The Georgia Mineral Society, Inc.
4138 Steve Reynolds Boulevard
Norcross, GA 30093-3059

Junior Section

A Special GMS Group
Just for Kids

Junior Section Meets
As Announced

Most kids seem to go through a phase where they pick up rocks. Even if you aren't a rockhound now, didn't you have a shoebox full of playground rocks under your bed?

At GMS we encourage children to learn more about earth science. The junior section is an active, vibrant group that has fun while they are learning. Juniors even get special items to bid on during our auctions!

Unless indicated otherwise, most GMS events are perfectly fine for juniors depending on age, interest, and temperament. Plus, special field trips designed just for kids as well as other educational activities are always on the calendar. So if you have a young one who comes home with pockets full of rocks, bring them to GMS and they can learn what those rocks are!

Note: Juniors are members less than 18 years old who still live at home.

Interesting Articles and Links

Click here for some fun things for juniors to do on the internet

Click here for some coloring pages about sand animals

To read junior articles click here

For Diamond Dan's Mini Miner's Monthly Special Edition click here

For Diamond Dan's Mineral Names Dictionary click here

Junior Section Message

Microscopes at a sand conference
Image Credit: Julian Gray

Date: Sunday,February 9, 2025
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Location: GMS Building
Speaker: Tom Faller, Lori Carter
Topic: Microscopy
RSVP: Please RSVP if you plan to attend

Many adult members have expressed regret over receiving microscopes when they were children. Why? Because many microscopes made for children can be more frustrating than educational, and ultimately lead to disappointment. So, Junior Section in February will be all about real microscopes – the different types, the anatomy of a microscope, and the proper use. Juniors will have hands-on experience and will receive sand samples to take home too! Led by Tom Faller and Lori Carter. RSVP to

Jessica Terrien Dunn
Junior Section Chair

If you have any questions about Junior field trips, please click here for the Junior Field Trips page or send email to

GMS Meetings for Juniors!

How to join our group… If you are a GMS member you get quite a deal. For the $25.00 family member fee, your whole family gets to go to any field trip, meeting, and other great events for a year. We now have a section meeting designed for our juniors! If you are not a member yet, it is easy and can be done on-line here or making a hard copy from the GMS website and sending the membership form and check here.

You get to… You get to do hands on activities, learn about topics of interest to our juniors, and take home a free specimen each time you attend. You will have a chance to win a special specimen at each meeting. Oh, and have a snack and enjoy fellow rock hounds!

When we meet… Most of the meetings are at the GMS building. We are currently meeting on Sunday afternoon to accommodate those living far away, and reduce conflicts with Saturday GMS field trips. Many of the meetings are on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday afternoon of each month. This is a great way for those interested in rocks, minerals, fossils, etc. to have fun together. The topics also cover the required school objectives and are also a great opportunity for homeschool families!

Cam Muskelly, Paleontologist and Former GMS Junior

Photos by Jared Dunn

AFMS FRA Fossil Badge

Juniors have been working towards and earning badges as part of the American Federation of Mineralogical Society (AFMS) Future Roundhounds of America (FRA) Badge Program. On Sunday October 23rd the GMS juniors participated in activities at the clubhouse to earn the Fossils badge. Juniors discussed and made impressions and molds using playdough, shells, and fossils and completed a worksheet to further their understanding of fossilization. These juniors also made a paper trilobite which is an activity from the U.S. Geological Survey. There were also many fossils displayed and explained by club member Tom Faller. Two junior members also read paragraphs they had written after researching a famous gem to complete their Gemstone Lore and Legend badge. Many thanks to Martha Brown, Tom Faller and Diana Poppelreuter for their assistance and for loaning the Juniors additional fossil samples for the meeting. More information about the Badge Program can be found here: AFMS Juniors - FRA Badge Program (https://www.juniors.amfed.org/ )

Trilobite impressions made by Juniors
Photos by Jessica Terrien Dunn

GMS Junior Art Contest Results

Raina Age 5
Mineral apple tree made of tumbled Green agate
sprinkled with pink halite crystals to look like rain.

Rosie Age 7
Materials: Paint on smooth river rock.

Ana Age 9
Materials: Paint on smooth river rock.

Asher Age 9 (before his 10th birthday)
Materials: Paper & pencil
Drawing of a turtle fossil in the matrix rock.

Asher Age 10
Shark mosaic, which is laying on a seabed of light sand.
The minerals used are: fossil animal bones, aventurine, jasper, blue calcite, quartz, smoky quartz, and polished black stone.

Rocks are fun!