Click on the shelves in this virtual exhibition to learn about the many rocks and minerals that we use in our everyday lives.

Read about the geography and natural resources of Ohio in your study of this state. Discusses geology, rock and mineral resources, geologic time, and glaciation.

Second graders are introduced to rocks and their physical properties.

There are six common minerals most often found in rocks. They are quartz, feldspar, olivine, mica, pyroxene, and amphibole. This website provides photos and information on each, and discusses their importance when identifying rocks.

Students complete field and museum observations and work with local geologists to collect information on various types of rocks. Each student then creates a trading card with an original illustration of the rock on the front and the...

Learn about the different types of igneous rocks and how they are classified.

Study the properties of rocks.

Learn about various rock types and the rock cycle.

This site explores the classification of igneous rocks. Content addresses classification based on color and texture, mineral composition, and chemical composition.

Learn about the uses of rocks.

During your lifetime, you will use more than a million pounds of rocks, minerals, and metals. Dig through this web site and find out how.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about rocks and their properties. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Presents the classifications of igneous rocks based on silica content.

Though rock candy seems to be a simple enough treat, it is also pretty interesting to make. Crystallized sugar that can be grown from a sugar-water solution is just how rock candy is made. In this experiment, you will learn to make your...

Search the database of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History for gems & minerals, meteorites with images, or petrology & volcanology.

A nonfiction article where students read about Julie Codispoti, assistant curator at the United States Polar Rock Repository, located at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center. The article provides an overview of Antarctic...

Second graders will sort rocks according to hardness, texture, layering, and particle size.

Practice identifying the visual characteristics of rocks.

This infographic includes a calculation for how many grains of sand are on the Earth. It discusses what sand is, its history of use by humans, and its many uses in modern times.

Basic information about the volcanic glass perlite. Find out where perlite got its name, where it comes from, and the many uses of perlite.

This chart shows the mineral production of Canada by province and territory.

This resource provides a description of the mineral quartz, including physical characteristics and color images.

Information on this commercial site gives the physical properties and origin of the amethyst, as well as some of the mythical and metaphysical properties ascribed to the gemstone.

This commercial site contains information about the sapphire's physical properties and where it can be found. Also discusses the history and romance related to the stone and includes a description of its quality.