MINKIDS: A K-8 MINERALOGY CURRICULUM FOR EARLY EXPOSURE TO GEOSCIENCE IN OKLAHOMA

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 brought with it many challenges including a transition to hybrid/online learning in Oklahoma educational institutions, which was the motivation of this project. Twenty-five equivalent sets of 50 minerals were purchased for distance learning in an undergraduate mineralogy course during the fall semester, and then to be available for K-8 students in Oklahoma throughout the remainder of the year. We developed the accompanying curriculum including the hands-on mineral kits as “MinKIDS” (Kids Investigating and Doing Science with Minerals). Initial steps of the project began with curriculum design and development focusing on creating a tool that is freely accessible and open-access, allows for hands on and active learning, and aligns to Oklahoma state science standards. After testing the created materials as a team, the curriculum was piloted in several classrooms. The iterative and living curriculum development process continues; each pilot / implementation of the lessons is followed by design updates based on student and teacher feedback. The open-source online nature of the curriculum allows for teachers to familiarize themselves with the materials before they have access to the physical kits, along with giving them access to additional resources housed on the MinKIDS website. MinKIDS has been created in hopes of giving students and teachers in all educational settings, including public, private, home, and informal institutions early exposure to geoscience concepts that will instill a passion for the subject and foster the next generation of geoscientists.