Curated OER
Rock Cycle: The Story of a Rock
Students examine the rock cycle by watching videos and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Fourth graders participate in a Web quest to Internet sites to learn how to identify minerals, discover the types of minerals present in their homes, and learn about birthstones. Students also keep journals to track new information that...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Weathering and Erosion: Simulating Rock Attack in the Lab
Into each life some rain must fall, but how can that change rocks? Young geologists' understanding of weathering and erosion increases throughout the activities. The lesson includes five short activities to be completed...
Lakeland Central School District
Erosion and Deposition
If you are looking for a straightforward presentation about erosion and deposition with an emphasis on rivers, look no further. While not super flashy or entertaining, vocabulary is presented simply and accompanied by pictures to...
Curated OER
What Makes Up Rocks and Soils?
In this rocks and soils instructional activity, students will complete a Venn diagram comparing the specific characteristics of rocks and soils.
Curated OER
Bowen's Reaction Serives: Magma Differentiation
Students investigate the differentiation of magma to form different minerals present in a rock. By using the model proposed by Bowen, they determine the depth, temperature, and composition of magma. Students explain why some minerals...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Metamorphic Rocks
In this metamorphic rock worksheet, students are given 8 statements about how metamorphic rocks are formed and their characteristics. Students determine if the statements are true or false and correct false statements to make them true....
Curated OER
You've Got to Be Cool to Make Igneous Rocks
Students describe how igneous rocks are formed, design a classification system to group igneous rocks and develop a controlled experiment to prove that the rate of cooling affects the size of the crystals.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Rocks, Gems, and Minerals
Fourth graders review by sorting and classifying minerals. They describe the composition of a mineral and use rules to classify that mineral. They complete a mineral scratch test and place the results in a table in the second activity.
California Academy of Science
Rock Cycle Roundabout
After a basic introduction to the rock cycle and the three main types of rocks, young geologists can deepen their understanding of how rocks change through a fun learning game. Based on the characteristics and events shared by a reader,...
Columbus City Schools
Thinking Like A Soil Scientist
Ready to roll up those sleeves and get your hands dirty? Dirty with soil science content, that is! Overcome those "But it's just dirt" objections with a trip outside to collect soil samples for some in-class analysis. Use the...
Curated OER
The Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle worksheet, students will review the characteristics of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Students will also compare and contrast rocks and minerals. This worksheet has 16 fill in the...
Curated OER
Minerals Make Rocks
Students examine that all rocks are made from one or more minerals (or plant material, as in the case of coal). They make mock rocks and discuss the difference between a rock and a mineral.
Curated OER
Let's Take a Rock Apart!
Students examine a crushed rock and sort the minerals they find in that rock by color and other properties.
Curated OER
Minerals
Students define the characteristics of a mineral. In this geology lesson plan, students are given out various materials to observe such as a chicken bone, salt shaker, white paint, and chalk. Students categorize the items and are told...
Curated OER
Minerals and Rock Cycle Review
In this minerals and rocks instructional activity, students answer questions about the chemistry of minerals, scratch tests, rocks and the rock cycle, and erosion and deposition.
Curated OER
Chocolate Chipping Away at the Rock Cycle
Eighth graders identify the different types of rocks. In this earth science lesson plan, 8th graders compare and contrast rocks and chocolate cookies. They explain how materials are recycled beneath the Earth.
Curated OER
Minerals - The Building Blocks of Rocks
Students examine how rocks are composed of different minerals. They analyze rock samples, then examine cookies, sorting out the simulated mineral ingredients from the cookies and identifying the mineral ingredients.
Curated OER
Sampling Rocks
Students collect and sort rocks based on visible characteristics. In this statistics lesson, students determine adequate sample size and categorize rocks based on characteristics. The book Everybody Needs a Rock is read to...
Curated OER
Science Jeopardy - The Earth Sciences
The earth sciences are the focus for this Jeopardy-style review game. Categories include geology, space, scientific investigation, meteorology, and oceanography. Diagrams and pictures are involved with most of the questions, making this...
Curated OER
Collecting Rocks
Students examine how rocks are formed, used, and how to collect them. They listen to and discuss the book, Let's Go Rock Collecting, sort rock samples, and collect rocks from home.