Earth and Space Science- Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion

RM 4.1 Investigate physical properties of rocks and minerals

RM 4.2 Investigate processes of weathering on the landscape

RM 4.3 Identifying uses of rocks and minerals including cultural uses

Lesson #1 and 2

Lesson #3 KWL

What I KNOW What do you WANT to know? What I LEARNED Make a KWL chart with the class what

they know and want to know about rocks

Examine different rocks with partners.

Lesson # 4 and 5

Brain Pop http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/mineralidentification/

Exploring rocks and minerals worksheet

Lesson #6

http://www.whps.org/school/websterhill/library/scavenger%20hunts/Rocks%20and%20Minerals%20Scavenger%20Hunt.htm

Student’s will go online and browse. Use journals to reflect

Lesson #7 and 8

Rock Cycle Experiment

Lesson #9 Weathering and Erosion Experiment

Lesson #10

Give the students a rock and ask them to turn it into sediment

Compare the rock to cake mix

Lesson #11

How Are Earth Materials Used Around Us

Lesson #12

Center #1 Sample Soil It’s time to explore sample soil. Get ready to

spot the differences in the soils. Use the magnifying glass to observe the three different types of soil. Keep in mind the following questions:

What do you see in the soil? How does this relate the rock cycle? What do you notice about the soil?

Center #2

Investigating You are about to travel down a rocky path

exploring formations of rock.

Put ¼ cup full of soil into the jar

Add ¼ cup of pebbles

Add ¼ cup of shell and twig mixture

Put the lid on (ask for help, so there will not be a mess)

Start by gently shaking the jar

Watch what happens as it settles

Record what you saw on the paper provided

Add water to cover all the contents

Put the lid on the jar (ask for help, so there will not be a mess)

Observe

Record what you saw on the paper provided

Questions: What happened to

the layer? What did you

notice about the colours?

What did the water do?

What is happening?

Center #3 In this center you are going to grow your own crystals! How are you

going to do that? You already know that crystals aren’t grown over night. Well, we are going to grown our own SPECIAL crystals. Follow the steps:

Stir in the salt slowly, about a teaspoon at a time. Continue until the salt is starting to collect at the bottom of the jar. Choose a color for your crystals and add a couple drops of food

coloring. Tie one end of piece of a string around a pencil and tie a paper clip

to the other end. Place the pencil over the jar so that the string hangs down and the

paper clip almost touches the bottom of the jar. Allow jar to sit someplace where it will be undisturbed. Fill in POE (predict, observe, explain) sheet and let the crystals sit

until tomorrow.

Lesson #13