Earth Science Week at FHSU Geosciences!
As part of the nation wide Earth Science awareness campaign FHSU Department of Geosciences hosts events and contests throughout the month of October
Earth Science Week 2020
Schedule of Events and Activities
"EARTH MATERIALS IN OUR LIVES"
How will we celebrate Earth Science Week in 2020? We plan to celebrate big and small, local and global, in-person and remote. We have a new array of week-long and daily activities planned highlighting the importance of earth materials in our lives.
DAILY ACTIVITIES
Sunday, Oct. 11th - Earth Cache Day 
What is an EarthCache? It's a global treasure hunt where the treasure at the end of the hunt completed with the use of GPS is a geology wonder or lesson. We encourage you to check out this fun and educational activity that not only offers you the opportunity to learn but also to explore the world around you and challenge yourself. Visit https://www.geocaching.com/play for more information.
Monday, Oct. 12th - Colloquium Series Presentation
3:30-4:30 pm CST online via zoom
“From chemist to geologist and back again: The intertwined disciplines of my science driven life.”
by Steven Reed, FHSU Alumni
FHSU Alumni Steven Reed is our special guest speaker for Earth Science Week at Fort Hays State University. His presentation will focus on how important earth materials are in his life and the ways they have shaped his career choices and personal interests. Plus bonus images from recent travel to Morocco and the Sahara desert.
Registration required in advance for this presentation. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Don’t miss out, Register now!
Tuesday, Oct 13th - Earth At Work
Check out this pdf for videos and a short quiz related to the harvesting and use of earth natural resources.
Teasers: Did you know the only salt mine accessible to tour is located in the USA? Did you know the largest open pit mine in California is extracting a mineral used for nutritional supplements? Do you know where a majority of the marble in the Washington DC monuments was mined?
Wednesday, Oct. 14th - National Fossil Day
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History is planning fun and educational presentations. Watch their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sternberg.museum/ for National Fossil Day announcements.
Thursday, Oct. 15th - Crossword Earth Science Knowledge Challenge
We challenge you to complete crossword puzzles to claim the title of earth knowledge king!
Crossword puzzles will be available on the FHSU campus, located outside of Tomanek Hall 233 for pick up, or available for download here on Thursday.
Try your hand at one or all. Let us know how you did (don't give away the answers though!).
Test your knowledge in with the following themed crossword puzzles: Geology - Challenge 1; Geography; Cartography; Weather and Climate; Geology - Challenge 2
Friday, Oct. 16th - Virtual Recycling Plant Tour
Check out this pdf to explore the processes involved in large scale recycling and learn how to figure your own carbon footprint
WEEK-LONG ACTIVITIES
Recycling Awareness - B GRRR T Activity
Do you know what the 3R's in resource use are? How do activities using the concepts of the 3R's help the environment and this earth we live on and add more time to our landfills?
Take some time this week to participate in a recycling or reuse project that will reduce items in our landfills or natural environments. Choose one of our suggested activities or do one of our own. Share your B GRRR T activity with us on Social Media.
Ideas suggested by students will be posted Oct. 1st -11th, check back daily for more fun ideas!
Recycle - Newspaper Earth Garland; Reuse - Mini Terrarium; Recycle - Birdfeeder Milk Carton; Reuse - Tin Can Planter; Recycle - Newspaper Basket; Reuse - K-Cup Seedling Pots; Recycle - Plastic Bag Basket; Recycle - Plastic Lid Windchime; Recycle - Produce Bag Pot Scrubbers
GEOegg - Digital Information Challenge
Do you know what an Easter egg is, in reference to digital media? The term in general has come to mean a hidden object. When it comes to digital media that can mean hidden references, clues, information, features, or inside jokes in TV shows, movies, video games, and on websites.
We have a fun challenge for you during the week of our Earth Science Week celebration. We have redubbed the classic Easter Egg as GEOegg for our purposes and have hidden some fun images, information, and activities throughout our website.
Each day of the week we will reveal a clue to the location of one of the GEOeggs right here. When you find it, complete the task associated and submit your find to geosciences@fhsu.edu with the subject line GEOegg.
All submissions entered by midnight Sunday, Oct. 18 th will be entered into a drawing for a small treat bag to be given away Monday, Oct. 19 th.
Clues & Activity Instructions
- Sunday, Oct 11
This should be an easy one. The daily theme for Sunday of Earth Science Week is ‘Earth Cache’ your first task is to find out what an Earth Cache is and how you can locate them. When you know send us an email at geosciences@fhsu.edu with 'GEOegg' in the subject line and tell us how many caches are within a 60 mile radius of your current location? - Monday, Oct 12
Some science fiction TV series make an effort to use real science and scientific theory. One such TV series, with continuing series and spin-offs still in production today, often references geology and minerals in both name and imagery. Somewhere within our geo website we have posted something that links this TV series to a personnel trait. We hope you get to know us a little better in your search. When you find it send us an email to geosciences@fhsu.edu with ‘GEOegg’ in the subject line, tell us where you found it, and what you think the link is! - Tuesday, Oct 13
Remote sensing technologies and applications have had and will continue to have an impact on our daily lives. In Geosciences we have a lab dedicated to providing the resources to students who are taking GIS, Remote Sensing and Cartography classes. Your GEOegg hunt challenge today is to locate the room number for this lab, when you find it send us an email with ‘GEOegg’ in the subject line and tell us the building and room number. - Wednesday, Oct 14
Today is National Fossil Day, the career path chosen by some Geosciences graduates is the study of fossils, paleontology, and museum work. There are many career paths available to geoscientists. Your GEOegg hunt challenge today is to send us an email geosciences@fhsu.edu with GEOegg in the subject line with a geosciences career path the might intersect with your current career. Hint: you can get some help with this if you find the GEOegg related to careers on our website. - Thursday, Oct 15
Why do we think geosciences is for everyone? Because knowing the earth prepares you to enter the world and geosciences is a scientific specialty that reaches across many fields. We offer online and on-campus degree programs with several areas of focus. Your GEOegg hunt challenge today is to find out what else we offer in programs in addition to Bachelors and Master’s degrees. When you find our other unique and education expanding program options send us an email geosciences@fhsu.edu with ‘GEOegg’ in the subject line and tell us what you found. - Friday, Oct 16
The header image on the Department of Geosciences main webpage has a map in the image.Your GEOegg hunt challenge today is to send us an email geosciences@fhsu.edu with GEOegg in the subject line and tell us what type of map is in this image. Hint: Check out these two links for additional map information National Geographic Society, Geologic Map Day
- Saturday, Oct 17
Saturday of Earth Science Week is a celebration of International Archeology Day. There are two events being hosted within 340 miles of Hays, KS as part of this celebration. Your GEOegg hunt challenge today is to send us an email geosciences@fhsu.edu with GEOegg in the subject line and give us information on one of those events.
CHALLENGES
- What is the average number of different ore minerals in components of common mobile devices? Email your guess to geosciences@fhsu.edu with ‘Mobile Minerals’ in the subject line. You have until noon Oct. 12 th, Minerals Day, to make your guess. The answer will be reveled on Minerals Day, Monday Oct. 12 th at noon at which time we will also draw a name from all guesses for a small treat goodie bag.
CONGRATULATIONS Cloe Gibson, FHSU English major the winner for this challenge drawing.
ANSWER: The answer is on average 13-15 different ore minerals are used in components of mobile devices, with well over 100 mineral commodities from these ore minerals used in different devices. Source: U.S. Geological Survey
National and International Contests hosted by other organizations
AGI ESW HOSTED ACTIVITIES
The following national and international contests are open now, deadline to submit entries is Oct. 16th. Let us know if you submit an entry so we can watch for the contest winners announcement along with you!
Earth Science Week Video Contest http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/video
For Earth Science Week 2020, the American Geosciences Institute invites you to enter the “Earth Materials Around the World” video contest. Submit a brief, 30-90 second, original video exploring the many ways people interact with our planet’s raw materials.
Your video entry might take almost any form. A public service announcement? An animated cartoon? A video incorporating your own original music? An audio interview with a family member or even a professional geoscientist? Some other format? You decide. Show how people of various backgrounds around the world make the most of Earth materials!
Check out the website for contest and submission guidelines.
Earth Science Week AGI Photography Contest https://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/photography
AGI is sponsoring a photography contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2020. The photography theme for this year is: “Earth Materials in My Community.” Check out the website for contest guidelines.
OTHER ESW HOSTED ACTIVITIES
National Fossil Day Art Contest
Sponsored by the National Park Service
Theme “Life of the Paleozoic Oceans”
Submissions Due: Oct. 2 nd
Contest participants are invited to depict aquatic organisms from the Paleozoic oceans, particularly those found in the United States of America. Art can be in the form of a photograph, a painting, a drawing, or a sketch. All art must be 2D and flat.
For complete contest guidelines visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/art-contest-2020.htm
If you submit a work of art let us know so we can watch the Winners Gallery along with you on Oct. 14 th.
International Archaeology Day - Oct. 17th
(celebrated throughout the month of October)
Sponsored by the Archeological Institute of America and other organizations
International Archaeology Day (IAD) is a celebration of archaeology and its contributions to society. During October there are multiple hosted archaeological programs and activities for people of all ages and interests. Check out the International Archaeology Day events calendar to check out the presentations, virtual tours, and other activities.
Keep checking back for additional details on planned events such as virtual field trips and fun challenges, special presentations, and get-involved activities.
For even more fun and to check out events around the world visit the AGI's Earth Science Week website.
What is Earth Science Week and Why celebrate?
The American Geological Institute established Earth Sciences Week in 1998 to raise awareness of the geosciences and their importance to society. It is supported by the US Geological survey, NASA, NOAA, the National Park Service, and the AAPG Foundation.
"What does it mean to see the world through eyes informed by the geosciences? Earth scientists use many types of visualizations - graphic representations of data and information - to show what we know about how our planet's geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere interact. Earth Science Week 2015 focuses on the theme of 'Visualizing Earth Systems', exploring visualization methods ranging from traditional charts, graphs, diagrams, illustrations, and still images to videos, computer-generated animations, and 3D-printed creations. The celebration's learning resources and activities are engaging young people and others in investigating many ways of visualizing Earth systems." -Geoff Camphire, Manager, Outreach Programs, American Geological Institute