Curated OER
Minerals
A must-have for your geology library of resources, this PowerPoint walks viewers through the characteristics of minerals and each test used to help identify them. As you present this collection of slides, stop to demonstrate each quality...
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...
K-State Research and Extensions
Crystal Shapes
Of quartz I love geology! The chapter offers five activities at three different levels. It features hands-on activities that cover crystal shapes, cleavage and fracture, hardness scale, specific gravity, and mineral identification....
Curated OER
Virginia Rocks and Minerals
Young scholars explore, via a CD-ROM, the Virginia's five geological regions and discover the rocks and minerals located in each. In stone kits, they examine samples of rocks and minerals and answer questions about them. After...
Curated OER
Physical Properties of Minerals
Students study minerals and their physical properties. In this mineral lesson students use technology to investigate minerals and their properties.
Curated OER
Specific Gravity of Nevada Minerals
Students determine the specific gravity of Nevada minerals by testing them three separate times. They follow specific directions listed in the lesson plan as how to measure the minerals.
Curated OER
Rocks: Mineral Mixtures
A 22-slide set provides pretty much everything you need to teach the rock cycle except the actual specimens. All of the slides contain graphics or photographs to help describe the process, and most even have links to educational videos....
Normal Community High School
Density
Change the density of water by adding minerals. The presentation discusses density—from the definition to calculations—and applies it to the real world. It briefly mentions specific gravity, and finishes by showing Archimedes' principle.
Curated OER
Sediment Sleuths
Students classify sediments based on their physical characteristics, such as size, shape and color. They identify and describe rocks and minerals that are common to their region of the state.
Curated OER
Sediment Sleuths
Are you looking for a good, solid lesson on sedimentary rocks? This one, produced by the Illinois State Museum, is just such a lesson. Middle schoolers identify common rocks and minerals by analyzing sediments from local water sources....
Science Friday
How Boulders Are Born
Want your class to rock? Then try this boulder activity. Pupils learn about a specific boulder field and use edible materials to demonstrate the geological processes that formed this unique feature. Weathering, erosion, and mass wasting...
Curated OER
BOWEN'S REACTION SERIES
Students research Bowen's Reaction Series and recreate the process in an experiment which details the crystallization sequence of minerals that can be observed in nature.
Curated OER
Geology Quiz Worksheet
In this geology quiz worksheet, students answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about geology. They answer questions about types of rocks, hardness, and mineral attributes. They check their work with the answers at the bottom of the page.
Other
Reade International Corp.: Specific Gravity Table for Metals, Minerals, Ceramics
This is a table listing the specific gravities of various metals, ceramics, and minerals. Very complete listing and a good resource.
Other
Mineralogical Society of America: Mineral Identification Key: Mineral Properties
Scientists classify minerals based on a set of physical properties. Each of these properties is described in detail.
Other
University of Bristol, Uk: Minerals Under the Microscope
In this geology course, students learn about the use of the polarizing microscope, the primary tool for examining the structure of mineral samples such as cleavage, density, fracture, color, and the like.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Mineral Identification
At this site you can identify minerals by observing and testing the physical properties of each mineral. A mineral worksheet and mineral background sheet are included in this site.
Curated OER
Amethyst Galleries,inc./specific Gravity of Minerals
The specific gravity of various minerals is given. Links to related topics.
Other
Rockhounding Arkansas: Basic Mineral Identification
Want to learn about rock collecting? This page introduces you to the basics and language of rocks and -inerals. Learn what the difference is between a rock and a mineral.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Hornblende
Wikipedia offers a description of the mineral Hornblende including specific gravity, hardness, and image.
Math Science Nucleus
I. Science Ma Te: Integrating Science, Math and Technology
This site offers a wealth of online textbook-related materials that encourage the discovery of science in the world around us. Enter the site to access material on specific topics. Each section contains reading material (complete with...