The Pacific Northwest is home to some truly amazing geology. From the high desert to the Cascades Range to the ocean floor, there are rocks galore—each with its own story to tell about Earth's deepest past. In honor of the anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption on May 18, we invite you to explore the region's fascinating geology through games, videos, and more!   
Rocks and Lava! is also available in Spanish

 

Rocks on the road

VIDEO

Rocks on the Road
Join us on a recent visit to Jewett Elementary School, where a class of fifth graders had a rockin' good time learning about Pacific Northwest geology.  

Rock cycle illustration
ACTIVITY

Rock Cycle Game
Rocks are always changing, thanks to a set of processes we call the rock cycle. There are three kinds of rocksigneous, metamorphic, and sedimentaryand they're all part of a never ending cycle that recycles old rocks into new ones. Play the rock cycle game to see it all in action!  

Crayon shavings

ACTIVITY

Crayon Rock Cycle
Take crayon "rocks" on a journey through the rock cycle and discover how rocks change over millions of years. 

Marli Miller
VIDEOS

Roadside Geology of Oregon
Join University of Oregon geologist Marli Miller for a video "road trip" to Oregon's lava plateaus, mountains, and more.  

River rock
ACTIVITY

Rock Hunt
Gather rocks from around your home. Try sorting them in different waysby size, color, texture, or shape. How many kinds of rocks can you find? Can you identify any of them? 

Graphite and a pencil
EXPLORE

Rocks and Minerals: Everyday Uses
From your kitchen counter to your computer, you probably use rocks and minerals every day! Learn more about the many roles that rocks play in our day-to-day lives. 

Legos in piles
ACTIVITY

Rock Recipes
What are the ingredients of a rock? Minerals! Each and every rock is made up of minerals in different combinations. Follow the recipes to "make" a few rocks of your own. 

Mount St Helens
LIVE WEBCAM

Mount St. Helens VolcanoCams
View Mount St. Helens from right where you are! The VolcanoCams have been providing nearly real-time images of the mountain since the late 1990s. 

Explore our other at-home adventures.

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