All About Rocks And Minerals

Grouped at different tables in Hawley Elementary School’s multipurpose room, third graders learned all about rocks and minerals on Thursday, October 21, before venturing outside the school to search for garnets, under the guidance of Tom Alena of Talcot Mountain State Park.

“Sometimes minerals can take on very interesting shapes,” said Mr Alena during his presentation to the students.

Mr Alena said the Thursday event was the first time he brought the presentation to Hawley. During most school years, Mr Alena said Hawley students venture to the Litchfield County state park to learn about rocks and minerals, but due to the weather expected for the week, he went to Hawley.

Mr Alena shared different collections of rocks and minerals with the students, and shared information on each with the students.

“Connecticut is actually known as the Garnet State, said Mr Alena. “It’s our state mineral. It happens to be the January birth stone.”

Before bringing the students outside, equipped with safety goggles and rock cameras, Mr Alena explained that students should look for little “BBs” in the ground to find the garnets. The event kicked off the rock and mineral curriculum for third grade.