Berkshire Museum
Backyard Rocks
You don't have to travel far to learn about rocks, just step outside, pick up a stone, and begin investigating. After taking a class walk around the school grounds collecting rocks, young scientists practice their skills of observation...
Scholastic
Lesson Five: The Earth, Rocks and Minerals
Apply the principles of geology to a series of collaborative, hands-on class activities. Young earth scientists learn more about igneous, metamorphic, and sedentary rocks before classifying and weathering rocks that they find....
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...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Metamorphic Rocks
Photographs of magnificent metamorphic rock formations make up the bulk of this brief slide show. Along with the upbeat background music, slow-moving slides, and informational captions of the slide show, you will also find key...
Curated OER
Earth Rocks!
Students study the basic elements of the Earth's crust: rocks, soils and minerals. They categorize rocks, soils and minerals and how they are literally the foundation for our civilization. They also explore how engineers use rock soils...
Curated OER
Mineral Matters
Young scholars work in a team to use the ProScope Digital USB Microscope and a computer to collect microscopic images from a variety of mineral specimens. They compare specimens and determine how they are alike and different by comparing...
American Museum of Natural History
Start a Rock Collection
Rocks hold evidence of Earth's past. A three-step guide describes the process of creating a rock collection. It provides a data collection sheet to make notes about each sample.
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....
Curated OER
Rock Hounds
Young scholars receive a basis for understanding the three main classifications of rock: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. They engage in a hands-on activity designed to give them an appreciation for rocks and minerals.
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
Moh's Hardness Test
Young geologists utilize Moh's hardness scale to help them correctly sort and classify different types of rocks. This lesson has everything you need, including an excellent example of the Mohs' Hardness Test, to successfully implement...
Curated OER
Minerals and the Products of Mining
Young scholars plot where minerals come from and have an awareness of how mineral use makes the world interdependent. They examine how to identify some sort of mineral products they use each day.
Curated OER
Metamorphic Rock Notes
In this metamorphic rock worksheet, students complete a concept map of including how metamorphic rocks are formed, the two ways they are classified and examples of metamorphic rocks.
Curated OER
Identify a Mineral Worksheet
In this minerals worksheet, students choose a mineral to research, write its name and draw a picture. Students research about the mineral's color, luster, hardness, gravity, fracture, crystal form and transparency. Students make notes of...
American Museum of Natural History
Finding Fossils
How does one go about finding fossils? Find out with an informative webpage that looks at the digging process, showcases rocks and common fossils, helpful tips, and a list of archeological do's and don'ts.
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...
Curated OER
Rocks Lesson Plan
Students become familiar with the characteristics of rocks and use them to sort. In this rocks lesson, students view a video, then try to identify various rock samples.
Curated OER
Using Rocks and Ores Worksheet
In this chemistry worksheet, students answer 15 short answer questions about rocks and ores. They explore write balanced chemical reactions from word equations given.
Curated OER
Minerals and Rocks
Learners identify and interpret various minerals and discover how to identify and classify them. They identify and discuss how people describe objects and how scientists describe objects. From there, students look at a set of common...
Curated OER
Sedimentary Rocks
In this sedimentary rocks worksheet, students conduct an experiment where they observe a shallow dish of water and table salt. Then they determine what causes the salt to leave deposits in the pan. Students also describe sedimentary rock...
Curated OER
Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources: Mining in B.C.
Students explore energy by categorizing rocks. For this British Columbia geology lesson, students define many different vocabulary terms associated with mining such as sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Students utilize sample rock...
Curated OER
Virginia Geology
If you are a geology teacher in the state of Virginia, then this resource is right up your alley! It examines the five geologic provinces of Virginia: The Coastal Plain, The Piedmont, The Blue Ridge Mountains, The Valley and Ridge...
Curated OER
Bellwork for Week 4-Geology and the Periodic Table
In this geology and the periodic table worksheet, students answer nine questions about specific minerals, the patterns in the periodic table, and properties of rocks and minerals.
Curated OER
Mohs Hardness Test
Fifth graders listen as they are told about another way to classify rocks; by their hardness. They observe the Mohs Hardness Test overhead, discover how the test works, and then use materials such as pennies, butter knives, nails, and...