Old Rock Day: Celebrate Rocks!
Ranked #8,908 in Holidays & Celebrations, #151,939 overall | Donates to National Wildlife Federation's Alaska Regional Center
In Honor of Rocks Everywhere
Actually, there's very little written about Old Rock Day except its a day for "celebrating" rocks and fossils, or using rocks in an art or craft project. If I had known about Old Rock Day (ORD) last January 7th, I would have written a poem about rocks to commemorate their day. Now I'll make up for that oversight by creating a lens in honor of rocks (and fossils) and I dedicate it to my inner child who had an affinity for them.
pic by OXLstudents / photobucket
Let's Celebrate!
The School of Hard Rocks
Sentimental for Sedimentary
Be knowledgeable on Old Rock Day
SANDSTONE
Seventy percent of all the rocks on earth are sedimentary rocks.
When rocks are exposed to the elements - air, rain, sun, freeze/thaw cycle, plants - erosion occurs and the little bits of rock worn away get deposited as sediments. Over time, these sediments harden as they get buried by more sediments and turn into sedimentary rocks.
There are 6 types of sedimentary rock:
CONGLOMERATE rock has rounded rocks (pebbles, boulders) cemented together in a matrix.
SANDSTONE is a soft stone made when sand grains cement together. Sometimes the sandstone is deposited in layers of different colored sand.
SHALE is clay that has been hardened and turned into rock. It often breaks apart in large flat sections.
LIMESTONE is a rock that contains many fossils and is made of calcium carbonate &/or microscopic shells.
GYPSUM, common salt or Epsom salt is found where sea water precipitates the salt as the water evaporates.
BRECCIA has jagged bits of rock cemented together in a matrix.
photo: JordanFieldBroderick / phtotbucket
The Mighty Metamorphics
SLATE
Metamorphic rocks are igneous or sedimentary rocks that have been transformed by great heat or pressure. Examples are: slate, marble, quartzite.
FOLIATED metamorphic rocks have layers, or banding.
Slate is transformed shale. It splits into smooth slabs.
Schist is the most common metamorphic rock. Mica is the most common mineral.
Gneiss has a streaky look because of alternating layers of minerals.
NON-FOLIATED metamorphic rocks are not layered.
Marble is transformed limestone.
Quartzite is very hard.
photo: tirral86 / photobucket
The Irascible Igneous
GRANITE
Igneous rocks form when molten lava (magma) cools and turn to solid rock. Examples are: granite, basalt, pumice and flint (which is a form of quartz).
There are 5 kinds of igneous rocks:
GRANITE contains quartz, feldspar & mica
DIORITE contains feldspar & one or more dark mineral. Feldspar is dominant.
GABBRO contains feldspar & one or more dark mineral. The dark minerals are dominant.
PERIODOTITE contains iron and is black or dark.
PEGMATITIE is a coarse-grained granite with large crystals of quartz,
feldspar and mica.
photo: beeper_photos / photobucket
Music with Rock
music for Old Rock Day
Stones for Words
(poems to read on Old Rock Day)
Poem: Stone Words
by J.B. Marshall
the depth breath beauty or challenge
of poets' felt vision
yet poets persist
it is a mountain to climb
seemingly impossible
but you take the first word and begin
climbing resting struggling
exhilaration - moments when it seems
you'll make the point
then the scaling feels endless
but you keep going for the moment
you can lift yourself up
and plant your signature
on top of the world briefly
knowing the wonder of it is still buried
in stoney words
yet the rock contains a light
never anticipated
Poem: Among the Rocks
by Robert Browning
This autumn morning! How he sets his bones
To bask i' the sun, and thrusts out knees and feet
For the ripple to run over in its mirth;
Listening the while, where on the heap of stones
The white breast of the sea-lark twitters sweet.
That is the doctrine, simple, ancient, true;
Such is life's trial, as old earth smiles and knows.
If you loved only what were worth your love,
Love were clear gain, and wholly well for you:
Make the low nature better by your throes!
Give earth yourself, go up for gain above!
Rock
by Meish Goldish
Rock rock.Who's there?
Slate.
Slate who?
It's slate. Time to got to bedrock!
Rock rock.
Who's there?
Granite.
Granite who?
Don't take all rocks for granite!
Rock rock.
Who's there?
Coal.
Coal who?
If you're coal, I'll warm you up!
Rock rock.
Who's there?
Marble.
Marble who?
That pretty rock looks marble-ous!
Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Rocks?
Toys Rock
Games Rock
Geology Rocks!: 50 Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth (Kaleidoscope Kids)
Amazon Price: $6.35 (as of 06/03/2012)
The text is witty but conveys much factual material. The experiments can be done easily with household items and include safety precautions. Whether making the standard chemical volcano, catching falling stars, or creating a mini glacier, readers will find much of interest here. (amazon)
Growing Crystals
Scientific Explorer's Ultimate Crystal Growing Science Kit
Amazon Price: $22.22 (as of 06/03/2012)
IN THIS KIT:
* This kit has 15 different crystal growing activities
* Grow geodes and grow giant crystals
* Grow crystals quickly - See spectacular results with in a 2 - 3 days
* This fun kit makes geology exciting and accessible to kids
* The crystal experiments in this kit make great projects for science fairs
Paint A Pet Rock
Alex Toys Paint A Rockpet Turtle 666W
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 06/03/2012)
This kit is fan-freakin-tastic. You get all of the loyalty and companionship of a best friend, and you don't have to be embarassed to go out with them because they're already wearing a beautiful outfit that - guess what - you get to make yourself! (amazon reviewer: Tea Square 19)
Digital Pet Rock
USB Pet Rock
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 06/03/2012)
They make a great gift for everyone we can think of. They don't need food or water. They don't chew on your stuff. They will make you instantly cool. They never talk back to you. They will forever love you in their own rocky way. They are the greenest USB products ever created, as they draw absolutely no electricity.
Quartz of Quotes
Great to share on Old Rock Day
Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
~ Hunter S. Thompson ~
Geologists have a saying - rocks remember.
~ Neil Armstrong ~
How difficult it is to save the bark of reputation from the rocks of ignorance.
~ Petrarch ~
I have to get inspired by something that touches my soul, or rocks my soul.
~ Steven Tyler ~
I'll bet your father spent the first year of your life throwing rocks at the stork.
~ Irving Brecher ~
If it weren't for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song.
~ Carl Perkins ~
Music has charms to sooth a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
~ William Congreve ~
My marriage is on the rocks again, yeah, my wife just broke up with her boyfriend.
~ Rodney Dangerfield ~
The person that turns over the most rocks wins the game. And that's always
been my philosophy.
~ Peter Lynch ~
The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks.
~ Tennessee Williams ~
We should not be throwing verbal rocks at each other. We're all responsible
to continue the growth of Hip Hop.
~ Grandmaster Flash ~
The Art of Fossils
How Are Fossils Formed?
by Doug and Claudia Mann
FREEZING (refrigeration) -This is the best means of preservation of ancient materials. It happens only rarely. The animal must be continually frozen from the time of death until discovery. That limits the possibilities to cold hardy animals from the last ice age. There have been remarkable discoveries of mammoth and wooly rhinoceros found in ice from Alaska and Siberia. Specimens with flesh, skin, and hair intact have been found. Some of these finds suggest that they were flash frozen, with food still in the mouth and stomach.DRYING (desiccation) - Mummified bodies of animals including humans have been discovered in arid parts of the world. The soft tissues including skin and organs are preserved for thousands of years if they are completely dried.
ASPHALT - In what is now downtown Los Angeles lies a 23 acre park called The La Brea Tar Pits, officially Hancock Park. Within the park are over 100 pits filled with sticky asphalt or tar. The tar pits were formed by crude oil seeping through fissures in the earth. The lighter elements of the oil evaporate leaving thick sticky asphalt.
The pits are famous for the number and high quality of Pleistocene fossils that have been pulled from the pits. The fossils date between 10 and 40 thousand years old. Asphalt is an excellent preservative. Bones, teeth, shells, the exoskeletons of insects, and even some plant seeds have been pulled from the pits.
AMBER - Insects, spiders, and even small lizard have been found, nearly perfectly preserved in amber. Picture this scenario: A fly lands on a tree branch in an area that is now the Baltic sea. While looking for food it steps in sticky sap that the tree has made to protect itself from fungal infection.
As the fly struggles to escape it becomes more and more entombed in the sap until it is completely engulfed and suffocates. The tree eventually dies and falls into the swampy water from which it grew. Over the course of millions of years the tree along with countless others becomes a coal deposit and the sap with our fly inside is polymerized and hardened into amber.
CARBONIZATION (distillation)- In this process of fossilization plant leaves, and some soft body parts of fish, reptiles, and marine invertebrates decompose leaving behind only the carbon. This carbon creates an impression in the rock outlining the fossil, sometimes with great detail.
PERMINERALIZATION-This is the most common method of fossil preservation. Minerals fill the cellular spaces and crystallize. The shape of the original plant or animal is preserved as rock. Sometimes the original material is dissolved away leaving the form and structure but none of the organic material remains.
info taken from Fossils-Facts-and-Finds.com
photo: A Fish Fossil by fossilsue / photobucket
trilobyte
insect
a relatively new fossil!
coral
The Mystery of the Sliding Rocks
The Sliding Rocks of Racetrack Playa - read it to your kids on Old Rock Day
One of the most interesting mysteries of Death Valley National Park is the sliding rocks at Racetrack Playa (a playa is a dry lake bed). These rocks can be found on the floor of the playa with long trails behind them. Somehow these rocks slide across the playa, cutting a furrow in the sediment as they move.Some of these rocks weigh several hundred pounds. That makes the question: "How do they move?" a very challenging one.
The truth: No one knows for sure exactly how these rocks move - although a few people have come up with some pretty good explanations. The reason why their movement remains a mystery: No one has ever seen them in motion!
LET'S LEARN HOW THEY ARE THOUGHT TO MOVE....
Rainbow Rocks
Rocks on a String
Love on the Rocks
more music for Old Rock Day
Rockin' Resources
plan your celebration early!
- ROCKS FOR KIDS
- How rocks are formed. Some information on this page was taken from this site.
- FOSSILS-FACTS-AND-FINDS
- Excellent resource on fossils
- ALL ABOUT GEMSTONES
- Information: gemstones and gem jewelry.
- ACTIVITIES WITH ROCKS AND STONES
- For kids / family.
- BEYOND PENGUINS AND POLAR BEARS
- Hands-On Science and Literacy Activities about Rocks and Minerals.
Need Your Opinion . . .
Should Old Rock Day become a work holiday?
Since the Earth and moon are basically big rocks, I say yes!
Not every one has the same feelings about rocks, I say no!
Tolovaj says:
I think we have enough work holidays at the moment:)
Pet Rocks
Where art and geology come together
THE "EVERYROCK" PET ROCK
Miscellaneous Rocks
Rocky the Flying Squirrel
Rock of Gibralter
Rocker
Old Rocker
Rocky Road
Flying Rock
House on a Rock
Yo Rocky
Chiseled Characters
Scotch on the Rocks
Poster Gems
How will you celebrate the next Old Rock Day?
. . . or any other thoughts about rocks
-
-
moonlitta
Dec 4, 2011 @ 1:47 pm | delete
- Well your rocks rock...Have you thought of joining the Rocket Moms who also rock?
-
-
-
jaktraks
Dec 4, 2011 @ 2:03 pm | delete
- It crossed my mind but I only have children with fur.
-
More Gemstones
Accessories
by jaktraks
I'm a Licensed Clinical Counselor, poet and freelance writer. I love animals, playing on the computer, quantum physics, being outside, napping with my... more »
- 87 featured lenses
- Winner of 18 trophies!
- Top lens » Neville Goddard: Just Imagine
Explore related pages
- Phractured Philosophy: Chicken or Egg First? Phractured Philosophy: Chicken or Egg First?
- Things to Do With And Activities For 3 Year Olds Things to Do With And Activities For 3 Year Olds
- Turtle Coloring Pages Turtle Coloring Pages
- Science File Folder Games Science File Folder Games
- How To Clean Swarovski Crystal Jewelry How To Clean Swarovski Crystal Jewelry
- Fun Free Activities For Families Fun Free Activities For Families
Gemstone Beauty
Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World
Amazon Price: $27.95 (as of 06/03/2012)
All About Gemstones
Gemstones: Understanding, Identifying, Buying
Amazon Price: $15.65 (as of 06/03/2012)
Beading with Gemstones
Making Jewelry with Gemstone Beads
Amazon Price: $10.50 (as of 06/03/2012)
