Go outside. Do real science.
Complete 3 per term. Each approved side quest is worth 50 XP and the first one earns the Field Geologist badge.
Safety notes for students: take an adult on any field trip, stay off cliffs and unstable slopes, don't collect in national parks or monuments (photos only), and never look directly at the Sun.
Rock Collector
Collect 10 rocks or minerals, then identify and label each as igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic, with one ID test each (streak, hardness, luster, fizz).
Proof: Photo of a labeled collection plus an ID chart
Weather Watcher
Keep a 14-day weather journal (temperature, pressure, clouds, wind, precipitation), then predict the next day's weather 5 times and score your accuracy.
Proof: Journal plus a graph of temperature and pressure
Idaho Field Trip Guide
Visit a geology site with family, like Craters of the Moon, Menan Buttes, Hell's Half Acre, Bruneau Dunes, or Idaho Falls' basalt riverbank, and make a mini tour guide.
Proof: 5 photos with explanations of how each feature formed
Watershed Detective
Map where rain falling on your house ends up, step by step, all the way to the ocean.
Proof: Labeled map
Soil Scientist
Dig a small soil pit or take a core, sketch and label the horizons, and do a jar test for sand, silt, and clay.
Proof: Photos plus a horizon sketch
Quake Ready
Build a family earthquake plan and kit checklist, find two hazards in your home, and fix one.
Proof: Plan plus a before-and-after photo
Shake Table Engineer
Build a model building from toothpicks, marshmallows, or similar and test it on a homemade shake table. Redesign it once to make it stronger.
Proof: Video of both tests
Volcano Model
Build a cross-section model of one volcano type (shield, cinder cone, or composite) with all its parts labeled.
Proof: Photo plus a one-paragraph explanation
Fossil Hunter
Make a cast-and-mold fossil with plaster or clay, or visit Hagerman Fossil Beds or a museum and report on three fossils.
Proof: Photos plus write-up
Geologic Time Walk
Make a scale timeline of Earth's 4.6 billion years on a roll of paper or down a hallway, marking 10 major events.
Proof: Photo plus the scale you used
Energy Auditor
Track your home's electricity for one week from the meter or bill, find where Idaho's power comes from, and propose three ways to save energy.
Proof: Data table plus a proposal
Water Saver
Measure your family's water use for 3 days by timing showers and counting flushes, then try a reduction plan for 3 more days.
Proof: Before-and-after data
Moon Tracker
Sketch the Moon at the same time every night for 2 to 4 weeks and label each phase.
Proof: Moon log
Night Sky Navigator
Find and photograph or sketch 3 constellations, one planet, and the North Star from a dark spot.
Proof: Sky map plus photos
Science Communicator
Make a 60-second video teaching one Key Word or concept from any chapter, aimed at a 5th grader.
Proof: Video