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 More Resources in GeoMart see "Science & Teaching Aids" |
Secondary
Rocks, Minerals, & Mining
Lesson Plans
Building Stones of the U.S. - By examining the NIST Stone wall via the Internet, students will determine the weathering rate of various rocks in the mid-Atlantic region. They will then pick a rock to use in building their "dream house" and justify their choice.
If You Bit a Rock (2.5MB PDF) - To observe and describe physical characteristics of a familiar model (candy bars) and apply to the unfamiliar (rocks). This is also an excellent activity to introduce geological terminology used in describing rocks.
What Materials are in My Car? - Fun activity to help students realize how much we depend on mining to build a car.
Edible Rocks - Meteorites - This lesson has been designed as a comfortable introduction to describing meteorites. It helps students become better observers by making a connection between the familiar (candy bars) and the unfamiliar (meteorites). Edible "rocks" are used in a scientific context, showing students the importance of observation, teamwork and communication skills. (Same as "IF YOU BIT A ROCK." but with meteorites, not earth rocks.)
Toothpaste with a Twist - Allows students to produce a "marketable product used by most people ever day that is made with minerals.
Fast Crystallization - A fun and simple activity in which your students will watch four different salt crystals form. They will observe, record, and answer questions about the crystallization.
Lesson Plan Links
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- Rocks & Minerals Activities – Selected labs and activities.
- http://earth2class.org/curr_units/
- Rock and Mineral Vocab Review – Rock and Mineral Hangman.
- www.eram.k12.ny.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=30712
- Three Dimensional Geology - Apply geological concepts to a real-life problem-solving situation and give students an appreciation of the three dimensional nature of rock strata using rocks, fossils, and simulated cores
- geologyonline.museum.state.il.us/tools/lessons/12.5/lesson.pdf
- Bird Seed Mining Activity - Students mine 'valuable' beads from birdseed tailings and calculate their costs, earnings, and reclamation. Fun!
- minerals.state.nv.us/forms/educ/BirdSeedMining.pdf
- Cookie Mining - Always a fun activity to use to promote knowledge of mining.
- minerals.state.nv.us/forms/educ/ConstructMatsUsedforKitchen.pdf
- Rock Hounds Lesson Plan - By using the resources on this web-based activity, students will gain an understanding of the rock cycle including how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks form. Need Internet access, a web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer, e-mail access and materials that are listed under the activity collections.
- www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/lesson.htm
- Women in Mining - This Web site contains mineral resources for teachers, activities, games, and other links.
- www.womeninmining.org
