Educational Insights GeoSafari Prospector's Mystery Rock
by Educational Insights
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Our Price: $19.30
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Category: Toy
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Educational InsightsBrand: Educational Insights
Release Date: 2009-03-18
Model: EI-5140
Product features:
- Includes a real emerald and a 140 million-year-old dinosaur bone
- Young prospectors unearth 10 treasures buried deep within this special clay rock
- Learn how to record specimens in the log book
- Test for various classifications
- Booklet includes several experiments
- GeoSafari DuoVision
- Educational Insights GeoSafari Metamorphic Rock Collection
- Educational Insights GeoSafari Mineral Collection
- GeoSafari Laptop Card Set - Ages 8 & Up
- GeoSafari Laptop Card Set-Ages 3-7
Toys and Games Reviews of Educational Insights GeoSafari Prospector's Mystery Rock
Customer Review: Only educational lesson here is "Buyer Beware"
Summary: 2 Stars
My 10 year old daughter loves everything rock, fossil, and gem-related. She BEGGED me to get her this for Christmas. I thought it looked pretty cool, so I did. My mistake was not reading the reviews first. I agree with all the issues others have mentioned here, but I'll state them again. The first disappointment was the size of the mystery rock "matrix" (i.e., the clay that the rocks and gems are hidden in). It was maybe 7 inches in diameter and three inches thick, max. Second, upon opening the box, we discovered that there are only 9 (or maybe 10, the information on this was contradictory) specimens in the matrix, NOT 15 as pictured on the box. Third, I understand why they give you a plastic excavation tool to unearth the rocks, so as not to damage them (they are quite small, and some are also fragile) but geez, this thing mostly wore out before she even got the first specimen out of the matrix. We resorted to carefully using the pointy end of a metal can/bottle opener. Fourth disappointment - after excavating the tiny pieces of turquoise and malachite (we think - the "malachite" was actually just a tiny bead of some sort, same with the "emerald", which was not only a bead, but I'm fairly sure it may even be made of plastic), my daughter pretty much lost interest in this. We resorted to dissolving the rest of the clay in water to unearth the rest of the specimens and straining the water to make sure we weren't missing anything. Made a huge mess, but the dissolving was actually the most fun part about this whole thing. My daughter's comment, "when they say hours of fun on the box, they really mean hours of work, for not much payoff," pretty much sums up this product. And the most educational thing about this product is a lesson in the powers of false advertising.
Description of Educational Insights GeoSafari Prospector's Mystery Rock
With the GeoSafari: Prospector's Mystery Rock set, you can unearth four real gemstones including a genuine emerald, three prehistoric fossils including an ancient dinosaur bone, and three rock and mineral specimens including "fool's gold." Kit includes an excavation tool, specimen brush, sorting trays for displaying or storing your mystery treasures, and a log and activity book with tips for observations and experiments.You thought Indiana Jones was cool, and then you open this box to find a flat clay "rock" about 2 inches high and 4.5 inches in diameter... hmmm. But wait! There are no fewer than 10 artifacts buried in here. Some are fragile (including a real fossil) and some are small and valuable (including a real precious stone). Can you use the included prospector's knife and brush, follow the detailed instructions, and excavate all 10 treasures undamaged? Can you identify them? Can you complete the included logbook accurately enough to win a place as assistant on Indiana's next expedition? Only time and a lot of patience will tell. If you do it, there's a plastic display case and labels for your finds--plus a sealed "Secret Identity Chart" for anything you can't identify. Parent's Choice Foundation Gold Award and National Parenting Center Seal of Approval winner. --Richard Farr
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