USU’s annual rock and fossil day is coming up this weekend at the university’s Logan campus. This year there will be a new children’s activity as part of the program.
Early each spring, the Geosciences Department at Utah State University opens its doors for Rock and Fossil Day. On this day department faculty and students share their knowledge and excitement about rocks and fossils with visitors. Ellen Imler, a department staff assistant, said the event is for all ages.
“Everybody from the youngest child who might just love dinosaurs, because they're dinosaurs, to the oldest person who loves being a rock hound and going out and finding cool things as they're hiking.”
Imler said visitors can explore the geology museum, and learn about geology at different stations set up in the department. There are activities for children, and rock hounds can get help identifying rocks and fossils they have collected.
This year Imler partnered with student Chloe Geddes, Geology Club president, to create a new activity.
“We're calling it our junior geologists program. We're hoping that it will encourage the kids to get even more involved with the activities that we have, and apply in a way, the things that they've learned at each of the stations,” Imler said.
When children come to the event, they will receive a passport that helps them answer questions and learn new things. At the end, they will receive a sticker for completing the tasks.
Rock and Fossil Day 2020 takes place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Geology Building on the USU Quad.
