Rocks are identified by their compositions, textures and internal structures. Rock Star 101 (PDF) offers an overview of the three main rock categories and their identifying characteristics.  » Read more

BC Mines and Mineral Exploration Overview 2008

Each year the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources publishes their "Mines and Mineral Exploration Overview", which takes stock of BC's mining and mineral exploration sectors.  » Read more

Exploring Careers in Earth Sciences - New Web site

One of our Canadian contributions for the IYPE is a new Web site - www.EarthSciencesCanada.com - which honours our geological heritage and the people who have contributed to its understanding. An important feature is a Web site for young people interested in Exploring Careers in Earth Sciences.  » Read more

Field Trip Travel / Classroom Workshop Subsidy Application
Teachers may apply for a subsidy to help offset the costs of field trip travel to a mining or geoscience desitnation or to bring a mineral-relevant workshop to their classroom. You may view and download the application here.  » Read more

MREPBC Resource Units
The MREPBC has five, comprehensive Resource Units to assist teaching minerals, mining and geoscience in the classroom at all grade levels. They are all written by teachers for teachers and have been created to match BC curriculum requirements.  » Read more

MREPBC Videos
The MREPBC has produced four minerals industry videos (careers, environmental issues, mining process, and mining technology diploma program) for classroom use. All are collaborations with BC teachers and feature young people who are learning about mining.  » Read more

I am an Exploration Geologist / Je suis un geologue d'exploration (Colouring & Activity Book)

Suzanne Wernli-Roy at John Field Elementary in Hazelton, BC kindly translated I am and Exploration Geologist into French! Both the English and French versions of this unique resource for young learners can be downloaded!  » Read more

Mining Career Profiles (Australia)
The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has assembled an excellent online careers resource.  » Read more

Stanley Park Geology Field Trip Activity

Chris Loewen from W. J. Mouat Secondary in Abbotsford, has developed a great field trip activity for students examining the geology of Stanley Park in Vancouver.  » Read more

GeoTour Guide for Kamloops, BC
GSC geoscientist Bob Turner has worked with several Kamloops geologists to develop a new field trip guide that spotlights the variety of Earth materials underlying the Kamloops area, the water resources and variety of mineral resources being extracted nearby, and how the city deals with its waste.  » Read more

Geologic Journey available on DVD
This groundbreaking five-part breathes relevance into ancient geology and traces the extraordinary history of our continent is now available for purchase from the CBC for both personal home and educational use.  » Read more

New Safety Unit for Primary Students
Join exploration geologist Anja as she spends her summer in an exploration camp in northern BC safely searching for valuable mineral deposits!  » Read more

K-3 Mining Process Slides
Here is a downloadable gallery of images (with captions) from the K-3 Integrated Resource Unit: Kids and Rocks that outlines the main steps in the mining process.  » Read more

Looking Through Stone
Canadian poet Susan Ioannou has a special way of seeing rocks.  » Read more

Mine Reclamation Success Stories
Disturbing the natural environment during mining is inevitable, but restoring the land after mining is completed - reclamation - is...  » Read more

Geotour Guide For Terrace
The new (2007) Terrace GeoTour guide is a beautifully illustrated, dowloadable booklet that highlights key geological features of the Terrace area, how they influence the community and how the community impacts the Earth.  » Read more

Natural Hazards of Canada Posters
Earthquakes, landslides, floods, avalanches, tornados - these are all natural phenomena that Earth scientists monitor, assess and develop public policies for to keep the Canadian public informed and safe.  » Read more

Okanagan Basin Waterscape
Here is another of the outstanding geoscape series developed by the Geological Survey of Canada - this one particularly useful to BC educators.  » Read more

Book Writing with a Mineral Theme - 2006
MINERAL MANIA, written and illustrated by the Grade 5 class at Sacred Heart School in Delta (Spring 2006) takes top honours.  » Read more

A Field Guide to the Identification of Pebbles
If you or someone you know enjoys collecting pebbles and needs some help identifying them, this beautiful (and laminated) field guide can be used on a hike, at the beach, or in your classroom!  » Read more

Geologic Time Scale
Natural Resources Canada has a very detailed geologic time scale available for viewing and printing here....  » Read more

At Risk: Earthquakes and Tsunamis on the West Coast
BC, on the leading edge of the North American continent and above the Cascadia subduction zone, is at high risk for earthquakes and associated tsunamis. This recent book by four Vancouver geologists explains and illustrates why, but the question remains - when?  » Read more

Minerals of Canada Poster
Minerals are everywhere, but some are known to occur in certain places or are especially good quality or abundant in others. The Mineralogical Association of Canada's colourful, bilingual poster (In print and online) features the special mineral occurences across Canada.  » Read more

Roadside Geology of Southern British Columbia
Bill Mathews and Jim Monger The title says it all - this excellent new book describes and interprets the geology readily seen along our roads in relation to the regional geology. Covering southern BC from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alberta border, it includes 31 road guides, complete with relief maps; photographs and beautiful diagrams. Available in paperback at the Geological Survey of Canada bookstore and other book sellers.  » Read more

Canadian Volcanoes
Did you know that a volcanic eruption in northern British Columbia 250 years ago was the most devastating geologic event recorded in Canada, killing approximately 2000 people? Canadian Volcanoes, a new PowerPoint presentation created by Dr. Catherine Hickson, Senior Volcanologist with the Geological Survey of Canada in Vancouver, shares this information and more.  » Read more

Mining in BC Poster
The MREPBC has recently developed Industrial Mineral, Metal and Coal Operations in BC , a colour poster (24"x 30") that shows the locations of all major industrial mineral, metal and coal producers in the province. Teachers may request a free copy for their classroom, or download the supplementary teaching materials and student activity sheets related to industrial minerals operations which have also been developed by MREPBC to complement the poster.  » Read more

The Latest Geoscape Posters are Waterscapes
The Geological Survey of Canada has developed two posters that focus on the hydrologic cycle and precious water resources ? Waterscape Gulf Islands and Waterscape Bowen Island. These colourful posters convey information on where the water originates, how it's delivered to users, human activities that threaten its safety, and methods for conservation.  » Read more

Diamond Fever
Yellowknife teacher and author (Northern Diamonds, 2004) Gayla Meredith engaged her Grade 3 students in a study of diamond mining. Out of their interest and new understanding the children wrote and creatively illustrated an adventure tale ? Diamond Fever.  » Read more

Adventures in Earth Science Education
Caterpillar has produced a new CD-ROM of activities for K-12 teachers that focus on mining, minerals and coal. The disc is jam-packed with exercises from Common Ground, plus a number of resources from other organizations involved in mineral education, all of which have been sorted by grade-level and subject.  » Read more

Mount St. Helens: Surviving the Stone Wind
In Mount St. Helens: Surviving the Stone Wind, GSC geologist Dr. Catherine Hickson shares her personal account of the 1980 eruption, writing not only on the terror and destruction, but also of the history of the volcano and on its future utilizing a number of never-before-published photographs and diagrams.  » Read more

The Third Option Rocks: Trade and Technical Training and Careers
The Business Council of BC (BCBC) has produced a 4-hour interactive DVD The Third Option ? Rocks to inform young people of more than 100 high-demand and well-paid technical and trade occupations through descriptive profiles and interviews with successful trained workers. The resource has been developed to accompany the BCBC publication, The Third Option: A First Choice - Rewarding Careers Via Non-University Pathways.  » Read more

Introduction to Field Geology
UBC?s Dr. Mary Lou Bevier has written this comprehensive, student-friendly book that covers field methods, map interpretation and publishing, and new digital mapping techniques. Written for beginning university students with an emphasis on hands-on learning, it might also be useful to Geology 12 teachers who incorporate field work into their course.  » Read more

Oresome Froth
The Minerals Council of Australia Education Program has developed an interactive, on-line resource for students that explains the mining process and introduces them to the chemical processes involved in froth flotation of metal sulphide minerals. Oresome Froth can be used on-line or downloaded onto your computer.  » Read more

MAP PLACE
The Geological Survey Branch of the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources' MapPlace is a powerful on-line tool for creating geoscience maps of BC.  » Read more

Geoscape Nanaimo Poster
Geoscape Nanaimo is the latest wall-sized, full colour poster joining Geoscapes for more than 10 major cities across Canada.  » Read more

The Last Billion Years - Maritime Geologic History
The Last Billion Years is a unique history book focussing on the geological history of the Maritime provinces.  » Read more

Map Image Rendering Database for Geoscience
MIRAGE (Map Image Rendering Database for Geoscience) is a digital library of Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) geological maps. Teachers and students can use this site to search and access the Earth Science Sector's extensive collection of geoscience maps via Internet.  » Read more

Class Field Trip and Workshop Information
A listing and contact information for great field trip destinations and education programs that come to the classroom plus summaries of other teachers' trips.  » Read more

Geological Survey of Canada Lower Mainland Geology Field Trip Guides
Geological Survey of Canada geoscientists Bob Turner and John Clague (now at SFU) developed several guidebooks for Lower Mainland geology field trips. Available here in PDF format, they are helpful for teachers planning field trips for their classes.  » Read more

Mining in BC Bookmarks
Newly updated for 2008, the MREPBC has developed a compact educational resource on mining in BC in a colourful, information-packed bookmark. Teachers may order a class set FREE!  » Read more

Three Dimensional Rock Cycle Model
A unique way to introduce elementary students to rock types is to match distinctive rock textures with different textures and patterns of fabric and other common materials. Here is a complete lesson developed by two Richmond teachers on the rock cycle using a schematic cross-section from the K-3 Rocks and Minerals Integrated Science kit.  » Read more

Coal Mining Webquest
This is a web-based unit for Gr. 5 on coal mining in the past and present, and prospects for the future on Vancouver Island. It was developed by Dorothy Cousins, a teacher-librarian at Sea View Elementary Middle Secondary in Port Alice, BC. The unit provides teacher information, student assignments, and references.  » Read more

Geoscience Web Site Links for Teachers
This page includes links for topics such as energy resources, geology, mapping, palaeontolgy, volcanoes, etc.  » Read more

Mining & Engineering Web Site Links for Teachers
This page includes links for topics such as the mining process, mining and the environment, mining history, quarrying, engineering, etc.  » Read more

Mine Safety Activity for Elementary Students
Last spring in conjunction with Mining Week 2003 MREPBC developed a colouring activity that introduces and explains the equipment underground miners use to stay safe at work.  » Read more

It Comes From a Mine
It Comes From a Mine, an easy-to-read book from Placer Dome on the things we use in our daily lives that come from minerals is here - in English, French and Spanish!  » Read more

ESCI 11/Geology 12 Question Database
A useful database of Q and A for quizzes, exams and worksheets is a great resource for ESCI 11 / Geology 12 teachers is available on CD.  » Read more

1. K-3 Integrated Resource Unit: Kids and Rocks*
Unit Overview Topic 1 Introduction to Rocks Topic 2 Introduction to Minerals (Science in a Bag) Topic 3 The...  » Read more

2. Grade 5 Integrated Resource Unit on Mining
Section I: Mining in the Past Topic A: Novel Study: "Pit Pony" Topic B: A Field Trip To Britannia...  » Read more

3. Social Studies 10/11 Mining in BC
Unit Overview Topic 1: Why Do We Mine? Topic 2: Exploration Topic 3: Extraction Topic 4: Processing Topic 5:...  » Read more

4. Science of Mining Resource Unit
Check out two new lab activities on Acid Rock Drainage and Flocculation.  » Read more

5. Earth Science 11 Geology 12
Unit Overview Earth Science 11 Astronomy Rocks/Minerals Earthquakes/Volcanoes Plate Tectonics Miscellaneous Geology 12 Time and the Fossil Record Internal...  » Read more



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