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Gold
GOLD Educator's Guide

This Guide connects the GOLD exhibition to the classroom (before, during, and after your visit), explains key scientific and cultural concepts, and correlates to standards.

Online Resources

Gold

What's This? Gold
Article for grades 3 and up
Can you tell the difference between an Emmy award and an Olympic medal? Test your knowledge of gold-plated objects. Then find out more about gold!
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All That Glitters (SuperScience)
Article for grades 3 through 6
Did you know miners must dig up and process as many as 30 tons of rock to make a single gold ring? Take a dazzling look at how gold is mined and transformed.
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All That Glitters (Science World)
Article for grades 6 through 10
Did you know that all of the mined gold in the world could easily fit inside your school's gym? Find out what it takes to turn this precious metal into trophies and jewelry.
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Web Quest: All That Glitters (SuperScience)
Activity for grades 3 through 6
What do gold, diamonds, and jade have in common? Find out with a virtual trip to the American Museum of Natural History and other gold-plated destinations.
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Web Quest: All That Glitters (Science World)
Activity for grades 6 through 10
Investigate gold to learn why 24-karats is the mark of purity with this virtual trip to the American Museum of Natural History. Then dig up facts about jade and diamonds.
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Metals & Minerals

Amazing Mundo
Article for grades 3 through 8
Mundo Shamundo! With the help of these magic words, the Amazing Mundo can literally reverse the sands of time. Watch him transform worldly objects ... back into rocks in this fun comic strip.
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If Rocks Could Talk
Article for grades 3 through 8
Every rock has a story to tell—and clues to offer about Earth's history. Meet six specimens that have traveled to the AMNH from places as close as the Catskill Mountains and as far away as outer space.
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Jade
Article for grades 3 through 8
Jade has been used by people around the world for thousands of years—first to make tools, later to create precious works of art. Take a peek into mineralogist George Harlow's scrapbook to see why he thinks this rock is so special.
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Grow Rock Candy
Activity for grades 3 through 8
No matter where you find mineral salt—on your table or at the beach—you'll see its unique cube-shaped crystals. Take a sweet look at the crystal patterns and compositions of minerals.
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Creating the Hall of Planet Earth
Exhibition Materials for grades 6 through 12
Tour Earth's dynamic, 4.5-billion-year story. You'll see continents drift, mountains build, oceans form, glaciers slice through rock—and how the museum has brought these events and more to life.
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The Nature of Diamonds
Exhibition Materials for grades 6 through 12
Did you know that 80 percent of the diamonds mined each year are used for industry, not jewelry? Or that diamonds are mined on most continents? Take a close-up look at this "king of gems."
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Making Rocks
Article for grades 3 through 8
Some volcanoes slowly ooze magma while others explode with immense power. Yet all volcanic eruptions begin in the magma chamber. Meet a scientist who has created a model chamber in his lab.
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Cultural Connections

Mint Your Own Coin
Activity for grades 3 through 8
That change jangling in your pocket is more than money—it's a record of where and when you live. Find out why coins are valuable clues for archaeologists. Then, design your perfect coin.
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Totems to Turquoise: Native North American Jewelry Arts of the Northwest and Southwest
Exhibition Materials for all grades up to 12
For thousands of years, the native peoples of North America have made extraordinary jewelry and other adornments. Examine their work, which reflects the continuity and vitality of their many cultures.
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Jade
Article for grades 3 through 8
Jade has been used by people around the world for thousands of years—first to make tools, later to create precious works of art. Take a peek into mineralogist George Harlow's scrapbook to see why he thinks this rock is so special.
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The Ancient City of Petra
Article for grades 3 through 8
Petra was built by Arabian nomads who became very rich as desert traders. But why did these nomadic merchants decide to settle down in one place? Explore the mystery while strolling through Petra's ruins.
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Inca Investigation
Activity for grades 3 through 8
It's your turn to do archaeology! As you investigate what daily life was like in the Inca empire, you have the chance to collect Inca chronicles. Do you have what it takes to collect all six?
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African Ethnography Collection
Evidence and Analysis for all ages
This collection of artifacts from the continent of Africa was started in 1869, the same year the museum opened. Today, it contains more than 38,000 objects that you can view online.
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Asian Ethnography Collection
Evidence and Analysis for all ages
Search our collection of more than 58,000 Asian artifacts to find everything from abacuses to zithers. Even if an object is not currently on display, you can see it online anytime.
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North American Ethnography Collection
Evidence and Analysis for all ages
Every Native American cultural region in North America is represented in this artifact collection, making it an irreplaceable national treasure. Browse the more than 50,000 artifacts online.
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Glossary & Reference Lists

GOLD Glossary
Reference List for grades Kindergarten through 12
What is the gold standard? How does an alloy differ from a compound? And what happens when a metal tarnishes? Find out with this glossary from "alloy" to "volume."
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GOLD Books for Adults
Reference List for grades Kindergarten through 12
Experience the California Gold Rush. Examine gold in its pure and refined forms. And find out how gold has shaped civilizations throughout history.
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GOLD Books for Kids
Reference List for grades Kindergarten through 12
How does gold form and what does it take to extract it from the earth? You'll find everything from colorful field guides to tales about the quest for gold in this list of kid-friendly titles.
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GOLD Online Resources
Reference List for grades Kindergarten through 12
Explore the McLaughlin gold mine in Northern California. See the first metal coins, which were created in the Middle East around 600 BC. And investigate the properties of gold.
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