Hiddenite Field Trip

It was a cold, damp autumn day as the fourth graders traveled to the Emerald City. First, they went sluicing - a process where they put dirt into a screen and flushed it out with running water. Some interesting rocks they found included a Moonstone, a Brown Jasper, an Amethyst that weighed 47 grams, a Unakite and a Sun Quartz.

After they finished sluicing, they hiked down through the woods to the creek. They entered the bone chilling water armed with screens, shovels and high expectations. As they sifted the dirt and gravel, they were committed to find a Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald. As luck and hard work would have it, a few Rubies were unearthed.

At noon, with frozen feet and hungry stomachs they stopped for lunch and a new set of warm dry clothes. Upon returning to Woodlawn, they identified their treasures using rock and mineral field guides and scratch tests.

Quotes of the day:
"I found a Topaz and I really like it."
"I found a bunch of neat gemstones like Rubies and Topaz, and I like them very much."
"When I found the Moonstone, I was jumping for joy."
Mrs. Lysne: "My favorite part was being in nature, sluicing in the creek with everyone."
Mrs. Thomas: "I could have bought a scoop of rocks for a $1. I got all flakes from the creek."