Curated OER
Earth Rocks!
Students study the basic elements of the Earth's crust: rocks, soils and minerals. They categorize rocks, soils and minerals and how they are literally the foundation for our civilization. They also explore how engineers use rock soils...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Rocks and Minerals in Our Lives
Young geologists discover the important role that rocks and minerals play in our everyday lives through this series of hands-on activities. Starting off with a lesson that defines the difference between plants, animals, and minerals,...
Curated OER
Mining an Ore
Learners investigate how to determine the percent composition of a mineral in an ore. In this mining an ore lesson plan, students use chocolate chips cookies to represent an ore and they remove precious minerals (the chocolate chips)...
American Museum of Natural History
The Amazing Mundo
Rocks and minerals are great on their own, but they also turn into some pretty amazing stuff! An online lesson explains the different types of materials we get from rocks and minerals, including glass, plastic, and coins. An embedded...
Curated OER
Mining in a Nutshell
Your class will love this geology-inspired set of activities that demonstrate the processes through which we are able to use mineral resources. They describe the major steps that a company must follow from initial discovery of a mineral...
Curated OER
Mining Simulation
Eighth graders put their knowledge of rocks and minerals into perspective by seeing how minerals can be mined and the difficulties and costs of mining. They explore the environmental impacts of mining.
Park City Historical Society & Museum
Mining and Milling: The Story of Park City
Study the chemistry of mining! Through nine lessons in the unit, learners explore different concepts related to mining. Their study ranges from rock and mineral analysis to the environmental impact of dynamite and the chemical reaction...
Curated OER
Science: What Happens to Create the Lode?
High schoolers understand how mineral deposits are formed and why they are not evenly dispersed. They create and describe three different precipitates from four solutions simulating mineral ore deposit formation in sedimentary rock.
Curated OER
Is It Grown or Mined?
Students are introduced to how to identify various minerals. In groups, they compare and contrast raw materials that were grown and mined. They discuss their views on mining and identify the ore minerals and their purpose to end the...
Curated OER
Bauxite: More Than A Small Town
Young scholars identify the mineral bauxite and its impact on the community and the world. They use the Internet to research the mineral and its uses. They draw a picture depicting the uses of bauxite.
Curated OER
Mining and Land Reclamation - A Classroom Simulation
Students simulate mining mineral resources using cookies. In this earth science lesson, students analyze the cost and profits in mining. They write a lab report about the activity.
Curated OER
Froth Flotation
Sixth graders experiment with the froth flotation process to extract metallic ore by using basic chemicals and equipment in the science classroom.
Curated OER
Build and Engineer an Underground Mine
Students answer questions on a worksheet about mineral processing, iron fillings, and how to safely manage the left over material after separated. This is really not a lesson plan, just a worksheet that is filled out following the making...
Curated OER
Rust Never Sleeps
High schoolers investigate oxidation-reduction reactions involving iron by conducting an experiment in which they expose iron filings to different atmospheric and ocean conditions. They relate the results to the oxidation banding...
Curated OER
Ecological Impact of Cyanide Heap Leaching
Students explore the environment by researching mining. In this ecological dangers lesson, students define cyanide and discuss why it has potential to be a great threat to our environment during mining expeditions. Students examine many...