Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everybody Needs a Rock

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine science non-fiction books in the 500 section of the media center. They listen to Byrd Baylor's, Everybody Needs a Rock, and write a sentence that tells why everyone does need a rock. They illustrate the sentence.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Goes On Down Under?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils explore the sources for recharge and discharge of groundwater. They research the connection between surface water and groundwater. Students construct a model of an aquifer and explore recharge and discharge of the aquifer.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Franklin Mountains

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine photographs of the eastern and western Franklin Mountains. As a class, they discuss what is shown and the different colored rocks and the orientation of the layers. In groups, they are given clay of two different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Franklin Mountains

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students review the steps of the rock cycle. In groups, they identify the natural forces that cause weathering and erosion. They describe how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks might be formed in nature to end the lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Computer Lab Lesson Plan - Science

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Pupils examine rocks and minerals. Using the internet, students research rocks and how they are formed. They use word processing software to list minerals and materials that form specific rocks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sampling Rocks

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students will collect and analyze a sample of rocks from the schoolyard. They will array the collected rocks by characteristics such as size, weight, and color, to see if any generalizations can be made about the types of rocks that can...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Erosion in an Outdoor Classroom

For Teachers 1st
First graders observe the effects of erosion. They work in groups to simulate erosion in a streambed, participate in class discussion, read books about fossils and rocks and then go on a fossil hunt.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do You See What I See?

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students hypothesize the role of rocks, soil, and water by observing a terrarium and create a model to explore the water cycle. This is part of a five station set up.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classifying Rocks

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students classify rocks into groups after they observe the rocks and identify properties that can be used to divide them into groups. They then identify other properties that could be used to classify other objects into groups.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks and Minerals

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research a rock or mineral on the Internet. They perform the research with a partner to find out properties such as, color, hardness, and opacity. They look for pictures on the Internet in order to prepare for their slideshow...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mining for Mmm-minerals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore minerals and examine environmental impact of mining through simulation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Activity to Introduce the Geoscience Perspective

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Young scholars examine various rock specimens assuming the viewpoints of various individuals--sculptor, landowner, preacher, etc. They study the rock, and then prepare a list of observations and questions. They summarize and share...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bring A Rock

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate rocks and minerals. They collect a rock, describe it in writing, and in small groups divide their group of rocks into subgroups based on their team's classification.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Just a Bag of Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine and investigate a bag of rocks. They sort and classify the rocks, analyze the textures, and answer conclusion questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nebraska Rocks & The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building Up, Breaking Down

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore their school building and examine the rocks it is made of. They discover how rocks become building materials and participate in a variety of activities surrounding this subject.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create Your Own Rock!

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create and name their own rock by combining paper minerals. They define rock and mineral, examine samples of minerals, and using colored scrap paper, arrange and glue the pieces of paper to represent a new mineral.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Visit to Southern Africa - Volcano

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine a cookie that represents pumice and lava in order to realize that lava is a composite of many rock particles. They compare and contrast pumice to the cookie by estimating, weighing, measuring and dissecting the cookie...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rocks Under Illinois

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the rock layers in Illinois. They draw the many rock layers using the Geology website. They discover the arrangement of strata of rocks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inspiration!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a diagram based on rocks using a computer program. They use the program to put their thoughts in order and to have a sheet to reference to.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Collecting Rocks

For Teachers K
Pupils investigate how rocks are formed, how they are used, and how to collect them by listening to a read aloud of Roma Gans, Let's Go Collecting Rocks.. They discover background knowledge of rocks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocky Observations

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine two images of rocks, make their own observations of individual rocks through drawing, and explain how the same observation skills can be used in the study of geology.
Lesson Plan
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Bricks Soak Up Water

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Pupils determine whether various rocks are porous or not. They conduct an experiment to determine if a brick is porous, calculate how much water the brick soaked up, and develop a conclusion.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars 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.