"Sciensational" workshops slated for summer season

| 28 Sep 2011 | 02:13

    WEST MILFORD n The West Milford Parks & Recreation Department will be offering two Sciensational Workshops this summer. The five-day workshops will be held the week of July 12 to July 16 at Hillcrest Community Center. The "Can You Dig This? Fossil Hunt n Do You Dig Dinosaurs, Crystals, Rocks and Minerals" workshop is designed for children ages 6 n 11. Geology and Paleontology seem like big words to kids. This workshop makes them come alive. Kids will do simulated fossil excavations with over 100 fossils, dirt and lots of fun. Some of the fossils are up to 500 million years old. They can discover an actual dinosaur bone, use a geological time and fossil chart, identify 20 million year old shark teeth, mammal bones, and a Tyrannosaurus Rex tooth, see a plastic cast from the egg of a primitive dinosaur found in Mongolia, see and work with mineral collections, identify different rocks and minerals, and even see a giant pumice specimen from Mr. St. Helens. The cost for this workshop is $115 per participant and it will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. The "Maglev Cars -Levitation for Future Transportation" workshop is designed for participants 7 to 12 years of age. Participants will build their own "futuristic Maglev" car to race and take home. They will learn about the relationship between magnetism and electricity n the two forces behind levitation in your maglev car. Kids will race their vehicles on a track and see and work with a magnet that can lift 200 pounds, as well as an electromagnet. Participants work with a levitron-omega and learn how motors and generators work. The cost of this workshop is $120 per participant and it will be held from 12:30 n 3:30 p.m. If a child attends both sessions, supervision during lunch (lunch must be brought by child) will be provided. Non- residents add $10 to the cost of the workshops. Registration forms are available at the Parts & Recreation Office and will be accepted as long as there are openings available. For additional information, call the Recreation Department at 973-728-2860.