Saturday 18 August 2012

Day 1 of the SMA GeoVenture

August 18, 2012
By: Richelle Sutton, PA Carlton 

Welcome everyone to the 2012 Saskatchewan Mining Association Rock'n the Classroom GeoVenture Teacher's Tour Blog! Today marks our first day of this week long journey to better understand the geological phenomenon in our province. As educators we will take this newly acquired knowledge back to our students and explore the ways curriculum is connected to mining. 

We began our tour with an orientation and introduction. Pam Schwann, Executive Director of  the SMA, introduced our educational and curriculum consultant Kate Grapes Yeo and technology guru Tracey Irwin. The teacher attendees introduced themselves and indicated what subjects, and where they teach. We discovered that we have a very diverse group that call all corners of the province home.

Pam kicked off our introduction to mining in Saskatchewan. We discovered that Saskatchewan is a global leader in Potash and Uranium production. In addition to Potash and Uranium mining valuable resources such as gold, coal, and diamonds are also mined in the province. The economic development that will positively influence our province will have a direct influence on the students we teach. In the future our students could potentially be involved in the mining industry.

Pam then handed off the presentation to Kate, who took the presentation from an economic angle to one of curriculum connections to mining. The teacher participants were able to take part in a mineral and rock identification activity. Each table was given a number of samples that we needed to categorize based on a dichotomous key. This activity directly related to the grade 4 and 7 science curriculum. We then looked at two solutions of potash and water that had been placed on our tables. We discussed how these two jars could be utilized in the grade 7 curriculum when looking at mixtures. The two jars were an excellent example of how mixtures will separate based on properties of the minerals in the mixture.


Our evening concluded with a BBQ behind the DeltaBessborough on the river bank. We were lucky enough to be introduced to some members in the mining industry from Cameco, PotashCorp and Mosaic. After supper it was off to bed as we had a very early day ahead of us the next morning.

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