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Environment" The Mining Cycle
Students explore the world of mining and explain its importance in daily life. After describing how companies search for mineral deposits, they examine the environmental consequences of mining as well as the positive aspects. The...
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The Soil Chain
Fourth graders show the needs of plants met by soil. In this Science lesson, 4th graders detail the components of soil and determine which are living or once living and non-living. Students determine the needs of plant growth that are...
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I Spy
Second graders play the game I Spy to help identify objects made from rock. They investigate the properties and uses of rocks and go on an I Spy search on the playground. They sort pictures according to living and nonliving objects.
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BOWEN'S REACTION SERIES
Learners 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.
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Fossil Inferences
Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...
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This Rock is Your Rock, This Rock is My Rock
Students develop good observational skills. They examine how rocks are made up of one or more minerals.
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Sorting Rocks
Students develop a rock word web during a large group discussion. Using the categories generated during that discussion, they sort their rock samples accordingly.
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Lunar Geology
Ninth graders investigate mineral contents in lunar rocks. In this lunar rock lesson students identify simulated lunar rocks based on mineral content.
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Mineral Munch
Second graders explore the sodium content in foods they eat. After observing a table setting, 2nd graders then identify items made from rock. They taste low sodium crackers and compare them to regular crackers. Students discuss the...
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Mineral Replacement in Fossil Formation
Fourth graders explore fossils and how they are formed. They create their own "fossils" out of plaster of Paris. They record their findings in their science journals.
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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...
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SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL
Learners engage in investigations that lead to the discovery that earth materials consist of rocks, soils, water, and air. They build models of soil profiles, using breakfast cereal and other edible materials. They observe how water...
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The Frigid Gourmet
Young scholars make a " science surprise" or ice cream in the lab. In this melting point depression lesson plan, students use various substances with ice to determine the effects on the melting point of ice and the ability to make ice...
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Weathering and Wind
In this weathering and wind worksheet, students simulate the effects of weathering by wind using 2 canisters, 2 types of sandpaper and 2 sugar cubes. Students swirl the sugar cubes inside the canisters lined with fine and course...
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Building Up, Breaking Down
Students investigate how rocks are modified into construction materials. In this building up and breaking down lesson plan, students explore what happens to building materials over time and how people modify natural materials. Students...
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What's in the Soil?
Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure. In this soil composition instructional activity, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results. In one experiment they...
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Rust Never Sleeps
High schoolers investigate oxidation-reduction reactions involving iron by conducting an experiment in which they expose iron filings to different atmospheric and ocean conditions. They relate the results to the oxidation banding...
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Crystal Growing
Young scholars explore the different phases of a crystal. In this mineral instructional activity students grow their own sugar crystals using a sugar recipe.
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Science NetLinks: Fossils and Geologic Time
Students investigate the development of the geologic time scale. Also, to introduce them to the major time periods in earth's history, as well as to the role fossils play in helping us understand this history.
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Hot Rocks
Learners demonstrate that setting of plaster and cement is a change, which involves a release of heat energy, use data collected experimentally to construct comparison graphs and analyze the graphs to make predictions about future...
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Reopen: A Study of Five Closed Mines
Students analyze data to determine which of the fived closed mines would be beneficial to have reopen. They acquire knowledge of rocks and minerals in the area to give reasons why that mine should open again. Students gain knowledge in...
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Using the Software Program "Kid-Pix"
Students create a slideshow using the software program Kid-Pix. They use the differences in rocks and minerals for their presentation. They also demonstrate different ways to import and save pictures using the program.