FREE MINERALS EDUCATION WORKSHOP

Thursday - Friday, November 5 & 6, 2009

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN - November 5 - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Farmersburg Mine and Lewis Mine - November 6 - 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

The Division of Reclamation (DOR) of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites educators to participate in a FREE Minerals Education Workshop.

This workshop is geared for Kindergarten through 8th grade teachers. It will provide information, ideas, and practical hands-on activities (in which you get to participate) for geology, minerals, mining, and reclamation. The workshop focuses on mining and reclamation, geology, energy, coal, and the use of minerals in our everyday life.

The first day is devoted to hands-on activities that you can use in the classroom. Activities are conducted in small groups with plenty of time to learn and practice. You will have fun with:

• Rock and mineral identification
• Reclamation activities
• Play-doh orebody battleship
• chocolate chip cookie mining
• How minerals are used to meet our needs for goods, services, and food products

Everyone will receive a Teacher's Manual (on CD) full of lessons and a Teacher Tote Bag filled with supplies and materials to teach about mining and minerals in your classroom.

The second day is a tour of Peabody Energy's Black Beauty Coal Company Farmersburg Mine and Solar Sources Inc.'s Lewis Mine. You will see the mining methods presented on the previous day actually being used at active surface coal mines. See first-hand how land is restored back to its pre-mining productivity and appearance.

This workshop and tour qualify for Continuing Renewal Units toward Indiana teacher license renewals.

A $30.00 registration fee is required to reserve your seat for this fun-filled, informative workshop and coal mine tour. The fee is completely refunded after you have attended the entire workshop and tour. Space for this popular event is limited, so respond quickly. Registration forms can be found here.

If you have questions, contact Shasta Keller (slkeller@dnr.in.gov) or Colleen Baughman (cbaughman@dnr.IN.gov) at the Division of Reclamation at (812) 665-2207, toll-free within Indiana: 1-800-772-6463.