Iron Hill Museum April 20, 2009Today we visited Iron Hill Museum. o We will see many artifacts and examples of earth materials that shw evidence of the past, which help us piece together our history.

First, we went inside and saw the animals that are native to our region. Wow! The students were surprised to see so many animals in one place. To think that somewhere out there they have roamed and still may roam today…right here in Delaware!

Look at them all! Can you name them?

Check out the turkeys up on top of the case!

The Blue HeronThis extraordinary bird lives here too, and can be seen in the early morning hours fishing at Lums pond!

IThis rock is heavy! It has iron ore in it!

Indian ArtifactsThe Lenape Indians left many artifacts that tell us how they lived, cooked, and hunted. So much to learn! Would you like to grind your own flour?

Indian ArtifactsCheck out this cool rock that had paint powder inside it! The Indians added water to the powder and made paint to decorate their bodies.

Indian ArtifactsDid you ever think that arrowheads came in so many different shapes and sizes? We also learned how the Indians shaved the rock to make it a arrowhead….it took a long time and was a lot of work… Boy, was it ever sharp!

Animal FursThe Indians made use of the whole animal including its fur. They made clothes and used them for trading with the settlers. They sure are soft and colorful!

Earth MaterialsWe learned about the three different kinds of rock: Sedimentary, Metamorphic, and Igneous! Wow! Did you know all these rocks have names? A rock isn’t JUST a rock anymore! So much to see and learn!

Sedentary RocksSome rocks are a conglomerate of many small rocks. Some have layers of different kinds of rock and earth material. Some are crazy blends and colors! They all give us clues about the past. Check out the fossils!

Igneous RockCool! This rock came out of a volcano! It is a shiny black color…That’s right, Basalt . We know it was made from lava that cooled very quickly… that means there was water around. Hmmmm…

MetamorphicGranite: (on the left) This particular rock is made up of mica and quartz.

Geode: (on the right) These are incredible examples of how the earth’s heat and pressure can produce beautiful crystalline patterns.

MineralsFeast your eyes on these beautiful crystals!

Iron MiningMany years ago, miners dug for rocks that they smelted down to extract iron ore. The iron ore was used to make utensils and tools of all kinds.

The Tulip Poplar TreeThe students learned how the Indians used the Tulip Poplar trees to make canoes. One of the many interesting facts they learned was that the tree grows a new ring every year. If you count the rings on a tree that has been cut – you will know how old the tree is!

The Magic Mini-MountainThis mountain of dirt holds many valuable artifacts from years ago when The museum was a One Room School House and the children played here. Their toys and personal items that have been found are true artifacts and mementos of their time. These uncovered clues allow us to piece together the past. What do your toys say about you?

Petrified RockAmazing ! This log is actually petrified! It is now hard as a rock!

A Lot to Ponder…..What can this log tell us? Are there still insects stuck inside? How old is it? How long did it take to become petrified? Why did this happen? What was going on at the time that this fell - to make this happen? Can we piece together the clues of its history? … What is ITS story?