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School teachers from across the State gathered for the Illinois Teachers Workshop: Rocks, Minerals & Mining in Today’s Society, presented by the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP). Christopher Midden, a teacher at Unity Point School in Carbondale, refreshed his knowledge of science and learned so much more about the importance of various minerals and aggregates including stone, sand and gravel. The workshop was held July 19th-21st at Chestnut Mountain Resort near Galena, Illinois.
“Rocks and minerals are used in the foundation of our homes, shingles on the roof, and nearly every material in between, as well as a wide variety of essential products including medicine, food, and electronics,” said Shawn McKinney, IAAP Outreach Manager. “Teachers even made their own toothpaste using limestone and other ingredients.” |
Christopher Midden joined thirty-three elementary, middle and high school teachers for lectures and hands-on activities presented by government, industry and academic professionals exploring Illinois geology, fossils, aggregate mining, and minerals in our everyday lives. Hands-on activities, such as cookie mining, birdseed mining and layer cake core drilling, allowed teachers to experience fun and exciting ways to engage students in learning about geological processes and mining economics. Seminars including Life Cycle of a Mine: Exploration to Operation to Reclamation and Rocks & Minerals in Our Daily Lives, helped to illustrate the connection between the products we use today and the raw material source.
During two fieldtrips, teachers visited the Galena History Museum and the Mining Museum in Platteville, Wisconsin to learn about the importance of lead and zinc mining to this area of the state. These fieldtrips also included a visit to the Conmat stone mine near Elizabeth, Illinois where teachers observed mining operations, asphalt production, and searched for fossils. Afterwards, participants traveled though the Northwestern Illinois countryside to learn more about historical homes built from cut stone and the geological formations underfoot. The workshop concluded with a visit to a William Charles Construction Company project where Illinois Route 20 was being realigned thus completing the circle of understanding from the formation of rocks and minerals to mining aggregates and finally witnessing how those aggregates are being used today.
All of the information and activities presented, as well as numerous educational materials provided to the teachers, were designed to have practical applications for students in their classrooms. Teachers completing the workshop received continuing professional development unit credit and optional graduate degree hours from Illinois State University.
This was the fourteenth year for the Illinois Teachers Workshop. Sponsorship for Christopher Midden was provided by a contribution from aggregate producing company Fairmount Minerals. The IAAP is a trade association representing 95 producer companies in 69 counties mining more than 90 percent of Illinois's aggregate and 122 associate member companies providing goods and services to the industry. |
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