*Register by Dec 18th, 2026 at 4pm.
| Activity Overview |
Celebrate North Bay Mining Week!
Virtual Workshops by Mining Matters
Mining Matters will again be partnering with CIM Northern Gateway, ¾ÅÉ«Ö±²„, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord, and Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de lāOntario to celebrate North Bay Mining Week, November 16 to 20, 2026. Together, we aim to conduct 30 engaging virtual workshops, targeting a total of 750 students.
The official launch will coincide with North Bay Mining Week, while grade 4 teachers are encouraged to secure their workshop sessions at their convenience throughout the academic year. These workshops will cater to grade 4 students and will be offered in both French and English. Teachers will have the option to select from four distinct workshop topics, as follows:
Minerals
Students will learn the difference between rocks and minerals, conducts tests geologist use to examine the physical characteristics of minerals, use their observations to identify mystery minerals and gain an understanding of how minerals are used in daily life. Each student will receive an individual kit containing mineral testing equipment and a mystery mineral sample.
Rocks
Explore the rock cycle, gain an understanding of how each of the three rock groups are formed through a series of demonstrations, discover some of the clues to look for to help determine which of the rock group a rock is from, and then use those clues to identify a mystery rock. Each student will receive a mystery rock sample, magnifying glass and materials to create a model of one of the three rock groups.
Mining
Explore the mining cycle, compare and contrast surface and underground mines, discuss the costs and benefits of mining, and learn about responsibilities to the environment and communities. Each student will receive a cookie mine, satellite image of a landscape, play money, mining tools, an environmental permit and a rock sample.
What on Earth is in your stuff?
Examine maps to locate where rocks, minerals and metals are found in Canada. Learn that everything in our world that isnāt grown is made using non-renewable resources that are extracted from the Earth. Work in teams to develop and present a short story that connects rocks, minerals, and metals to your everyday life. Discuss finite resources and the importance of conservation by reducing, reusing, recycling and being a responsible consumer. Each student will receive materials to make the card game āWhatās Yours is Minedā, copper wire to create a metal sculpture, and mini samples of minerals used in everyday life.
| Pathway Reflections |
The Mining Matters workshop is an Experiential Learning (EL) opportunity that uses a guided model of discovery and exploration that connects curriculum to the world around us.
Experiential Learning is a trusted teaching and learning approach that encourages students to participate in an engaging learning activity, reflect thoughtfully upon the meaning of the activity with respect to their understanding and skill development, and to apply their knowledge to new and related challenges.
The Mining Matters Reflections tool is a resource you may use to engage your students and enrich the overall learning experience of the workshop. The questions included are founded on the principles outlined in the .
Downloadable EL Mining Matters Reflection Form
| We can be mindful of and think about the questions in Part 1 DURING our experience. We can record our thinking and respond to them after. |
| Part 1 - PARTICIPATE The 'What' - Joining in the Deeper and Deeper Workshop |
| Think about what you are doing during the workshop. What are you exploring? What are you learning?
What are you thinking about during the workshop? What are you feeling? |
| We can respond to the Questions in Part 2 and Part 3 after the experience. |
| Part 2 - REFLECT The 'So What?' - We consider what we are learning from the workshop experience. |
| We can reflect on the workshop experience and ask ourselves these questions:
What have you learned about yourself? Did you enjoy the workshop? Why or why not? Explain. What have you learned about other people? What have you learned about the world? Have you learned about the world? Have you learned about any future opportunities (e.g. new things you might like to explore or careers you learned more about)? Have you learned about anything else? Explain. |
| Part 3 - APPLY The 'Now What?' - Consider future learning and pathways. |
| Has my learning from the Deeper and Deeper workshop guided me to want to know more about the topics or about careers in mining? Explain.
What questions do I have now? (You might think about: careers in mining, learning that could happen at school or at home, places to explore, or other questions.) |
Accessing the Mining Matters Reflections PDF to print to share with your students to complete.
The information your students share with you can support you in your planning following this experience. Engaging in this reflective process supports students' development of metacognitive skills as well as provides a form of self-assessment of and for learning.
If you would like to know more about the Experiential Learning Cycle and Experiential Learning visit .
| Resources |
Promotional Information for Virtual Workshops
Information Regarding the Deeper and Deeper Classroom Resource Kit
The fun of Learning
KelvinĀ - "The minerals reminded me of my brother's rock collection. I liked how Sam told us how to test the minerals to find out what they are."
IsabelleĀ - "I really liked what Sam showed us about the minerals. The hands-on learning helped me learn easier because I was actually doing the experiments and not just watching."
AliceĀ - "I learned a lot about the difference between rocks and minerals, and now, whenever I look at a rock or mineral, I will know which one it is."
MasonĀ - "I learned about the hardness of minerals, and that diamonds are the hardest. We used our fingernails, a penny, a nail, and a tile to see how hard the minerals were."
RydenĀ - "I liked the pen/flashlight and it helped me to see the mineral better."
AuroraĀ - "I learned that rocks and minerals come in many different colours."
GracelynnĀ - "When I shone my light onto my amethyst mineral it shone right through it."
NoahĀ - "Some of the minerals Sam showed us reminded me of some that my brother collects."
Sandy Aldworth
Grade 3/4 Teacher
Humphrey School
About Mining Matters
Mining Matters is a charitable organization dedicated to educating young people to develop knowledge and awareness of Earth sciences, the minerals industry, and their roles in society. Mining Matters offers educational resources that meet provincial curriculum expectations. The organization provides current information about rocks, minerals, metals, mining and the diverse career opportunities available in the minerals industry.
About CIM Northern Gateway Branch
The Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) Northern Gateway Branch is volunteer driven and is focused on bringing a higher level of understanding of the minerals industry to the region and promoting mining to the next generation of industry leaders. To achieve this, the Branch is involved in a number of educational initiatives with all levels of education including regional post-secondary institutions specializing in the minerals industry.
