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,...
Curated OER
What Is in a Rock?
Young scholars identify, sort, and classify mineral samples that make up a common rock.
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Students bring rocks and minerals from home to investigate in the classroom. For this rocks and minerals lesson plan, students observe all the rocks and minerals brought into the class and answer 7 questions about the features of the...
Curated OER
Create a Classroom Exhibit: Rocks and Minerals
Students bring in rocks and minerals from home. They observe them and describe them carefully, completing a worksheet. Finally, a classroom exhibit is created.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
American Chemical Society
Crushing Test
Solidify understanding of the properties of crystals by crushing them to compare hardness. After some class discussion, a procedure is planned, and then small groups go about making observations as they crush five different crystal...
Curated OER
Identifying 2-D and 3-D Shapes in Crystals
Learners view a video on making rock candy and identify the shapes they see while watching. For this 2 and 3 dimensional shape lesson, students recognize shapes and complete worksheets to identify them. Learners build a cube. Students...
Curated OER
What is the Rock Cycle?
Students investigate the rock cycle. For this geology lesson, students read about the rock cycle on a website and discuss the steps of the rock cycle. Students visit a rock cycle website to complete a quiz. This is the first introductory...
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Investigating Different Rock Types
Students analyze a rock using their eyes and then a hand lens. In this science instructional activity, students determine and discuss how hard or how easy it was to find and classify the assigned rock. Students record their observations...
Curated OER
Crystals
Students investigate patterns in solids, the structures of crystals and rocks made up of minerals. For this crystals lesson plan, students review solids, make patterns with Styrofoam balls, make crystals in the lab and observe their...
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Igneous Rocks
Learners perform experiments in which they grow crystals. They draw pictures of where each type of rock originates from. They also identify igneous rocks by using a chart.
Curated OER
Growing Rock Candy
Students observe the growth of rock candy. In this crystal growth lesson plan, students make rock candy and measure the crystal growth over five days.
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Fifth graders examine different types of rocks and classify rocks by their different characteristics. In small groups they sort their rocks into two categories, then create three categories to sort by on a sorting worksheet. Next, they...
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Minerals, Crystals, and Gems
Young scholars discover the relationships between minerals, crystals and gems. They bring in rocks that they find at home, in the schoolyard, etc. and examine them and attempt to identify them. They set up a classroom exhibit that...
Curated OER
Growing Crystals
Young scholars explore the different types, visual appearance and creation of crystals. They grow an edible crystal - rock candy.
Curated OER
Children Actively Investigating Rocks and Minerals
Students follow directions to set up their own record keeping journal. As a class, they are introduced to the characteristics of crystals and identify three types of crystals they see in their everyday lives. They examine materials they...
Curated OER
The Rock Cycle
Students study the rock cycle of different types of rock. They arrange cut-outs of the parts of the rock cycle in the correct order and then draw the rock cycle or research different types of rocks.
Curated OER
Rock Collecting
Students practice classifying rocks in the categories sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. They bring personal rock collections to school, then correctly label the three types of rocks on posterboard.
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Sedimentary Rocks- Formation and Types
In this sedimentary rocks resource worksheet, students follow the guide for reading this informational text. They read about the formation of sedimentary rocks, and the three major types of sedimentary rocks.
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Classify Rocks
Students classify different types of rocks. In this earth science lesson, students test different rock samples and construct a chart to record observations. They create a concept map that answers essential questions.
Curated OER
Investigation 2 - Classifying Rocks
Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson plan to further their understanding of rock classification.
Curated OER
Modeling the Rock Cycle
In this modeling the rock cycle worksheet, learners use a sugar cube to show the phases and changes in the rock cycle as represented by the changes in the sugar cube. For each step of the experiment students indicate the part of the rock...
Curated OER
How Caves Are Formed
Students explore caves. In this cave formation lesson, students take a virtual tour of a cave and then participate in a scientific investigation that requires them to grow crystals and chart data regarding their growth.
Curated OER
Geology Rocks
Students discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external structure of...