Invite your class to dig in to an engaging journey into the world of mining! Here you'll find the tools to equip young miners with knowledge of soil, rocks, and minerals, as well as types of mining operations. To round things out, the important concept of soil, rocks, and minerals as resources ties it all together.

Concepts

rocks, soil, minerals, mineral identification, mining, ore, renewable resources, non-renewable resources, streams

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Adapt the state-specific differentiation resources embedded in the lesson to reflect mining projects within your state
• Consider providing enough materials for lab groups of three to conduct the Stream Tables experiment; miniature houses, trees, and people add a realistic, fun touch

 

Classroom Considerations

• www.middleschoolscience.com is accessible despite bullet point that alludes to user name/ password
• Reserve time at the library or computer lab to facilitate mining research and prepare all lab and demonstration materials in advance

Pros

• Interesting subject matter coupled with a great lab — win-win!
• Contains a variety of printable supplements, as well as video resources designed for learners of all levels
• Can be modified to reflect the resources and mining practices in your area

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.4 RST.6-8.7 RST.6-8.9