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Strong Chemistry
Students research and create a poster about a gemstone. In this mineral properties lesson, students view a video about diamonds. They discuss the properties of minerals and choose a gemstone to research and create a poster.
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For Creative Minds
Students study pictures of plants, animals, and minerals. Students classify the pictures into the three groups. For this rock identification lesson, students complete a rock finding lab experiment by finding, cleaning, identifying, and...
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Water Conservation
Open learners' eyes to the challenge of finding safe drinking water – something we often take for granted in our country. The PowerPoint presentation includes images, graphs, diagrams, and even a video to stimulate discussion on how we...
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Investigation 2 - Classifying Rocks
Fourth graders identify basic properties of minerals and rocks. They access websites and utilize worksheets imbedded in this lesson plan to further their understanding of rock classification.
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Classifying Rocks
Third graders classify rocks. In this rocks and minerals lesson, 3rd graders observe, make inferences and conclusions about rocks, minerals, soil and fossils.
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Finding the Ages of Rocks and Fossils
Students practice dating fossils. They learn the concept of "deep time"--that earth was formed billions of years ago. They experience excellent hand-outs and virtual age tutorial links.
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Disappearing Sand
Students discover what sand looks like, how sand dunes form and what minerals can be found in sand. They also examine how beach erosion occurs. They explore how to stay safe at the beach.
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Solid Earth Socratic Questions
Learners participate in a whole class discussion to relate what they know about earthquakes to the processes of plate tectonics. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the layers of the earth.
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Pond Ecosystem Field Trip
Students investigate the environment by participating in a class trip. In this pond ecosystem instructional activity, students define a list of vocabulary terms associated with ponds such as invertebrate and metamorphosis. Students...
Virginia Department of Education
Metamorphic Rocks
Rocks can bend? Pupils investigate how heat and pressure produce metamorphic rocks by modeling them using clay, and then categorize samples based on observable characteristics. The lesson ends with a metamorphic rock identification...
Virginia Department of Education
Igneous Rocks
High schoolers explore igneous rocks by observing rock samples and considering cooling rates and composition. The third installment of a five-part geology series culminates in an activity where learners use igneous rock characteristics...
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BOWEN'S REACTION SERIES
Students 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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Moh's Scale of Hardness
Students investigate how to use Moh's Hardness Scale. For 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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Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Building Blocks of Planets
Students simulate the formation of chondrites and asteroids. In this astronomy lesson, students demonstrate accretion using balloons and static electricity. They compare and contrast their models to the actual process of chondrites and...
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Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
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Classifying Rocks
A well-designed lesson plan on rock classification awaits you. In it, fifth graders are divided into groups. Each group is given a box of rocks which they must sort into two categories. They use the "Rock 'n Roll Rule," in making their...
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Name that Natural Resource
Students discuss natural resources. In this science lesson plan, students understand that physical properties can be used to identify minerals and complete the chart each day working alone or in a small group.
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Glacial Geocaching
Eighth graders measure strike and dip of given land features and explain the difference between them. They also look at rock and mineral samples for indentification, along with calculating the density. Finally, information is analyzed...
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Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types
Students 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.
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You Ain't Nothin' But a Rock Hound
Here is an excellent activity on rocks! In it, learners explore the world of rocks through the use of video, hands-on activities, and cooperative projects. This outstanding plan is chock full of terrific activities, websites, streamed...
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It's a Gas! Or is it?
Oceanography enthusiasts are given a series of thought experiments to consider in order to relate the solubility of gases and solids to underwater volcanoes. It is not particularly engaging to perform these thought experiments. Choose...
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Geology Quiz Worksheet
In this geology quiz worksheet, students answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about geology. They answer questions about types of rocks, hardness, and mineral attributes. They check their work with the answers at the bottom of the page.
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Microscope Investigation
Students explore physical science by participating in a science examination. In this microscope tutorial instructional activity, students read the book The Naked Eye and discuss the purpose for using a microscope in the field of science....
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Investigating Different Rock Types
Students analyze a rock using their eyes and then a hand lens. In this science instructional activity, students determine and discuss how hard or how easy it was to find and classify the assigned rock. Students record their observations...