Earth's Minerals Scratch Patch

Why have your fieldtrip at Earth’s Minerals Scratch Patch?

Attending a fieldtrip at Earth’s Minerals Scratch Patch will be unforgettable as these rocks and minerals lasts a lifetime.

All our rocks and minerals are natural.

There is no other place in Seattle where your class can play and learn among 2 tons of tumbled gemstones. It is a tactile, colorful, educational activity with aspects of group work and individual expression. The discussion gets tailored according to your group’s needs and it is always interactive and fun. We are a boutique style business with our focus on creating a natural environment where children learn and experience a connection with the Earth and her treasures.

We sell the highest quality of unique tumbled gemstones, minerals, and rocks while providing an absolutely professional service to schools, the community, and individual families.

Educational Material that will be covered and modified according to the ages of the group attending:

The Scratch Patch can accommodate up to 25 children and two adults for a total of 27 PEOPLE maximum. We recommend 2-3 adults/teachers to accommodate a group of 25 children.

Target Age groups: 1st Grade through to 7th Grade

Target Groups: Primary Schools, Home Schoolers, Co-op Parents and Kids groups, Scout Troupers, YMCA groups, Rocks and Mineral Clubs, Educational field trip outings.

Specialty: 3rd Grade Classes. This can be part of their Arts and Science Kit as they study Rocks and Minerals in 3rd grade. And we will cover all that they are learning in their Science Kit.

Five main Activities during the Field trip:

• EDUCATIONAL TALK: Discussion (depending on the ages of the group can be 10-25 minutes long.) This Discussion is interactive with fun facts and stories.
• TREASURE HUNTING: Treasure hunting for rocks and minerals that were part of above discussion. (This activity is done in small groups)
• INTERACTIVE GROUP ACTIVITY: Using Identification Charts to identify more rocks and minerals. Children work in small groups to cover pictures of stones on the chart. For this activity they can also incorporate finding the different countries on the world map.
• RELAXING and HAVING FUN: Each Child gets to fill a medium bag with their favorite rocks and minerals to take home with them. (The medium bag can hold up to 30 rocks, depending on the size of the rocks they pick.) Children walk around and sit among 2 tons of rocks and enjoy picking the ones they like. This activity takes about 10-15 minutes)
• PLAY: We hide little cars or toys in rocks and kids hunt for those. (This activity is just for FUN and not educational)

Hours available to book a field trip for your class/ scout troops or home school group:

2009 Fields Trip Groups include:

Kirkland Children’s School, Ford Lewis School, Gatewood Elementary, Academy Hill School, Open Window School, Woodmoor School, Northlake Montessori, Meridian School, Sammamish Children’s School, Alki Elementary, Rockwood Elementary, Northshore Co-op, TOP, Maple Wood Co-op, Living Wisdom School, International School, Lockwood Elementary, Boys and Girls Club

Cost of a field trip:

MEDIUM bag for each student:

LARGE bag for each student:

This will include 1-hour private time at the Scratch Patch, all activities, plus a medium bag of rocks for each child to take home.

Payment

The group can pay with Check or Credit card on the day of the fieldtrip, or we can e-mail your school an invoice.

It is good to let the parents know beforehand that their child has to have $9 with them to cover the cost of the bag.

Make checks payable to Scratch Patch Earth's Minerals.

Other facts to know

If older children (9-13 years old) want large bags instead of medium bags, the cost will be $16.50 instead of $9.00 (tax included)

Field trips and birthday parties are held when the Scratch Patch is closed to the public. You need to make an appointment if you want to schedule a fieldtrip or birthday party.

How to book a fieldtrip

Call us at 2065236164 or e-mail amanda@umzobi.com, with the time and date, number and ages of children attending. There is no deposit necessary.

Cancelation policy: If your group does not show up on the date of the fieldtrip, or if you cancel within 48 hours of the fieldtrip your group will be charged a $50 cancelation fee.

Transportation with School Bus/ Public Bus or Car-Pooling

Bus #26 stops right in front of the Scratch Patch.

If your group is coming with School Busses, the busses can park right in front of the Scratch Patch to let the kids off and then find street parking.

We will greet children at the door, get them to take their shoes off and go in. If it’s a large group, we line kids up outside the door and let them come in 8-10 children at a time. The fieldtrip activities will start once everyone has arrived. There is a coffee shop across the street where “car pooling moms/ additional teachers can go and relax for an hour, until field trip is over) Only 2-3 adults will be needed to attend fieldtrip.

Nurturing natural play area for children

The Scratch Patch embodies an organic feeling of being surrounded by nature's treasures. In European countries, governments are supporting the creation of play areas for children that use only natural materials. It is found that children receive many benefits from playing with natural materials. Their senses engage in playful yet educational activities, and their creativity and peacefulness increases. The Scratch Patch is such a unique and stunning idea as so much of our working and recreational environments have become very artificial and "plastic".

At the Scratch Patch the children sit in the stones and it creates a real hands-on experience for them, the sense of sight and touch and hearing get engaged as each stone has a smooth texture but different shape and different color, while beautiful bird songs are played all day.

We do not get enough reminders that simple natural uncomplicated things can bring so much enjoyment and a feeling of ease and this is something parents and kids can enjoy together.

The Scratch Patch is a place where one can ground again into the feeling of being carefree. The Scratch Patch creates an environment that is natural, with only natural plants and stones and nature sounds it is truly a magical and uplifting experience. It is a place for people of all ages and children and teens especially love it.

What teachers are saying . . .

“I recently took 18 Second Grade Brownies, their parents and siblings, to the Scratch Patch for a field trip. We were doing a Try-It on rocks and minerals and Amanda made it so interesting, that the kids can’t wait to go back! I would highly recommend the Scratch Patch to school groups, families and individuals. It is great fun and so educational for any age! Thanks Amanda for an unforgettable experience!”
~ Laura Fortner

““As a Montessori preschool teacher, I am always on the look-out for outings that get kids excited about science. Our field trip to Earth’s Minerals Scratch Patch was the perfect outing after our in-class activities about rocks and minerals. The children loved sitting/laying in the brilliantly colorful and smooth stones. The Scratch Patch leader, Amanda, was great at leading activities including a treasure hunt for different rocks in the wall to wall rock room. To top it off, each child received their own bag of rocks they selected themselves. The children came back to school after this field trip excited to continue learning all about the different rocks they had found. This was an affordable, educational, and fun field trip! I recommend it to not just preschools, but to elementary classes as well. We will be back in the early Spring.”
~Susan K. Locke, Directress, Mercer Island Montessori

“Our Scratch Patch field trip was wonderful! Setting up the field trip was easy, as Amanda is thorough and kindly flexible. During the presentation, Amanda is energetic, lively and holds the children’s attention. It was fun watching how the kids carefully choose their stones to take home. So many choices! This was a great tactile, colorful and informative outing for our first grade class.”
~ Michelle Marchellom, Lockwood Elementary School

“At the Living Wisdom School we focus on crystals as a reflection of beauty in our natural world. Children love the colors, textures and the self discovery of “scratching” for the very rock that speaks to them. The environment at Scratch Patch is warm, joyful, and rejuvenating for the young soul. Its such an uplifting experience. The best part is that you get to take a little of it home with you each time you visit!”
~ Chandi Holliman, Founder; Living Wisdom School of Seattle, Kindergarten Teacher

”Our preschool group loved the unique educational and tactile experience offered at the Scratch Patch. The kids loved picking out their own little treasures to take home.”
~ Field Trip Coordinator, Academy Hill School

“Thank you for the wonderful time the kids, parents and teacher had at Scratch Patch this spring. The kids were so exited a long time after the visit talking about the different rocks they have learnt about. I will love to have my youngest child to get that experience too during this season.”
~ Henrik Ivarsson, Field Trip coordinator, Wallingford Co-op 4-5 Class

“Amanda is an amazing teacher who really connects with kids. She has an innate ability to bring joy and wonder to geology.”
~Jerica Reyes-Jech, high-school teacher

“Scratch Patch was a blast! The children were engaged in the experience from the moment we walked in the door. As soon as we said goodbye to Amanda, the children made me promise to take them back next year.”
~ Missy Rene, Newport School