Exploring Earth science through GeoKIDS
The GeoKIDS program makes exploring Earth science more engaging for kids across Oklahoma. GeoKIDS, or Geology Explorers in Oklahoma: Kids Investigating & Doing Science, is funded by Oklahoma Geological Foundation in collaboration with the Oklahoma Geological Survey.
During outreach visits to schools, libraries, and other organizations, students learn about rocks, minerals, and fossils. If an organization wishes to participate in GeoKIDS, each student will receive a small collection to explore and take home.
Interested in bringing GeoKIDS to your classroom, organization, or event? Contact the Oklahoma Geological Survey to arrange a visit.
Putting geology education into students’ hands
Rocks are everywhere. Students can see them in their yards, along roads, at parks, and throughout their communities. GeoKIDS gives students an opportunity to look more closely at rocks, minerals, and fossils and begin to understand what those materials can tell us about the Earth.
The GeoKIDS program helps students examine the characteristics of the different specimens and begin learning how geologists observe, compare, and identify the materials they find. Each GeoKIDS collection includes 10–15 rock, mineral, and fossil specimens that the student uses during the visit and gets to keep and take home.Â
By putting real specimens into students’ hands, GeoKIDS provides an accessible introduction to physical geology and some of the materials that help tell the story of our planet. For some students, a simple rock collection can be the beginning of a much bigger interest in geology and Earth science.
GeoKIDS by the numbers
The GeoKIDS program began in 2018 with funding provided by Oklahoma Geological Foundation. The number of kits distributed each year has more than tripled since the program began, which helps create more opportunities for exploring Earth science.Â
Through continued support from the Foundation, GeoKIDS kits remain free for students, teachers, and schools.
* Kits provided by year.
What Oklahoma students say about GeoKIDS
The GeoKIDS program helps make science lessons more tangible for students across Oklahoma. Students aren’t just hearing about a mineral or looking at a picture of a fossil. They can hold a specimen, examine it, compare it with something else, and begin asking questions about what they see.
One of our favorite parts of supporting GeoKIDS is receiving notes from the students who receive their own collections to take home.
Bringing GeoKIDS to your classroom or event
The Oklahoma Geological Survey works with educators to bring GeoKIDS to classrooms, libraries, and events across Oklahoma. The OGS team can work with the host school or organization to develop a short lesson about the physical geology of our planet, or teachers can create their own activities to accompany the kits.
Contact the Oklahoma Geological Survey for more information about GeoKIDS and to request a visit to your classroom or event.
Supporting the next generation of scientists
Oklahoma Geological Foundation supports programs that give Oklahoma students more opportunities to experience Earth science firsthand, and our support of the GeoKIDS program is just one example.Â
By funding the kits, the Foundation helps put real rocks, minerals, and fossils directly into students’ hands at no cost to their schools or families. Each collection gives a student another opportunity to observe, investigate, ask questions, and keep exploring Earth science beyond the classroom.
Want to help us continue providing opportunities like GeoKIDS for Oklahoma students?
Frequently asked questions about GeoKIDS
What is a GeoKIDS kit?
A GeoKIDS kit is a small collection of approximately 10–15 rock, mineral, and fossil specimens provided to individual students through the Oklahoma Geological Survey’s GeoKIDS program. Students can examine and compare the specimens during their lesson, then take the collection home to share with their families and continue learning.
How much does a GeoKIDS kit cost?
GeoKIDS kits are free to students, teachers, and schools. The program is funded by the Oklahoma Geological Foundation and its donors in collaboration with the Oklahoma Geological Survey.
Who can participate in GeoKIDS?
The Oklahoma Geological Survey coordinates the GeoKIDS program delivery to schools, classrooms, libraries, and other community groups. Teachers and educators interested in the program can contact OGS to learn more about scheduling a visit or requesting this resource.
Can students keep their GeoKIDS kits?
Yes! Each student receives an individual collection that belongs to them. They can use their collection during classroom lessons or at a community event, then take it home.
How are GeoKIDS kits different from the Rock, Mineral, and Fossil Collections?
Both programs give students opportunities for hands-on geology education, but they serve different purposes.
The Rock, Mineral, and Fossil Collections include 30+ large museum-quality specimens designed for hands-on classroom learning. The collection stays with the teacher or school for continued educational use year after year.
A GeoKIDS kit is a much smaller individual collection containing approximately 10-15 specimens. Each participating student receives their own kit to explore and take home.
The two programs can also work together. During a classroom visit, students may have an opportunity to explore the larger specimens from a Rock, Mineral, and Fossil Collection before receiving their individual GeoKIDS kits.
How can a teacher request GeoKIDS kits?
Teachers interested in GeoKIDS can contact the Oklahoma Geological Survey to discuss a classroom visit or to request kits for their students. OGS can work with educators to develop a short lesson or customize the experience for their students.