Geophysics
Description
Diamonds! Earthquakes! Rare Earth Metals! Volcano! Atmosphere!

Everything we have comes from the earth. You investigate Earth’s much-loved treasures and disaster-causing elements by examining real minerals and fossils, learning how rare earth elements power modern technology and politics, and experimenting with models that show how oil and other resources form deep underground. We will simulate mining, create our own core samples, and uncover the stories hidden in the rocks beneath our feet.

As the planet begins to move, we will shift into the world of earthquakes, using shake tables and hands-on building challenges to understand why some structures stand strong while others fail. We will explore how seismic waves travel and how scientists use data to protect communities. From there, we dive into faults and plate tectonics, model plate boundaries with clay and sand, map real fault lines, and discover why California is such a geologic hotspot.

WE will also go up into the atmosphere, where we will experiment with convection, pressure, and cloud formation, build simple weather instruments, and connect atmospheric processes to the rock cycle and Earth’s shifting surface. Putting all of this into practice, we will spend a day in some of San Francisco’s geological sites.
Location:
Congregation Emanu-El
Dates:
7/27/2026 9:00 AM - 7/31/2026 4:00 PM
Time:
9am to 4pm
Ages:
Grades 6th - 9th
Cost:
$735.00
Availability:
This session has openings
Registration will end on 7/26/2026.
Extended Care
0-Weekly
Weekly 8am to 9am
Register for all 5 days from 8am to 9am and receive a discount. $25 per morning if ad hoc.		+ $100.00
Weekly Till 5:30 pm
Register for all five days and receive a discount. $40 per afternoon if ad hoc.		+ $150.00
Discounts
Early Bird Pricing$45.00
Multi-Session Discount
Sign up for two total sessions or two siblings sign up for one session this summer and you'll get $25 off both sessions!		$25.00
Multi-Session 3 Week Discount
Sign up for three total sessions this summer and you'll get a total of $40 off each session!		$15.00
Multi-Session 4 Weeks
Sign up for three total sessions this summer and you'll get a total of $50 off each session!		$10.00