Curated OER
Mining Minerals
Students define the properties of minerals and their uses in their world. For this multi-lesson unit, students contribute actively to discussions of mineral mining, mining methods and mine safety. A role play lesson asks students to...
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Mineral Exploration Using Remote Sensing
Learners use quantitative data that they gather to figure out where there is an ore body in their model. They describe how geologists could use similar information in order to figure geologic patterns and geologic history for a specific...
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Making Rocks
Students use their imaginations in order to journey to the center of the earth to find different types of minerals. They create minerals using playdough and create scientific drawings of them. Finally, students create a map to locate the...
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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...
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Makeup-- A Wealth of Minerals
Students examine how a variety of minerals are used in make-up. They discuss the minerals that are found in things like make-up, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste and determine where the minerals come from.
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Minerals and You
Students study how mineral are used in everything around us-- from cereal to satellites. After informing the students about minerals they will discuss the ones that are in the area of the students.
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Mineral Identification
High schoolers identify minerals from its physical properties accomplished through observation and testing of the minerals involved. They divide into groups and perform the physical property tests listed on the Mineral Background sheet.
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Fairly Simple Rock Identification
Students study ways in which to identify rocks. They complete a number of activities that introduce them to various ways of identifying minerals in rocks.
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Fairly Simple Mineral Identification Exercise
Young scholars perform simple field tests on a variety of minerals and use their results and a given data chart to determine which mineral each specimen is.
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This is Your Rock, This is My Rock
Students study the identity of rocks and minerals that can be found in Utah. They examine the characteristics that identify the rocks and minerals by using a hand lens and write them down on an index card. They role play as detectives by...
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Minerals, Crystals, and Gems
Young scholars discover the relationships between minerals, crystals and gems. They bring in rocks that they find at home, in the schoolyard, etc. and examine them and attempt to identify them. They set up a classroom exhibit that...
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Rock and Mineral Uses
Second graders investigate the various uses of rocks and minerals. They examine various rocks and minerals, identify the uses of rocks and minerals, and complete a worksheet.
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I Spy
Second graders investigate the properties and uses of rocks. They sort magazine pictures into the categories of living and nonliving, play a game of I Spy for objects made of rock, and make rubbings of the rock items for their Rock...
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Exploring Minerals
Students examine the differences between rocks and minerals. They discover the properties of different minerals and perform hardness tests on minerals. They collect their data and make observations.
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Exploring Uses of Rocks and Minerals
Students explore the uses of rocks and minerals. They make observations to identify objects from the present and past are made out of rocks.
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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.
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Minerals- the Building Blocks of Rocks
Students investigate how rocks are composed minerals by dissecting rock cookies.
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GeoHunt
Students describe the difference between geological resources and othe natural resources. They list the rocks, minerals, and fossil fuels that are found in Illinois and their uses. They identify ways to conserve natural resources.
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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.
Project SMART
Rocks and Minerals: Touch the Earth
Students complete a unit of lessons on rocks and minerals. They conduct research, write e-mail questions to geologists, write daily journal entries, label maps demonstrating types of rocks/minerals found, and create a web page that...
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How We Use Rocks: Part 1
Second graders read books about rocks, observe rocks and locate a special rock to observe more closely. They complete a worksheet about the chosen rock and create an art project using rocks or pebbles.
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Building a Better Body
Fourth graders investigate the six essential nutrients. They read a handout, discuss the six nutrients, and construct a sandwich using ingredients that belong to the nutrient groups.
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Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils
Fourth graders do 5 different lab stations to explore rocks, minerals, and fossils.
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Shake, Rattle and Roll
Learners compare the weathering of different-sized materials. Comparisons are made and data analyzed to reach conclusions about the process of weathering. Applications can be made for the higher grades.