Mineral Exploration: Learning to Collect Data for Mineral Identification
Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
Targets and Assessment
WA Science Standards Addressed:
 4-5 INQH scientists communicate results of
investigations verbally and in writing; review and ask
questions about results
 4-5 INQG scientific explanations emphasize evidence
 4-5 INQD investigations systematic collections of data
and observations
If appropriate for you class, this is a good opportunity to
review earth materials and touch base on states of matter
 4-5 ES2A earth materials include solid rocks, soils,
water, and gases
 4-5 PS2A substances can exists as solid, liquid and gas
Assessments:
 Verbal report of results (mineral name) and evidence
(color, hardness, faces) at the end of lesson
 Collect and grade data sheets (science notebooks or
hand out)
Lesson Parameters
Content Area: Earth Science, Geology
Overview:
Students will practice data collection and observations by using
standard techniques for identifying minerals. Each student will be
responsible for keeping a data table and in small groups students
will share their findings with the class. Combinations of minerals
form all the rocks on earth and thus are an important part of
Earth materials.
Grade Level: 5th grade
Suggested Time: 45-55 minutes
Special Materials:
 Minerals samples
Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge:
 Students can explain the three step process for basic mineral identification
 Students can define a mineral as a non-living, naturally occurring part of the environment
 Students can distinguish between a rock (composite of multiple minerals) and a mineral

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Skill:
Students can systematically collect data on color, hardness, and “cleavage”, and use this information
with a key to identify unknown minerals
Students can verbally share results of their investigation using the data they collected
Disposition: Students develop a broader awareness for the complexity of the material world around
them and better understand the important role that minerals play in everyday life.
Science Concept Background:
Minerals are the building blocks not only of all rocks, but also of many modern day items. Cell phones, and
electronics are a major industry for minerals such as Cobalt, which helps to prevent machinery from
overheating. Other common minerals include graphite, used in pencils, halite, common table salt,
asbestos, insulator (though highly toxic and no longer used as exposed insulation), and frequently
minerals are used for jewelry and precious gemstone keep sakes (diamond, tourmaline, garnet to name a
few). There are over 3000 known minerals and many of them can be difficult to tell apart. However, each
mineral has very distinctive properties, such as cleavage, hardness, habit, luster, color, streak as well as
more complex optical properties, which can only be determined using a petrographic microscope. By
definition, a mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic (non-living) substance that has a known chemical
composition and structure (based on atom packing).
For this beginning level, there are three simple tests that can be conducted (and that are conducted
regularly in the field) to identify minerals based on color, hardness, and cleavage. An identification sheet
that categorizes minerals based on color, hardness, and cleavage must be used in order for these tests to
work (see attached). For in depth research, thin sections (thin slices of rock sample that can be observed
through a microscope) are used to confirm minerals identifications made in the field with more simple
tests (as modeled in this lesson).
Materials: (see Geology Department at CWU to check out items)
Mineral samples – at least 2x of each so that students can compare results; enough for 2 minerals per group
of 2-3 students Calcite, clear or cloudy quartz, rose quartz, potassium feldspar (k-spar), muscovite,
biotite, amphibole (any kind is fine, actinolite is used here, hornblende is also good)
Glass jars – 1 jar per 2 groups (planters peanut jars work well here. Something sturdy is needed.
*NOTE the glass will be scratched!)
Hand lenses – 1 hand lens per group
Mineral identification chart (attached)
Procedure:
5min Engage the students by asking what they know about minerals. If not mentioned, talk about Diamond
and Halite (table salt) to build some familiarity between them and minerals. Share with the students that
minerals can come in many different shapes, colors and sizes. AFTER this, show some really neat and extreme
examples of minerals to really get their attention (fibrous serpentine, colorful fluorite, pyrite “fools gold”,
galena (lead – students must wash hands if they touch it), muscovite sheets are all good)
10-12 min Using the power point attached (or writing on the board) introduce the students to
 what a mineral is: A minerals is inorganic (non-living), naturally occurring, defined structure and has a
known chemical composition, i.e. there is a particular combination of little tiny particles, “atoms”, that
make up a particular kind of mineral, and each mineral has a different combination then the next!;
 why it is important to be able to identify them, minerals are an important part of our daily life and
different minerals are formed in different ways which is important for understanding our Earth;
 what characteristics are helpful for determining a mineral, color, hardness, and cleavage or the number
and orientation of faces or planes in a mineral.
5 min Give a demonstration on how to determine color, hardness (using the Mohs hardness scale from 1-10)
and number and direction of faces (cleavage – this is a difficult concept, so I use more basic language, “faces”,
“surfaces inside”, planes [“plane” needs to be explained – using a book works well: 6 sides, 3 planes]). Go
through how to read the mineral identification chart (easy to use as slide in power point and leave it on board
for students to reference).
5 min Formative Assessment: Have the students discuss with their neighbors which mineral they think best fits
what you have demonstrated. Tally the classes’ identifications on the board. Review which answers are right
and why. This is s great time to review terminology and answer any other points of confusion.
This assesses that the students can use, and soon explain, the three steps to identifying minerals
Hammer: A fun exercise is using a rock hammer to demonstrate how a mineral with good cleavage will break
along faces into smaller shapes that are all identical!
15min Divide students into lab partners or groups of 3 (any more may be distracting). Each group or pair will
have 2 minerals to identify and collect data from (color, hardness, number of faces and their orientation).
Students can use the attached mineral ID handout or do this is a separate workbook.
*note: more minerals can be given to each group to lengthen the lesson. This should only be done it the
students tend to have very good concentration and behavior and/or are more familiar with the subject. I would
limit the number of identifications to 5 per group. With 5 per group 25 minutes should be enough time for
them to complete the identifications
10min After students have identified their minerals, have the class report their results, and write them up on
the board. Have each group share each piece of data that lead them to their conclusion. If there are
differences of opinions (or just the wrong answer) go over the three tests with the entire class and uncover
where the miss-step took place. Have the students correct their data if needed.
Summative Assessment: Data sheets from science notebooks or from handout. Students must show the data
they collected from each of the three tests and the mineral name they chose for that sample. It is most
important that their results for the three tests are reasonable – they may have a difficult time reading the
mineral ID chart and errors there may be common depending on the class.
For example, if the student gets the color, hardness and presence of faces right but selects the wrong mineral
out of the options provided they did most of the work properly – but maybe missed a little detail at the end. If
a student missed the color (unless the whole team is color-seeing impaired) they were being careless.
Likewise, if the student flip-flops between columns of data they were likely not paying attention during the
demonstration and class practice (once they determine a mineral is dark and soft – there are limited columns
to choose from. They can not jump to a mineral in the light and soft area of the chart).
Extension(s): There are a few different extensions that can be put together for this lesson.
Scientific Drawing
This is a good opportunity for students to practice scientific drawings. The minerals used in this lab are
relatively simple to draw (the greatest challenge being that they are 3D), and labeling the minerals (name,
cleavage planes or faces) is very simple and the additional data (color, hardness) can be added on the side of
the drawing. This makes for a simple entry level scientific drawing that every student can have success with
and feel good about.
Rock and Mineral Show, tell, and investigate
Bringing rocks into the classroom with well-developed minerals will give the students the opportunity to
transfer their knowledge of individual minerals for understanding rocks. This will also address the difference
between rocks and minerals (rocks are comprised of many different minerals) and keeps the students focused
on Earth materials.
Teaching Tips: It is very important to be familiar with the minerals, and it should only take about 5-10 minutes
to figure them out. The easy ones to mix up are calcite (rhomboid or diamond – 2 planes or faces at 120 and
60 degrees) and halite (cubes – 3 planes or faces at 90 degrees). Quartz should be easily distinguished
between these two because it does not have any faces or planes (no cleavage).
A good way to identify faces in a mineral is to watch how light is reflected off of that surface. First you want to
look for a consistent smooth surface, and then slowly rotate the faces into and out of the light (sun light is
best, but classroom lights should work all right). When the light reflects all at once then you are looking at a
place/face. If the light reflects in little bits here and there (more sparkly) then you do not have a face or plane.
This is very helpful for k-spar and plagioclase and any of the hornblendes. Tell students that a mineral that
looks like a lot of long splinters or rods clumped together has planes that are really close together (actinolite,
feldspars sometimes, sillimanite for example)
Separate out minerals for the groups in advance.
Supplements:
Mineral ID chart
Power Point (includes images of some minerals)
Introductory geology textbook or mineralogy textbook (see geology dept at CWU or any college library)
Wikipedia is helpful for looking up specific mineral characteristics
Google images provide lots of great photos of minerals (double check photo caption to be sure you are looking
at the correct mineral)
By: Meilani Bowman-Kamaha’o, Fall 2011, for Harrah Elementary School