Minnesota must-see for families An a-z list

Agate Agate Hunting The Lake Superior agate is the official Minnesota gemstone. Searching for these beautiful red, orange and yellow gemstones feels like a treasure hunt. Agates formed millions of years ago when minerals settled into air bubbles within recently cooled lava (liquid hot rock). The red and orange coloring in agates comes from iron, an important mineral in our state. Go with an adult and search beaches, gravel roads and even hilly fields to find an agate. Good luck hunting! Fun Stuff: Go agate hunting, but be very patient. Most agates are small, like the size of a dime or a quarter. Start your own rock collection. Get a shoe box (or something else to keep the rocks in), and collect interesting rocks of different sizes, shapes and colors. Visit a rock shop. They're fun places to l­ook at and learn about rocks and minerals. How long did you look for agates? _____________________________________________________ Where did you find your favorite agate (or rock)?____________________________________________ How does it feel to find an agate? ____________________________________________ Excerpted from Minnesota Must-See for Families: An A-Z List by Christie Gove-Berg All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.