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Storing Ethan's Collections

Ethan is seven years old now, and he 
collects almost everything he can get his 
hands on.  This page shows how we store
his collections, plus there are links to more 
information about collecting farther down 
the page.)

Collecting plays a huge role in Ethan's and 
Aaron's lives.  Here's the link to article that
Daddy wrote about our collections:
   < http://saltthesandbox.org/ChicagoParentArticle1.htm >

Insects
  
Ethan keeps his dead insects in cotton-lined jewelry boxes.  We bought them in bulk from Paper Mart <http://www.papermart.com/ >.  (You might be able to beg or buy a few boxes from a local jewelry store.)


We buy our plastic
drawers from office
stores, like Office Depot
and OfficeMax.  A chest
of six drawers usually 
sells for $30, but once
or twice a year the price
drops to less than $20. 

Shells 
Ethan uses large plastic boxes for storing shells he just collected. 
He sorts the smallest shells into fishing-tackle boxes.
Ethan arranges most of his larger shells into plastic drawers.  He uses cardboard jewelry boxes to separate and protect the different types.
Rocks
  
Ethan stores his rocks in different ways, depending on how special they are.
     
We always keep a "rock dump" by the back door.  It's a large plastic box for not-so-special rocks.  We use these rocks in crafts and animals cages.
Ethan's special rocks go into plastic drawers.  He protects his best specimens with small boxes or zipper bags.
     
    
Ethan puts his extra-special polished rocks, pyrites, and micas in an old jewelry box.
           
Plastic jars can store and display rocks at the same time!
Fossils and Bones
  
Ethan keeps separate drawers for fossils and for bones of modern animals.
     
Oops, looks like we've got some work to do!  We have to sort these fossils into separate boxes, so they don't scratch each other.

More information About Collecting

Here are some Websites about collecting,
preserving, and storing the following types of 
specimens:

Insects
Shells
Rocks
Fossils

   
Websites About Collecting Insects

Minibeast World of Insects and Spiders.
Sponsored by the Young Entomologists' Society.  
Lots of information on insects and spiders: 
fact sheets, resources, reference library, 
shopping mall, and much more.
< http://members.aol.com/YESedu/welcome.html >

Entomology Interest Page.  Includes links to
dealers of supplies for collecting insects.
< http://www.rth.org/entomol/index.html >

The Entomological Society of America.  Here's a link
to their education page:
< http://www.entsoc.org/education/ >

Entomology Index of Internet Resources.  
A well-organized collection of links to insect 
Websites from Iowa State University.  (This
site is mostly for professionals and adult
collectors.)
< http://www.ent.iastate.edu/list/ >

Insects on the WWW.  This well-organized 
collection of links to insect Websites seems 
more appropriate for amateurs, but many of 
the links don't work anymore.
< http://www.isis.vt.edu/~fanjun/text/Links.html >

        

Websites About Collecting Shells

Conchologists of America:  Collecting Shells.
Includes sections on where to find shells, how to
collect them, and how to organize your collection.
Written by professional shell scientists (who are 
called "conchologists").
< http://coa.acnatsci.org/conchnet/colletip.html >

Fun Stuff:  COA's World of Shells.  Includes a
special section for kids, plus jokes, poems, a quiz,
and shell facts.  The kids' "Things to Do" page
includes a bit of information about shell collecting,
plus lots of ideas for things to do with the snails
that live near your home.
< http://coa.acnatsci.org/conchnet/do.html >

Seashells.org.  Includes identification guides to
all sorts of sealife and instructions for cleaning
and preserving freshly found shells and sealife 
(so they don't stink!)
< http://www.seashells.org/ >

       

Websites About Collecting Rocks

Mineral Matters.  A wonderful resource for children!
Information about collecting, identifying, storing, and
displaying rocks and minerals.  Also includes games
and directions for growing your own crystals.  (From 
the San Diego Natural History Museum.)
< http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/index.html >

Rockhound Collection Safety.  Especially for kids!
Includes a slide show about how to collect rocks 
safely, and a quiz to make sure you learned your 
lessons well.  (If you pass the quiz, you earn a
certificate that you can print out!)
< http://www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/safety/index.html >

Irving Family's Rock Collection.  Includes the
story of how they started collecting rocks, photos
of their favorites, book recommendations, and 
links to other rock-collecting Websites.
< http://www.irving.org/rocks/ >

Rockhounds' Information Page.  Lots of useful
links from members of the Rockhounds e-mail 
list. 
< http://www.rahul.net/infodyn/rockhounds/rockhounds.html >

      

Websites About Collecting Fossils

Finding Fossils.  A step-by-step guide to finding 
and collecting fossils From the San Diego Natural 
History Museum.)
< http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/index.html >

I Want to Be a Paleontologist!  Advice for Students and
Parents.  From the Paleontological Research Institution.
< http://www.priweb.org/ed/lol/careers.html >

Fossils!  Behind the Scenes at the Museum.   
Learn how museums find and care for their fossil
collections. 
< http://www.rom.on.ca/quiz/fossil >

First Families of Chicago by Ellin Beltz.
This very useful Website has lots of information about 
fossils found in the Chicago area.   Go to the bottom
of this page to see links to drawings of Chicago area
fossils from different time periods (labeled "Ordovician 
fossils, "Silurian fossils," and so forth).
< http://ebeltz.net/firstfam/1stfam.html >

Fossils & Fossil Collecting by Kids Ark.  A very
useful site from England.  Information on collecting 
and storing fossils -- plus "The Fossil Code," rules 
for safety and fossil conservation.
<  http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/fossils/index.htm >

Kuban's Paleo Place.  Well-organized links to Web sites
about fossils, dinosaurs, paleontology, and related topics.
< http://members.aol.com/fostrak/kpaleo.htm >

     

Fossils in the Midwestern United States.  Many state 
geological surveys have Web pages about local 
fossils.

Illinois Fossils of Illinois.  Includes sections on common fossils, where to look, and tips and tools for fossil collecting.
< http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/fossils/mainpage.htm >
Iowa Fossils of Iowa.  Includes color photos of many common fossils.  
< http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/browse/fossils/fossils.htm >
Minnesota Fossils: Clues to the Past.  Basic information, with a few drawings of common fossils.
 < http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/education/geology/digging/fossils.html >
Ohio Fossil Collecting in Ohio.  Mostly text.  Includes a list of State Parks that allow fossil collecting and a list of Rules for Collecting Fossils.
 < http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/geosurvey/geo_fact/geo_f17.htm  >

Also look for other GeoFact fossil pages listed here:
 < http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/geosurvey/geo_fact/geo_fact.htm >
Other States This Website links to all the state geological surveys:
< http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/AASG/AASG.html >
  
Here's a list of links to fossil Websites, arranged by state:
< http://home.att.net/~e.j.swearengin/statelist.htm >

   

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This page was created on February 23, 2001, and it was last updated on July 6, 2004.