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...
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Keying Rocks
Young geologists learn how to use an identification key in order to classify rocks. The key is designed to help them classify rocks into three types: ignesous, metamorphic, and sediimentary. After an initial teacher-led demonstration,...
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Rocks and Minerals
Review the difference between rocks and minerals using this resource. Learners identify and investigate the physical properties of these objects. They create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast types of rocks. This is a motivating way...
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Pet Rocks
Students complete a variety of activities related to the physical characteristics of minerals. They classify and group candy, classify rocks and complete a Pet River Rock worksheet. Students try to guess which rock goes with each...
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Classifying Rocks
A well-designed lesson plan on rock classification awaits you. In it, fifth graders are divided into groups. Each group is given a box of rocks which they must sort into two categories. They use the "Rock 'n Roll Rule," in making their...
Curated OER
Different Minerals
In this minerals worksheet, students read about the relationship between elements, rocks and minerals. They experiment using 6 different colored gumdrops to represent 6 common elements. Students construct gumdrop and toothpick models of...
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Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Learners examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
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Moh's Hardness Test
Young geologists utilize Moh's hardness scale to help them correctly sort and classify different types of rocks. This lesson has everything you need, including an excellent example of the Mohs' Hardness Test, to successfully implement...
Scholastic
Lesson Five: The Earth, Rocks and Minerals
Apply the principles of geology to a series of collaborative, hands-on class activities. Young earth scientists learn more about igneous, metamorphic, and sedentary rocks before classifying and weathering rocks that they find....
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Minerals
Young scholars apply rules to compare and rank the hardness and softness of minerals. They perform a scratch test on four unknown mineral samples, read a bar graph that illustrates the comparative hardness and softness of four named...
Education Outside
Soil Composition & Discovery
Organic or mineral? How does the matter matter? Second graders use their knowledge of the rock cycle to label the different components in garden soil.
Curated OER
Rocks on Parade!
Third graders describe and classify rock samples. In this rock lesson, 3rd graders make inferences about rock samples by observing and measuring them. This lesson contains 5 different stations for the students to go to.
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What's in the Soil?
Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure. In this soil composition lesson, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results. In one experiment they examine the soil for...
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Sedimentary Rocks
Fourth graders discuss the basic properties of rocks, the processes
involved in the formation of soils, and the needs of plants provided by soil. They write descriptions in their Science journal and identify and discuss each type of...
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Soil Composition
Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
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Rocks and Soil
Students explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
Curated OER
A Model of the Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle worksheet, students use different colored crayons to represent different types of rocks. They follow step by step procedures to model the rock cycle with the crayons. Students draw the rock cycle, show weathering,...
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Keying Rocks
Fifth graders observe several examples of types of rock and write about their similarities and differences in their science journals. They discuss their observations and discover that rocks are grouped according to the scientific...
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Fieldwork: Horizons Under Ground: Digging Through Wetland Soil
Students study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments. In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw.
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Classifying Rocks
Fifth graders examine and participate in the process of classifying rocks. In small groups, they sort the rocks into two categories and complete a Venn diagram. Next, they select three rocks, and complete a worksheet that is in the...
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Engineering For The 3 Little Pigs
Students engage in a lesson which demonstrates the importance of rocks, soils and minerals in engineering and how using the right material for the right job is important. The students build three different sand castles and test them for...
Curated OER
Our Earth
In this Earth's environment worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given 35 clues about a variety of topics related to our Earth. Topics include ecosystems, precipitation, biomes, energy transfer, soil, weathering and rocks.
Curated OER
SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL
Young scholars engage in investigations that lead to the discovery that earth materials consist of rocks, soils, water, and air. They build models of soil profiles, using breakfast cereal and other edible materials. They observe how...
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Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic