OLogy Challenge Hall fo Fame

Challenge #17: Start a Rock Collection
June 2021 • CHALLENGE CLOSED

Scientist Ro Kinzler

Rosamond Kinzler works in the Museum’s Education Department. She supports all kinds of science learners, onsite and online, including new science teachers.

Rock on! This Challenge was to use these instructions to start your own rock collection. Scientist Ro Kinzler is our special guest judge. She is a geologist who researched rocks that form at volcanos on land and on the ocean floor. She also co-curated the Museum's Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth. Here are her top picks!

Carolina and Gabriella F.
Ages 8 and 7  |  New York, U.S.A.

"This is a collection of rocks of America and overseas. Each rock has many stories to tell. We thank our family and friends for their help."

Judge's Comments: Such a variety of different types of rocks! I love how you two involved your family and friends from around the world in this project. The captions are an engaging combination of interesting information, questions to get the viewer thinking, and descriptions of what makes the rocks appealing to you. Very nice job with the scale and the presentation of the geographic information.

Luke P.
Age 4  |  New Jersey, U.S.A.

"Rocks We Found Everywhere"

Judge's Comments: Your organization highlights an important characteristic of different types of rocks: how the minerals they contain reflect light. I appreciated being able to see different views of the samples. This allows me to observe more features in each of the samples such as the different sizes of the grains in the rocks.

Jasper L.
Age 6  |  Maryland, U.S.A.

"I collected the stones from different places in the world during my trips. I used paper, cardboard, hot glue gun, and sticky notes to create this beehive stone collection. On the sticky notes are names of the places I found the stones. I also have a question: What types of stones are these found near my home at Great Falls and Potomac River? Thank you."

Judge's Comments: Your blue background and beehive display nicely sets off the colors of the different rock samples you have collected from locations both near and far from your home! I would want to look at your samples from Great Falls and the Potomac River in Virginia more closely... From the picture you provided I think they are metamorphic rocks. The top sample in particular looks like it contains a good amount of mica and is layered and thus could be schist.

Harry P.
Age 7  |  New York, U.S.A.

Judge's Comments: You found such a large variety of rocks both in the park and at the beach. Your displays show off the lovely colors and textures of the different samples. They invite the viewer to want to pick each one up and examine it more closely!

Shivani C.
Age 9  |  Texas, U.S.A.

"My Majestic Rocks"

Judge's Comments: The data you provided in your rock chart, including scale information, color and texture, allows me to really appreciate your rock collection. I also enjoyed how you arranged your samples on the colorful background! That added a great deal of energy to your presentation.

Helen N.
Age 7  |  New York, U.S.A.

"This rock collection features rocks with different surfaces found in the hills and trails of my grandmother's neighborhood. We recycled a plastic mini-muffin box to show the rocks!"

Judge's Comments: Organizing your rocks into categories according to their main features (sparkly, speckled, and smooth) really shows off this collection. And so does the attractive and colorful display case. I appreciate the variety of rocks you were able to find just around your grandmother's house!

Frank L.
Age 9  |  New York, U.S.A.

Judge's Comments: Organizing rocks according to where you collected them is a good approach! You were able to collect a large variety of rocks across your different locations. And I appreciate the custom containers and clear labelling.

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