Hi All,
I believe the reason that so many similar "meteor" stories by kids like Jeremiah are reoccurring is because of the Noblesville, Indiana fall. This true story is used in
one of NASA's most excellent Teacher's publications teaching the facts about meteorites.
Perhaps it is used in school text books if they talk about meteorites at all.
I investigated such a "fall" back about 15 years ago in the city of Valparaiso,
Indiana. In my case the young person who I believe actually saw a meteor steak and heard
something, search his yard until he came upon a rock he was sure was what he saw in the
sky. I questioned him, looked at his sample and then carefully explained (very slowly to
let the family down easy) as to why his specimen wasn't a meteorite, one observation at a
time. I also took specimens to show them what real meteorites look like.
I'd bet that because his story was widely published at the time and my follow
up investigation was also published telling the readers why it wasn't a
meteorite, that my young meteor witness was no doubt teased a bit in school for
creating such a media sensation. However, I believe he did the community a
favor by bring attention to meteorites, how they fall, how they look and the
real truths about them.
I think we can use such occurrences to our advantage, teaching people and kids
about the facts on meteorites.
All my best!
--AL Mitterling
Fourth-grader finds meteorite in yard
BY KAREN VOYLES
THE GAINESVILLE SUN (Florida)
November 18, 2007
After seeing an object streak into the yard, Jeremiah told high school
classes he initially thought one of his cousins had thrown something
over the fence. After running over to the object and touching it,
Jeremiah said he knew it was something extraordinary.
"It burned my finger so I ran in the house and got my sister," Jeremiah
said.
______________________________________________
http://www.meteoritecentral.com
Meteorite-list mailing list
[email protected]
http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
