Here's a simple rhyme to help kids remember some common minerals and their key characteristics:

----------------------------
|        Minerals          |
----------------------------
|                          |
| Quartz:                  |
|                          |
| "Hard and glassy,         |
|  quartz is clear or flashy!"|
|                          |
| Feldspar:                |
|                          |
| "Blocky cleavage it displays,|
|  feldspar's found in many ways!"|
|                          |
| Mica:                    |
|                          |
| "Thin and flaky,           |
|  mica sheets are not shaky!"|
|                          |
| Calcite:                 |
|                          |
| "With a fizz it reacts,    |
|  calcite's found in many cracks!"|
|                          |
| Pyrite:                  |
|                          |
| "Fool's gold it may be,    |
|  pyrite shines with glee!"  |
|                          |
----------------------------

This rhyme can be a fun way to introduce kids to some common minerals and help them remember their characteristics. Encourage them to interact with real mineral samples when possible, and use the rhyme as a memory aid when learning about the properties of each mineral.

Here's a simple visual guide to help kids identify some common rock types. Each rock type is accompanied by a short rhyme to help kids remember the characteristics of the rock.

---------------------------
|      Igneous Rocks      |
---------------------------
|                         |
| Granite:                |
|                         |
| "Speckled mix of black, |
|  white, and gray,       |
|  granite's here to stay!"|
|                         |
| Basalt:                 |
|                         |
| "Dark and fine in grain, |
|  basalt's a volcano's   |
|  claim to fame!"        |
|                         |
---------------------------
|    Sedimentary Rocks    |
---------------------------
|                         |
| Sandstone:              |
|                         |
| "Grains of sand all snug,|
|  bound together in a hug!"|
|                         |
| Shale:                  |
|                         |
| "Clay and silt so fine,  |
|  shale forms in layers   |
|  that align!"           |
|                         |
| Limestone:              |
|                         |
| "Often light and gray,   |
|  limestone's made of     |
|  critters' remains!"    |
|                         |
---------------------------
|    Metamorphic Rocks    |
---------------------------
|                         |
| Schist:                 |
|                         |
| "Shiny minerals that glisten,|
|  in schist, they all listen!"|
|                         |
| Gneiss:                 |
|                         |
| "Bands of light and dark  |
|  dance, gneiss forms in a |
|  metamorphic trance!"    |
|                         |
| Marble:                 |
|                         |
| "Limestone's new attire,  |
|  marble's a stone that    |
|  won't tire!"            |
|                         |
---------------------------

This visual guide can be printed out or drawn on a large poster board to help kids identify and learn about these common rock types. Encourage kids to touch and examine real rock samples when possible, and use the rhymes to help them remember the characteristics of each rock type.

So me and my partners anniversary is coming up in a month or so and I want to get them a nicer gift. Ever since they were a kid, they have loved rocks and what not, collecting all different kinds of rocks. They have often expressed to me the desire to be able to refine some of the rocks they find. Recently they mentioned some of those things and called them lapidary equipment. I want to get them some of these things but am unsure what I need to get or if it’ll be too expensive. They mentioned lapidary equipment, a cab machine, and a saw and grinder. Any help figuring out what I need to get or how expensive it’ll be? Thanks!

Photo credit and additional info here: https://rock-panska-skala.czech-mountains.eu/

One of my favorite PNW spots.

I believe these are basaltic lavas from the Garibaldi volcanics