Welcome to CoreKids

WMU-MGRRE’s K-12 Earth Science Outreach Program

CoreKids helps students, teachers and the public to understand more about Earth, its processes and its natural resources.

For visitors familiar with our classroom visits and field trips of the past, we are sorry to report that those services will not be available during the 2011/2012 school year. Unfortunately, CoreKids did not receive funding for the 2011/2012 school year. This website, however, will remain operational indefinitely. Please see below for more about CoreKids past activities, and since future funding is always possible, keep checking the website for our status. (click here)

For information on helping to fund CoreKids, please contact Dr. Michael Grammer, WMU Department of Geosciences.

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Update October 2011:

For two days in October, CoreKids welcomed the Michigan Earth Science Teachers' (MESTA) Association Conference to the WMU Geosciences Department!

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MESTA held their annual conference here at WMU Friday October 7 and Saturday October 8. Friday was MESTA's Field Study Day during which Dr. Robb Gillespie, WMU professor, assisted by Dr. Mike Grammer (WMU prof) and Mr. Shawn McCloskey (WMU grad student) took participants on a drive across southwestern Michigan to study the glacial stratigraphy, coastal geology and slope stability of the area.

On Saturday October 8, conference participants met at MGRRE for a tour of the Core Laboratory and learned about the research made possible by the subsurface core samples and data housed there. Teachers were hosted by WMU professor Mike Grammer and graduate students Shawn McCloskey and Jennifer Trout.

Back at Rood Hall Dr. Grammer spoke to the group about how scientists are using new cutting edge tools to revisit and often reinterpret old data.

Saturday's technical sessions included diverse topics - something for everyone.

Please check out our MESTA conference CoreKids page for links to handouts and information related to the field trip and WMU faculty presentations.

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CoreKids thanks those teachers, students and sponsors who we worked with from 2007 - 2011

Dear Teachers and Students,

We are extremely disappointed to announce that, due to funding cuts, CoreKids staff will no longer classroom visits or host field trips. Both Susan and Jennifer will miss the many Michigan teachers we have come to know through the years and will especially miss meeting their 2011/2012 students. Former teachers and students can still reach Susan Grammer with questions at sfgrammer@charter.net.

But please don't stop depending on CoreKids for resources! This website will remain active indefinitely, providing resources that can help you to be excited about learning Earth Science. Many of the slide presentations that we used in classrooms are still available on this website in PDF form (contact Susan for PowerPoint versions), and there are downloadable posters about Michigan Geology, Porosity and Permeability, Natural Resources and other topics that you can print.

If you are a geoscientist wondering whether outreach is important, or a teacher looking for evidence to convince your school board that Earth Science should be included in your curriculum, please view and download our presentation titled Why Support Geoscience Education? Contact Susan Grammer for the PowerPoint version.

Between 2007 and the spring of 2011, CoreKids staff interacted directly with over 10,000 of Michigan's K-12 students and teachers. The CoreKids program, including development of the resources on this website were made available by major funding from the US Department of Energy (2007-2008), DTE Energy Foundation (2008-2010) and Consumers Energy Foundation (2009 and 2011). Additional donations were received from Michigan Basin Geological Society, Keystone Science School and anonymous donors. We thank these sponsors for allowing us to visit so many students and teachers.

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New Video! More to Come.......
Watch CoreKids students learn about porosity and permeability in our new video on our Facebook page! Click the link to watch. CoreKids "Kid Rocks Activity" Video

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Click on the links at left to explore our educational resources and activities. Also see Special Announcements below. We want everyone to know that:

Earth is ancient…
Earth is constantly changing…
Earth is rich in natural resources…
Earth impacts us, and we impact our planet...

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