Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fairly Simple Rock Identification

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners study ways in which to identify rocks. They complete a number of activities that introduce them to various ways of identifying minerals in rocks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Cycle SIOP Unit

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Pupils collect rocks, identify them, classify them, investigate their properties, and more. In this rocks lesson plan, students also experiment with soil and erosion and weather.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle and Roll

For Teachers K - 4th
Young scholars 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mighty Minerals

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Rocks

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks in our Backyard

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine igneous and sedimentary rocks. They observe and identify geological formations in their community, analyze igneous and sedimentary geological layers using a geological map, and use GPS to locate geological formations.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Rocks

For Teachers K
Pupils recognize differences in the size, shape, texture, and color of different rocks. In this rocks lesson plan, students also learn and repeat back how a volcano erupts and make one out of a toilet paper tube.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing Rocks

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore the various properties of earth and rocks. They play "Twenty Questions" with the teacher, and analyze a rock using a magnifying glass. They record their rock observations and list the differences between the wet...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Minerals and Rocks

For Students 9th - 11th
In this geology worksheet, students locate 55 rock and mineral terms in a word search. Answers to the word search are available in various formats.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Minerals and Rocks

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify and interpret various minerals and discover how to identify and classify them. They identify and discuss how people describe objects and how scientists describe objects. From there, students look at a set of common...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Mystery Minerals

For Students 7th - 8th
For this science worksheet, learners complete a chart of mineral properties. Minerals are listed by number, and students perform various tests to determine luster, hardness, color, streak color, fracture type and cleavage type. They use...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology- Gemstones, Fossils and Rocks Quiz

For Teachers 4th - 5th
In this earth science quiz worksheet, learners answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about gemstones, fossils, and rocks. They see pictures of rocks, minerals, and a dinosaur fossil on the page. They check their answers with the word...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Internet Minerals Scavenger Hunt

For Students 4th - 5th
In this minerals scavenger hunt worksheet, students research on the Internet 10 different types of minerals found. First, they read each questions and determine what they will search for using the Internet. Then, students write their...
Organizer
Curated OER

Mineral Properties

For Students 6th - 8th
In this earth science worksheet, students look at the properties that are common to identifying minerals and the types of observations one can make.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Igneous Rocks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers perform experiments in which they grow crystals. They draw pictures of where each type of rock originates from. They also identify igneous rocks by using a chart.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Crystallization

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students determine the differences between the crystallization of igneous and metamorphic rocks. They examine both liquid state and solid state crystallization.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Hounds at Heart

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders read "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" by iam Steig and practice describing rocks using different physical properties. They make observations and develop and describe categories such as texture, color, density, hardness, etc.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Metamorphic Rocks Worksheet

For Students 5th - 7th
For this earth science worksheet, students read about the evolution of metamorphic rock, the most common types, and the make-up of metamorphic rock. They look at diagrams of the intensity of metamorphism before answering 7 short answer...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Processes of the Rock Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore, predict, and create each major rock form (sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous) with colored modeling clay, discover cycle of rock formation, and examine important relationships of heat and pressure in rock development.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Blast It! (Learning About Copper)

For Students 5th - 8th
Opening with background information on copper use and mining, this activity assesses junior geologists' reading comprehension. A map activity is available, but the map is not. There is a useful set of vocabulary matching cards and a...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Natural Resources Matter

For Students 4th - 7th
This natural resources worksheet includes discussion activities about natural resources, 2 word searches, and a list of related books and videos.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eggs'ceptional Experiments

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars see evidence of chemical reaction and follow the scientific method to hypothesize, observe, and reach conclusions. They conduct a series of egg based experiments such as forming crystals and complete journal activities as...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Discovering Rainforest Locations

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
How many rainforests are there, where are they, and do global factors effect their locations? These are great questions that have great answers. Children in grades four through eight use several different maps to determine why...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

For Creative Minds

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study pictures of plants, animals, and minerals. Students classify the pictures into the three groups. In this rock identification lesson, students complete a rock finding lab experiment by finding, cleaning, identifying, and...