coming up with some handling rules together. These could include always using both hands to hold something, sitting down when handling, and keeping objects away from the edge of tables.
You can really create a sense of awe and wonder by discussing the age of any fossils to encourage careful handling.
Remind children how to handle each time you use your collection.
Craft foam or plastezote are really useful for placing objects carefully on a table surface to avoid damage.
Cleaning
Try to avoid using cleaning products on your collection. Asking children to wash their hands thoroughly before handling rocks and fossils can help keep them clean. You can also use a soft, dry microfibre cloth to carefully wipe them down.
With good care, a geology collection can last for decades, even with regular handling. I’ve worked in a museum where rocks and fossils have been handled by thousands of children and still look great!
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