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...
Virginia Department of Education
Mineral Identification
What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? And what properties are used to identify minerals? The first installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes prompts young scientists to identify a set of...
Curated OER
Arkansas State Mineral: Quartz Mineral
The quartz crystals found in the mountains of Arkansas are among the purest and clearest in the world! This lesson has middle schoolers focus on this state mineral of Arkansas as they study the state's geography. A fun game is...
Curated OER
Mining an Ore
Students 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)...
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Mineral Exploration Using Remote Sensing
Students use quantitative data that they gather to figure out where there is an ore body in their model. They describe how geologists could use similar information in order to figure geologic patterns and geologic history for a specific...
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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...
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Geology Quiz- Common Minerals
In this earth science worksheet, students determine the name of 10 minerals based on the descriptions given on the page. They see pictures of a number of minerals, and check their answers with the word bank at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Mining in Texas
In this mining and nonrenewable resources worksheet, young scholars read about mining in Texas and simulate the extraction of nonrenewable minerals. They use cookies and their components to represent the minerals they will mine and they...
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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.
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Mining for Mmm-minerals
Students explore minerals and examine environmental impact of mining through simulation.
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Graphing Iron Data
Learners apply a data set to create a graph show how iron ore impacts an ecosystem. They explain how the iron effects the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton in coastal ecosystems using spreadsheet software.
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Science: What Happens to Create the Lode?
Students 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
Environment" The Mining Cycle
Students explore the world of mining and explain its importance in daily life. After describing how companies search for mineral deposits, they examine the environmental consequences of mining as well as the positive aspects. The...
NSW Department Mineral Resources
Aboriginal Use of Raw Materials
What's the difference between base metals and precious metals? Experimenting with natural metals is an interesting way for kids to learn about the world around them. Use a resource that contains over 30 pages of worksheets and...
Curated OER
For Creative Minds
Students study pictures of plants, animals, and minerals. Students classify the pictures into the three groups. For this rock identification lesson, students complete a rock finding lab experiment by finding, cleaning, identifying, and...
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Classifying Rocks and Minerals
Students identify rock types by observing key characteristics. Describe the differences between minerals and rocks. Observe rocks using a magnifying glass and draw shapes and colors of the minerals.
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Arkansas State Rock
Here is a lesson which shows the value of a mineral called bauxite to Arkansas during the early 1900's. Learners relate the five themes of geography to the history of bauxite and aluminum production in Arkansas. For teachers of...
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Peanut Mining
Third graders simulate the mining of an ore using peanuts. They discuss the implications of using resources that cannot be renewed. They make peanut butter and sample the product.
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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...
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Bauxite: More Than A Small Town
Students 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
Exploring For Copper Deposits
Students examine ore deposits and identify factors in their origin. They analyze geologic maps, and locate porphyry copper deposits on a sediment geochemistry map.
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
Cookie Mining
Learners role play coal mining with chocolate chip cookies and try to make a "profit". They buy property (a cookie), equipment, pay for the mining operation and reclamation. They then receive money for the ore mined (chocolate chips).