Slide 1
Grade 4
Big Idea VI: Earth Structures
Minerals, Rocks, Weathering, and Erosion
Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support Specialist
Division of Mathematics, Science and Advanced Academics
Slide 2
Big Idea 6: Earth Structures
• SC.4.E.6.1 Identify the three categories of rocks:
igneous, (formed from molten rock); sedimentary
(pieces of other rocks and fossilized organisms);
and metamorphic (formed from heat and pressure).
• SC.4.E.6.2 Identify the physical properties of
common earth-forming minerals, including
hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak color,
and recognize the role of minerals in the formation
of rocks.
SF Textbook: Earth Science Unit B
Electronic Stepbook/flipbook teacher resource:
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/flipbook/
Additional Supplemental Resources
Rocks, Minerals, & Soils
Game: Rocks, Minerals, & Soils
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities.html
Guide to Florida’s Rocks and Minerals
Florida’s Rocks and Minerals
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/rocks/fl
orida_rocks.htm
Glossaries, photos/images, and links on rocks/minerals
Rocks for Kids
http://www.floridastandards.org/Resources/PublicPreview
Resource1487.aspx
Rocks and Minerals Projects
This Planet Really Rocks!
All About Rocks and Minerals
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/index.html
Teachers can guide students through this animation to
teach students about the rock cycle.
Rock Cycle Animation
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/cont
ent/investigations/es0602/es0602page02.cfm
Weathering and Erosion
Lesson Plans for inquiry based activities related to changes
in Earth’s surface. Model Volcanoes Lesson Plan:
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?BenchmarkI
D=11&DocID=320
Bill Nye Videos: The Earth and
Reuse, Recycle, Renew
http://www.gamequarium.org/dir/SqoolTube_Videos/Scie
nce/Bill_Nye_Videos/
Renewable Resources
Recycling and Composting
http://www.floridastandards.org/Resources/PublicPreview
Resource4559.aspx
Slide 3
Minerals and You
Every solid material made from nature that’s
neither plant or animal--not a living thing is a
mineral or made from minerals. Minerals touch
our lives in hundreds of ways each day. Life
as we know it would not exist without them.
What are minerals?
What are some minerals that touch your lives?
Slide 4
A Mineral is
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•
•
•
A solid material that is formed by nature in or on Earth’s crust
A material that has a crystal form
A material that is not formed by a living thing
A material that has its own set of properties:
color
streak color
hardness
luster
cleavage
•
Minerals by Name
Engage - Say: You wake up in the morning and turn on a
light. You wash your face, brush your teeth, and get
dressed. You turn on the TV and eat breakfast – a bowl of
cereal, a glass of juice, or maybe toast and an egg. You
gather your book bag and head out the door—ready to
start the day. And almost everything you’ve done so far–
and everything you’ll do for the rest of the day—would be
impossible without minerals. See T. packet handout:
Minerals and You for more information. Read the slide.
So what are minerals? That’s right: solid material made
from nature that’s neither plant or animal--not a living
thing is a mineral or made from minerals. Students write
in their step-book or notebook.
Explore: Click on hyperlink: What are minerals? Discuss.
Pass out AIMS Rock’s and Minerals foldable booklet to
make. Discuss and then pass out hand lens and some salt
(mineral) to observe. Rock salt is best. Ahead of time you
can also dissolve some salt in water and let the water
evaporate and salt crystals will remain.
Ask: What are some minerals that you touch your lives?
Students record responses in their step-book or
notebook/journal.
Let’s look at some minerals to see what else we can learn.
Go to the next slide.
Explore and Explain: Observation Activity: Pass out a bag
of minerals samples to each group. Have each student
choose a mineral and write a list of as many qualitative
properties or characteristics as possible. Students can
place the minerals in the center of the group and exchange
the descriptions and try to find the mineral that is being
described.
Have students watch the video that is hyperlinked (A
Mineral is ) and/or read in their SF gr. 4 book pp. 239-241,
lesson 1: How are minerals identified? and /or
ScienceSaurus handbook pp. 160-163 to learn how
scientists define minerals. Student take notes and define a
mineral. Next click on A material that has its own set
of properties: and ask what are the properties that
scientists use to identify one mineral from another? (color,
streak color, hardness, luster, cleavage) Which of
these properties did they use when they observed
the minerals? Students add properties to their
notes.
Now let’s observe a mineral more closely and
identify more of its properties. Pass out A Closer
Look at a Mineral worksheet and the following
materials: streak plate, penny, paperclip, balance,
mass pieces, graduated cylinder, container of
water.
Discuss what new quantitative properties students
were able to observe.
Slide 5
Mineral Identification
Sample Color
#
Feels
Texture
Streak Smells Luster Magnetic
Odor
Chemical
Hardness Weight
Mass
Use the print copy of the Mineral Identification lab
direction and worksheet for students that was part of the
PD packet.
After students observe and identify properties of the
mineral samples, they can use the Minerals chart from the
Step Book and the Minerals Identification chart in the
teacher resource pack and online mineral sites to identify
the names of the minerals.
Slide 6
Is it a Rock?
What is a rock?
How do you decide if something is a rock?
Copy the list below? Circle the things that are rocks.
1. cement block
9. iron ore
2. dried mud
10. concrete
3. hardened lava
11. coal
4. asphalt (road tar) 12. brick
5. glass
13. a grave stone
6. piece of clay pot
14. marble statue
7. coral
15. granite
Explain your thinking: What
8. limestone
Pre-assessment: Earth and Space Assessment Probes: Is it
a Rock , NSTA Press can be found in the Learning Village
through Middle School Science Tab for grades 6, 7 or 8,
Formative Assessments Volume 2. This is the second probe
on rocks. The first probe could also be done which assesses
the concept that rocks come in all sizes. This is a second
grade benchmark.
reasoning did you use to decide if it
was a rock?
Slide 7
Rocks: What are Rocks?
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•
•
•
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Solid earth material
Make up the crust of the Earth
Mixture of one or more minerals
Range in size from giant mountains to grains of sand
Can be smooth or rough, shiny or dull, one color or
many colors
• Three main types:
Engage and explore: First click on the hyperlink Rocks and
play the video. Then open up the hyperlink: What are
Rocks ( print selection) for a discussion. Have students
define a rock and name the three main types. Use SF Gr. 4
Lesson 2 and AIMS booklet Rock Types for reading, notetaking and discussion.
1. Sedimentary
Rock
Rock
3. Metamorphic Rock
2. Igneous
Explore: Pass out samples of rocks that are from the 3
types for students to observe. AIMS gr. 4 Earth Science has
several lessons on identifying rocks. Students could choose
a rock one per student in a group to observe, measure and
identify its type and record in their journals. Students can
place the rocks in a group and have members read their
descriptions and see who can identify the designated rock.
Two rocks can be compared using a VENN diagram. Rocks
can be classified by size, luster, hardness, volume, etc.
Explain: Each of the three types are hyperlinked and you
can click on them to learn more. The next slides also
provide more information on each type.
Slide 8
Igneous Rocks
•
•
•
Form when magma (hot liquid rock) cools and
hardens
Common near volcanoes
“Fire formed” rocks:
granite
scoria
obsidian
pumice
2
Pumice is a gas-charged igneous rock.
Can you identify some others?
3
1
4
5
Slide 9
Metamorphic Rocks
•
•
•
Slide
10
Form when underground rocks are changed due to
high pressure
“Changed” rocks
Common in mountains
Sedimentary Rocks
•
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Form when layers of rock particles get pressed together at
or near Earth's surface
https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/login/login.jsp
“Layered” rocks
May contain fossils
Common near bodies of water or where water existed in the
past
Explore and explain: Open the three hyperlinks to learn
more about igneous rocks. Students identify their main
properties or characteristics and take notes.
You can look at specific types through the site and/or actual
rocks if available.
Evaluate: Ask them to identify granite (#1) obsidian (#2)
and scoria ( #3) from the picture.
Explore and Explain: Open hyperlink: Metamorphic Rocks
and read, explore and discuss. Have sample of
metamorphic rocks if available.
Students take notes on main characteristics.
Extend: Gr. 4 AIMS activity: Metamorphic Munchies.
Explore and explain: Open hyperlink: Sedimentary
Rocks and read, explore and discuss. Have sample of
sedimentary (limestone – schoolyard /home backyard)
rocks. I
Students take notes on main characteristics.
Extend: Gr. 4 AIMS activity: Settling on Sediments
Log in to
https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/login/login.js
p
Gr. 4 Take in to the Net. Go to Games and click on Earth
Science Unit, chapter 8 Active Art for Sedimentary Rock
Formation animation. If not registered, click on the register
button.
Enter the access code SFSCAL07FLEN05T and your school’s
zip code.
ASK: What type of rocks do we find in Miami and South
Florida? (sedimentary - limestone) How do you know? (
some answers: limestone rocks contain fossils of ocean life
from when south Florida was covered by water. Limestone
is mined here for making of cement.)
Evaluate: What do we call the breaking down of rock that
creates sediment? That’s right- weathering.
Let’s look at some types of physical weathering. Go to the
next slide.
Slide
11
Observe and Classify Rocks
Lab Inquiry
Three Main Types
1. Sedimentary Rock
2. Igneous Rock
3. Metamorphic Rock
Slide
15
Slide
16
Rock Cycle
Just Between the Two of Them
Granite
Quartz
Objectives: Students observe properties of sedimentary,
igneous, and metamorphic rocks.
Students classify rocks based on their properties as
sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic rocks.
Materials:
Two Igneous Rocks (obsidian and pumice or
scoria*) Two Sedimentary Rocks (conglomerate and
compact limestone or chalk*)
Two Metamorphic Rocks (slate and marble*)
*Suggested rock types
Procedures for Exploration:
Divide class into small groups of six students.
Pass out samples of rocks that include rocks from the 3
types.
Students choose a rock to observe, and identify its
properties in their journals.
Students can place the rocks in a group and have members
read their descriptions and see who can identify the
designated rock.
Students use the dichotomous key placemat sheets to
classify their groups rocks into the three types of rocks:
sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic.
Students explain their classifying reasoning.
Evaluation: Students complete Earth Science Review III
worksheet.
Explore and Explain: Students can review the types of
rocks by looking at the Rock Cycle.
Extend: You can use the GR. 4 AIMS activity: Tri Grouping
Rocks pp. 141-146.
Explore, Explain and Evaluate: Find two samples: one of a
rock and the other a mineral.
Materials:
-hand lens
-a rock – granite and a mineral- quartz. You can substitute
depending on what is available. You just need to have one
rock and one mineral to compare.
-Worksheet or display format and students copy in
notebook.
This activity is from the AIMS Gr. 4 Earth Science: Just
Between the Two of Them activity. Follow suggestion of the
Gr. 4 AIMS Earth Science TE handout pages 199-200. Ask
essential question p. 204 What can you learn about these
two samples by making careful observations. Also use
Rocks and Minerals passage p. 203.
Slide
17
Just Between the Two of Them
Observations
•
Sample One Sketch and Observations
Slide
18
Extension: This activity is from the AIMS Gr. 4 Earth
Science: Just Between the Two of Them activity.
Sample TwoSketch and Observations
Just Between the Two of Them
Connected Learning
Explain: This activity is from the AIMS Gr. 4 Earth Science:
Just Between the Two of Them activity.
1. How are rocks and minerals alike and
different?
2. What are the three types of rocks?
3. Which type of observation—sketch or writtendo you think gave you the best observations
about the two samples? Why?
4. How did the reading passage help you learn
more about rocks and minerals?
5. What are you wondering now?
Slide
19
Is it a Rock?
What is a rock? How do you decide
if something is a rock?
Copy the list below? Circle the things that are rocks.
1. cement block
9. iron ore
2. dried mud
10. concrete
3. hardened lava
11. coal
4. asphalt (road tar) 12. brick
5. glass
13. a grave stone
6. piece of clay pot
14. marble statue
7. coral
15. granite
Explain your thinking: What “rule”
8. limestone
Evaluation: Earth and Space Assessment Probes: Is it a
Rock, NSTA Press can be found in the Learning Village
through Middle School Science Tab for grades 6, 7 or 8.
or reasoning did you use to decide if
it was a rock?
Slide
20
Rocks and Minerals Review
1. Rocks are made of _____,
which are natural, nonliving solid
crystals.
2. The way a mineral’s surface
reflects light is called its ___.
3. Clay minerals cement layers of
sediment together to form
__________.
4. _________ is formed deep within
Earth’s crust.
5. Rock that has changed from one
type to another type of rock is
called.
Slide
21
A. Igneous Rock
B. Luster
C. Mineral
D. Sedimentary rock
E. Metamorphic Rock
The Importance of Rocks & Minerals
Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Rock
or
Mineral
Type
of
Rock
Evaluate: Students match up the use of a vocabulary word
with the sentence that uses it correctly.
Use
Extend: Students can research different rocks and minerals
and collect data to fill in the table. Students may be able to
bring in samples, too.
Slide
22
Jobs Involving
Rocks & Minerals
Extend: Students can also research careers that involve
rocks and minerals.