Curated OER
Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types
Students investigate rocks and minerals and take a field trip to sample soils. They analyze rocks and soil, research the geological terrenes of the topology of San Francisco, and produce a lab research report.
Curated OER
Nebraska Rocks & The Rock Cycle
Pupils study the rock cycle and relate it to rocks that are indigenous to Nebraska. Students collect rocks and draw a diagram of the rock cycle using their collection.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
The pre-lab portion of the lesson introduces emerging geologists to the various layers that make up Earth. After completing a sheet on the identification of the layers, class members simulate plate boundaries and their...
Curated OER
Bedrock Learning
Students test and identify soil and rock samples. In this rock and soil lesson, students video themselves gathering samples. Students test the samples and create graphs showing the results.
Curated OER
Geology: Famous Rock Groups
Fourth graders, in groups, use books to identify types of rocks. They examine the rocks and complete rock evidence charts. Students compose definitions for each rock type and determine uses for igneous rocks by early mankind.
Curated OER
Planet Oit!
Twelfth graders use this game to find minerals given rocks and outcrops in a plausible (but not real) geologic setting. They play without outside encouragement for hours as the world is fun to explore and the scoring system encourages...
Curated OER
Sediment Sleuths
Young scholars 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
Introduction to Minerals
Students discuss rocks and other earth materials made up of minerals. They identify minerals by means of their more obvious physical properties such as hardness, luster, color, streak, cleavage and fracture. They arrange a given set of...
Curated OER
Fossil Facts and Finds- Using the Magic Bag
Students investigate fossils. For this geology lesson, students study various types of fossils in rocks and identify the characteristics of the fossil. Students write a research paper on their fossil.
Curated OER
Moh's Scale of Hardness
Students investigate how to use Moh's Hardness Scale. In this geology lesson, students examine several minerals and develop a hypothesis about which mineral is the hardest. Students use the Moh's Scale Identification Chart to determine...
Curated OER
Classification
Students gather and classify samples of a given item (rocks, fossils, seeds, etc.) They discuss various ways of classifying and that there are many different ways that are acceptable.
Curated OER
Mineral Lab
Eighth graders examine the physical properties of different minerals. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders explain the uses of minerals in their daily lives. They complete the mineral identification table during the lesson.
Curated OER
Fossils
In this earth science learning exercise, students use the clues given at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle on fossils. They identify specific names of fossils and how to make a mold of one.
Virginia Department of Education
The Hydrologic Cycle
There is the same amount of water on earth now as there was when it was formed. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank! Young scientists build their own hydrologic cycle model and observe...
Curated OER
Mighty Minerals
Young scholars investigate the physical and chemical characteristics of minerals. They make a list of the uses of minerals found in Illinois. They write a report individually based on their observations.
![Indiana University Bloomington: Rock Identification Chart [Pdf] Graphic](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Indiana University Bloomington: Rock Identification Chart [Pdf] Graphic")
Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington: Rock Identification Chart [Pdf]
A flowchart students can use as a tool to identify rocks. They answer yes or no to questions about various characteristics and responses to tests until they can narrow down the possibilities.
EL Education
El Education: Rock and Mineral Machine Poster
Students complete field observations and work with local geologists to collect rock and complete a lab on rock and mineral testing and identification. Students then invent a fictional machine to identify rocks, and finally they create a...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Fairly Simple Geology Exercises
A collection of geology exercises which include relevant background information, complete instructions, student handouts, and answer keys. Topics include rock and mineral identification, Bowen's reaction series, crystal models,...
Other
Caterpillar: Ground Rules: Mining Right for a Sustainable Future [Pdf]
This set of lesson plans was developed to accompany Ground Rules: Mining Right for a Sustainable Future, a documentary film created by Caterpillar and Science North. They introduce learners to the various phases involved in mining,...