State Rock: Petoskey Stone (Hexagonaria percarinata)

State Fossil: Mastodon

State Gem: Greenstone (Chlorastrolite)

MESTA: Teachers Helping Teachers since 1967!

Recent Updates:

The Winter 2012 issue of The Michigan Earth Scientist is available to download (.pdf file). To access this latest issue, select “Membership” on the navigation bar to the left, and then select “Michigan Earth Scientist.”

Information on the MESTA / NESTA 2012 Summer Conference in Houghton (MTU) is now available for you to view and/or download.  A conference flyer, a presenter form, and information on airports and lodging can all be found by selecting “Conference News” on the navigation bar to the left.  Conference registration will not begin until mid-May. Field sessions will be filled on a first-come basis. Rock Shop and Free and Inexpensive will both be available at the conference (don’t forget your cash or check, we don’t accept credit or debit cards).

An “Earth Science Resource of the Week” web site has been created by a Montana freshman Earth Science teacher to share one interesting resource per week.  Posts so far include  activities, demonstrations, strategies, animations, videos, web sites, PenCasts, etc.; all intended to make Earth Science more interesting. The site also provides a way for you to be notified when a new post has been added (only once per week). Check it out. Scroll down to see past resources, or select "older posts" to see them all.  Click on the Organization Links bar on the upper left of this page, then Earth Science Sites to access this web site.

It is with great sadness that we announce that Harold B. Stonehouse (Stoney) passed away at his home in Yucaipa, California on December 2, 2011. He was 89. Stoney was one of MESTA’s (and NESTA’s) founders and is remembered through the Stoney Grants that are awarded to up to ten Michigan teachers each year. For more details on the life of Stoney, please click here.

If you would like to donate money to MESTA, please select “Donations” on the navigation bar to the left. A Donation Form is available to download (.pdf file) with the appropriate MESTA mailing address. Thank you for your donation!

MESTA is proud to announce that Daniall Poulsen (Portage Northern High School) has been awarded the Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award for 2011.  For more details, select “Awards and Grants” on the navigation bar to the left.

The 2012 MESTA Conference will be held at Michigan Technical University (Houghton, MI), August 15-19.  This will be a joint conference with NESTA (National Earth Science Teachers Association).  Watch for more details around the middle of February.

History of MESTA:

The Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association was founded in 1967. Our members include K-12 teachers, college and university instructors, students, and anyone interested in the Earth Sciences.

MESTA is recognized both in Michigan and around the nation as a leading organization in the promotion of quality Earth Science education.

Our organization provides quality, low-cost rock, mineral, and fossil specimens for educational use (check the Calendar page to see where and when these materials will be sold). Our master teacher members lead many sessions at major state teacher conferences (including our own MESTA conference, MDSTA, MSTA, etc.).

Contacting MESTA:

You can always contact us via email at: mesta@comcast.net

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