Name: Jillian Dale
Subject/Topic
Grade: 3rd
Science – Earth Science
IN State Standards Addressed
1. SCI.3.2.1 2010 – Examine the physical
properties of rock samples and sort
them into categories.
2. SCI.3.2.2 2010 – Observe the detailed
characteristics or rocks and minerals.
Identify rocks as being composed of
different combinations of minerals.
Resources for Lesson
(electronic or hard copy)
1. 5 of each rock: granite,
gneiss, limestone, shale, and
pyrite
2. 5 pieces of quartz
3. magnifying glass
4. lab to fill out
5. masking tape
6. permanent marker
7. dry erase board/marker
8. in class worksheet
9. lined paper for journal
Objective:
The student will be able to define the physical properties for classifying rocks and
minerals by the beginning of the lab.
The student will be able to identify the physical properties of rocks and minerals and
categorize like properties by the end of the lesson.
The student will be able to distinguish between rocks and minerals by the end of the
lesson.
Anticipatory Set:
The students will take a pre-lab survey. I will ask the students to respond to my
statements with a thumbs up if they agree or a thumbs down if they disagree. I will keep
a tally on the board of the pre-lab survey results. These are the questions I will ask:
If you pick a rock up off the ground, it is probably older than dinosaurs. (TRUE)
Expected response: False
Some rocks are formed in volcanoes. (TRUE)
Expected response: True
Some rocks float in water. (TRUE)
Expected response: False
When two minerals are pushed together they form a rock. (TRUE)
Expected response: True
Overtime, water can shape rocks. (TRUE)
Expected response: False
Patrick Star lives under a rock. (TRUE)
Expected response: True
This will get the students to start thinking about rocks as they actively participate.
Input:
Before the students divide into lab groups, I will demonstrate what the students should
be thinking when examining rocks. I will demonstrate what each student will do with
their six different rocks or minerals.
I will use a piece of pumice as my example. I will show each student the rock and let
each student feel the rock. I will draw on the board the square resembling the square on
their paper. I will write these characteristics next to my square: color, size, texture,
shape, weight, and rock or mineral. I will draw a picture and write “pumice” in my
square. I will write and say aloud the physical characteristics I notice. I will say this as I
write:
“The color is light tan. The size is about the size of a lemon. The texture is course and
looks like a dry sponge. The pumice looks like a brain in shape. It is very light weight. It
is a rock not a mineral. I know this because it is not shaped like a crystal.”
“Minerals are shaped like crystals. Rocks are two or more minerals pushed together.
Sometimes we can look at rocks and see that they have layers. This is an easy way to
tell if it is a rock or a mineral.”
Before I tell the students that this is what they will be doing, I will show them a cool
characteristic about pumice. I will put the pumice into a cup filled with water and I will
show them that pumice floats.
I will tell the students that this is what I want them to do with each rock in their lab.
I will break the students into groups of four. There will be five groups. Each group will be
given five rocks and one mineral. The rocks and mineral will be labeled by name. I will
use these rocks: granite, gneiss, limestone, shale, and pyrite. I will use the mineral
quartz. Each student will fill out their lab charts during the lab.
Each student will draw each of the six rocks or mineral per group and write the name on
the square on the lab paper. The student will write the characteristics they notice next to
the square. The characteristics the students will look for are: color, size, texture, shape,
weight. Then the student will circle on the lab sheet if it is a rock or a mineral.
Modifications for students with exceptionalities:
Vision impaired: The vision impaired students can still participate in this lab. Students
should receive assistance from other students when forming color descriptions. Vision
impaired students will receive the following rocks and minerals: Pyrite, Quartz,
Limestone, and Granite. Students will use other senses to help them distinguish
between the rocks such as feeling, and scent. I expect the student to define the texture
of the rocks and minerals as smooth or rough. I expect the student to relate the shape
of the rocks and minerals to another relatable object. The student can feel the points
and edges of the rocks and minerals. The student can smell the rocks and minerals and
notice some differences. The pyrite will smell of metal. The limestone will smell of dirt
and dust. Some rocks and minerals will have no scent and that should be noted as well.
The vision impaired students should be able to identify a texture or scent characteristic
distinguishing each of their four rocks or minerals. This is how the student will be
assessed.
ADHD students: This lesson plan addresses some of the needs of ADHD students in its
original form. The lesson has the children move around the room while working on short
assignments. The objectives are simple and clear. ADHD students will receive extra
time to finish assignment. The material in the lesson plan (the drawing worksheet, the
summation worksheet, and the journal prompt) will be broken into mini assignments for
the ADHD students instead of a packet. This will help the students feel less
overwhelmed. As I walk around the room and listen to discussion, I will pay particular
close attention to the groups with ADHD students. I will help their discussions but
suggesting ideas to keep ideas flowing. When the students are engaged in an active
discussion, the ADHD students will pay better attention.
Guided Practice:
The students will discuss the characteristics of the rocks and mineral in the lab groups
together. They will use different terms to describe the rocks and mineral. This will help
them build on the characteristics describing the rocks and mineral.
I will walk around the room and listen to the descriptions. I will ask the students these
questions to help get them thinking:
Which rock has visible layers? How can you tell?
Expected response and further discussion: Gneiss and Granite; You can see that there
is more than one color so it is minerals pushed together. You can see the layers.
Which one is the mineral? How do you know?
Expected response and further discussion: Quartz, some may say Pyrite; Quartz is the
only mineral in the room. You can tell by the crystal shape. Pyrite is not a mineral
because you can see the smashed rock material around the smooth gold components.
Which one(s) have you seen before? Where?
Expected response and further discussion: Limestone makes up gravel roads, Granite
looks like some countertops, and Shale looks like a chalkboard,
Which one seems like you could break it? Why?
Expected response and further discussion: The Limestone and the Shale; they are
flatter and seem more fragile. Some corners break off easily.
Student conversation:
I expect to hear students describe the rocks. I expect to hear students talk about when
and where they have seen the rocks and minerals before. I expect to hear some
students talk about a movie which may have feature pyrite as fool’s gold or quartz as a
magical stone. I expect the students to think about the limestone as gravel in their
driveway or on a playground. I expect to hear some students think about shale as
limestone. I expect some students to talk about the floating pumice and ask if other
rocks float. I expect some students to talk about other rocks and minerals they have
encountered but are not included in the lab.
When listening for descriptions I should expect to hear the following from the students:
Color: Grey, black, clear, gold, pink specks, black specks, black stripes, etc.
Size: Students should compare the rock to something of a similar size such as a lemon,
a strawberry, a pencil tip, etc.
Texture: Rough, course, smooth, etc.
Shape: Round, flat, cube, etc.
Weight: Students should compare the weight to something similar in weight such as a
lime, a cracker, a pencil, etc.
When students are classifying the item as rock or a mineral I should expect to hear the
following descriptions:
Rock: Rough, multi-colored, layers, odd shape, etc.
Mineral: Crystal shape, smooth, one color, etc.
Independent Practice:
I will give a worksheet for students to complete in class. Once students are finished, I
will ask them about the answers on the worksheet. The first part of the worksheet will be
matching. I will use the same rocks as in the lab but I will find pictures that have
different shapes. The students will match the name of the rock to the picture. They may
use their lab sheet for notes. The second part of the worksheet will be labeling pictures
as “Rock” or “Mineral”. Students can look at more than one type of mineral. They will be
easily identified because they will all have a crystal shape. When we go over the
worksheet in class I will ask the students how they knew the answer individually as they
answer my questions.
Assessment:
The assessment for this lab will be a journal. This will be my writing prompt:
Pretend you are a geologist on a mission to build a rock and mineral collection for a new
museum opening in your town. You are searching for rocks and minerals but they all
have to be different. Write about some rocks and minerals that you are familiar with and
their characteristics that make them different. Make sure you say which are rocks and
which are minerals.
This journal will identify the following objectives:
Distinguish between rocks and minerals.
Identify physical characteristics of rocks.
Identify physical characteristics of minerals.
KEY
Match the name of the rock to the picture of the rock.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Pyrite
Limestone
Gneiss
Shale
Granite
A
D
B
C
E
Identify the following as a rock or a mineral.
1.
2.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
6.
Mineral
Rock
Mineral
Rock
Mineral
Rock
Mineral
Rock
3.
7.
4.
8.
Name: _______________________________________
Match the name of the rock to the picture of the rock.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Pyrite
Limestone
Gneiss
Shale
Granite
___________
___________
____________
____________
____________
Identify the following as a rock or a mineral.
2.
5.
2.
6.
3.
4.
7.
8.
1.
5.
2.
6.
3.
7.
4.
8.
Draw the rock or mineral in the boxes below. Write the
name of the rock or mineral in the box.
Name: _______________________________________
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)
Color: _____________________________
Size: ______________________________
Texture: ___________________________
Shape: ____________________________
Weight: ___________________________
Rock
or
Mineral
(circle one)