Lesson Plan
Name:
Hannah Perry
Date: February 9,2015
Subject:
Science
Grade: Kindergarten
Virginia SOL: VA SOL K.2 and K.4
Start time: 10:00 am
Stop time: 11:00 am
Lesson Title: Kindergarten Rocks!
Objectives (What do you want students to know, do, or feel as a result of your instruction?)
1.
The student will investigate and explain that the physical properties of an object can be described. Key concepts
include: colors of objects, shapes and forms of objects, textures and feels or objects and relative sizes and
weights of objects.
2.
The student will investigate that humans have senses that allow them to seek, find, take in, and react or
respond to information in order to learn about their surroundings. Key concept included: sensory descriptors
used to describe common objects and phenomena.
Critical vocabulary:
Materials/resources:
Rock
Sparkle
Heavy
Light
Texture
Size
Color
Big
Little
Sand
Soil
Shiny
Smooth
Flat
Bumpy
Rocks, lab sheets, science journals, paper clips, pencils or crayons, spoons, safety goggles,
hand lenses, balance scale, calipers, digital food scale, baggies, and egg cartons.
Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):
Essential Question: What can we learn by collecting rocks from our school yard?
To launch the lesson, the teacher will tell the children that they have something hidden in their hand that is older than
they are. In fact, it is older than the teacher, the school, their grandparents, etc. The teacher will tell students that
object they are holding might even be hundreds of years old. Next, the teacher will ask students to make some
predications as to what they think the teacher might be holding. The teacher will then show the children that they are
holding a rock.
Body (what comes after your interesting intro?)
Explore
After a brief discussion about rocks, students will be invited to go on a rock hunt around the school grounds.
Students will work with partners to find rocks. Students will be given the following items, prior to going outside:
safety goggles, an empty egg carton, and a plastic spoon for digging. Students will be encouraged to find twelve
rocks, one rock for each section of their egg carton. Prior to leaving the classroom the teacher will establish the
following norms for collecting rocks:
1) Students should not take rocks from the school’s landscaping.
2) Rocks selected must be able to fit in the egg cartons.
3) Students can use the plastic spoons to dig rocks, but they should replace the hole with the dirt that they dig.
Students should leave the area as close to the way as they found it.
4) Students should not throw rocks.
5) Students should not break rocks.
6) Students should wear safety goggles at all times.
Lab Investigation (Sheet located at bottom of the lesson plan): Upon returning to the classroom, give students time
to observe their rocks with hand lenses and discuss their findings with their partners. Encourage students to describe
the attributes of their rocks such as size, color, shape, etc. Next, give students a copy of the Kindergarten Rocks Lab
Sheet (attached at the bottom of the lesson plan), pencils, crayons, or markers. Ask students to select one rock from
their collection to complete their lab sheet by drawing a picture of their rock, trying to make it the same color and size
as the rock they found on the schoolyard. Then provide paper clips for students to make a non-standard
measurement of their rock and record how many paper clips they used. Students will complete their lab sheets by
sorting their rocks by lighter or heavier and tally how many they have of each.
The teacher will debrief students by asking the questions below:
1) In what part of the school yard did you find your rock?
2) Were there other rocks around that were like it?
3) Is your rock heavy or light?
4) How would you describe your rock?
5) What can we learn about the rocks in our school yard by looking at our rock collections? Do we need more
information?
Acquire
1. Explain to students once again the difference between rocks, sand, pebbles, or soil.
2. Give examples of some similar characteristics and attributes of rocks.
 Size, shape, color, or texture
Performance: Students will sort objects that have similar characteristics such as the attributes of size, shape, color or
texture.
Produce: Students will complete their Kindergarten Rocks Lab Sheet. They will draw a picture of their rock and
measure their rock with paper clips.
Apply

Tell your students that without talking, they must observe their rocks, and then sort them based on similar
characteristics; such as the attributes of size, shape, color or texture.
Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):
Have students discuss with their table how they personally chose to sort their rocks. Explain to students that one
person’s sorting style might differ from theirs and that is okay.
Remind students that rocks can be found everywhere, ask them to look for rocks whenever they play outside or walk
in an area where rocks can be found.
 Prepare students to talk about a place where they saw rocks outside of the playground.
Homework:
Be on the lookout for rocks located outside the playground area. Note every time you see a rock when you are outside, so
you can share with the class the different places you found rocks.
Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)
Teacher Evaluation/Assessment Sheet (Rock Sorting Activity)
Not making adequate
progress
Students do not sort their
rocks by any attributes.
Making adequate progress
Students sort their rocks by an
attribute such as size or color.
Has mastery of concept and needs
learning extended
Students sort their rocks by more than
one attribute, e.g. color, size, weight,
kind.
Students do not understand
how to put paper clips
together to measure their
rocks.
Students use paper clips to
measure their rocks, and record
the number represented.
Students use paper clips to measure
their rocks, record the number
represented, and measure the rock's
volume by dropping it into water.
Students do not collect any
information about their
rocks.
Students will safely use
scientific instruments such as a
hand lens or balance to collect
data about their rocks
Students will create an attribute graph,
using the information they obtained
about their rocks collections.
Reflections (So, how did it go? What will you change to make it better? Do it now or you’ll forget.)
Kindergarten Rocks! Lab Sheet
Name: _______________________________________________________Date:_______________
1. Choose one of your favorite rocks and draw a picture of it in the box below.
2. Try to make your drawing the same shape as your rock.
3. Color your picture the same color as your rock.
My Rock
1. Use paperclips to measure how many paper clips will fit around your rock. Count how many paper clips you used
around your rock and write the answer below:
My rock measures __________________________________________
paper clips.
2. Now that you have measured your rock, compare your rock to the other rocks you collected. Are the other rocks
lighter or heavier than your rock? Sort them into the correct box. Count how many you have of each weight.
Lighter
Heavier
Total:
Total: