Badland? What’s a Badland?
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Kansas
When I first heard that there were badlands in Kansas, I pictured a dark place like the Elephant Graveyard from from the Lion King. You know that scene where Scar is singing and all the hyenas are in the background.
The badlands in Kansas are fascinating, because they are so different then the rest of the landscape around Kansas. The badlands in Kansas were once at the bottom of a shallow sea called the Western Interior Seaway. Rains and flowing rivers carved deep canyons in the deposits that were once the sea floor. Clam and oyster shells can even be found on the ground. (The Nature Conservancy). About 20 minutes from the badlands, Monument Rock has many of the same characteristics of the Little Jerusalem Badlands and Monument Rock has a great picture taking opportunity where people can stand in a rock archway.
Books and Websites
When preparing for a visit to the Jerusalem badlands or after returning from a trip to the badlands, let kids explore the website resources and books. A good place to start would be to have kids look at the following websites:
DK Find Out: Rocks and Minerals– Kid friendly website about rocks and minerals.
Dr. Binocs Show- Types of Rocks– YouTube video about different types of rocks.
Little Jerusalem Badlands Website
DK Find Out: Fossils– Kid friendly website about fossils.
American Museum of Natural History: Paleontology– Kid friendly website about paleontology.
For kids that want to go deeper, there are books that can help kids really dig in:
Eyewitness Handbooks: Fossils by Cyril Walker and David Ward
National Audubon Society: Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals
DK Handbooks: Rocks and Minerals by Chris Pellant
Louie Giglio has written several devotionals showing how cool science is. A great ways for kids to get a Biblical worldview that might not be offered in the books and websites above.
Indescribable 100 Devotions For Kids About God & Science by Louie Giglio
Fun Activity
When learning about sedimentary rocks, one of the main take aways is that sedimentary rocks like the rock formations at the Jerusalem Badlands are made of layers of rocks forced down on each other. One hands on ways to help kids understand sedimentary rock is with food. There are several recipes online that can be used to do this, but essentially what is needed is several different kinds of food that can be layered on top of each other. I would probably use something sweet like candy, pudding, and cookies, but you could also do it with fruit, lasagna, or a casserole where there are clear layers.
A tip from someone who has been there.
The roads leading to both the Little Jerusalem Badlands and Monument Rock are several miles of gravel and dirt. If it has just rained, those roads will be muddy and very difficult to drive on. The roads are best driven on when they are dry.
