The Rankin Museum of American Heritage in Ellerbe has announced its summer workshops in several age categories, said Gail Benson, supervisor of collections.

Class sizes are limited and registration is first come, first serve.

To register, call 652-6378 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Workshops are:

n July 8: Rankin Shellers for students six to eight years old; 9 a.m. to noon; 10 students; cost is $20.

Students will explore the ocean looking for bivalves and gastropods. Then through their studies they will make a connection between the shells they find on the beach and the animals or mollusks that live in them. Crafts and hands-on activities will make the learning fun.

n July 15: Rankin Pee Wee Rock Hounds for students three to five years old; 10:30 to noon; 10 students (parents welcome); cost is $10.

Students will get a basic understanding of where and how rocks are formed. They will perform scientific experiments with rocks and make a rock collection.

n July 22: Rankin Explorers for students nine to 16 years old; 9 a.m. to noon; 10 students; cost is $20.

Students will travel down under to study the island of New Guinea off the coast of Australia. They will take a tour of the Malaysian Art Exhibit and discuss some of the customs and crafts used by the Malaysian people.

After tasting foods from down under, they will make crafts using some of the materials and techniques.

n July 29: Rankin Pee Wee Pow Wow for students three to five years old (parents welcome); cost is $10.

Students will see how the Native Americans lived along the Pee Dee River. They will make crafts, see what kinds of foods the Native Americans ate, and what their houses might have looked like.

n August 5: Rankin Pow Wow for students six to 10 years old; 9 a.m. to noon; 10 students; cost is $20.

Students will learn about the Native Americans who lived and still live here in North Carolina. The students will take an extensive tour of the Native American Room in the museum.

Studies will include the tools, crafts, language, housing the foods of the Native Americans of the Carolinas. Students will work with leather craft.

n August 11: Digging for Dinosaurs for students six to 10 years old; 9 a.m. to noon; cost is $20.

Students will explore the question: How do we know there were dinosaurs?

They will study fossil formations and geological time periods. They will dig their own dinosaur and identify it. Hands-on and craft activities will make the learning fun.

n Contact reporter Tom MacCallum at 997-3111, ext. 15; e-mail tmaccallum@yourdailyjournal.com.