HCPSS Curriculum Framework*
(using essential components identified by DOI and MSDE structure)
Title. Why are minerals important?
Overview* This unit will outline the definition of a mineral, the properties of minerals, and why minerals are relevant to our students. The earth
is composed of thousands of minerals belonging to one of seven mineral groups. Groups are differentiated based on their chemical compositions
and the method in which they are formed. Mineral samples can be identified based on their color, hardness, streak, luster, crystal shape, and a
host of special properties. Minerals play an important role in our daily lives, providing us with building materials, technology components, and
other daily essentials. Removing mineral resources from the crust and preparing them for use is an important industry that is both economically
beneficial and politically divisive. Students will be tasked with identifying minerals and modeling the mining process to have a deep
understanding of why earth materials are important. This is often one of my students least favorite topics, but illuminating what minerals are
used for by the students on a regular basis and why the acquisition of those materials is contentious will provide a spark for learning for all
students.
Enduring Understandings
Minerals are the building blocks of the rocks that compose our Earth.
Minerals are essential to life, providing shelter, nourishment, and other benefits.
Minerals can be identified and classified based on their chemical and physical properties.
Essential Questions*
○ What are the building blocks of minerals?
○ What kinds of materials make up our earth?
○ How do we classify minerals?
○ How can we use the physical properties of a mineral to determine its identity?
○ How are earth processes responsible for the creation and destruction of minerals?
○ How are minerals valuable to humans?
Interdisciplinary Connections*
Content:
○ Composition of minerals (elements & the periodic table) – Link to chemistry and biology
○ Mineral groups (Silicates, Carbonates, Sulfides, Sulfates, Halides, Oxides, Native Elements)
○ Mineral formation (from magma/lava and from water)
○ Mineral characteristics & identification (hardness, color, streak, luster, crystal shape, magnetism)
○
Mining and mineral resources – link to social studies as cause of global and regional conflict, ie. Blood minerals
Literacy in science –
○ Read procedures to gain clear understanding of the experiment
○ Analyze the author’s purpose in writing about conflict minerals, defining the question the author seeks to address
Mathematical applications –
○ Data collection
○ Mathematic operations in determining a budget and ledger
Content Curriculum Map
Curriculum Standards
Goal 2.
The student
will
demonstrate
the ability to
describe and
classify
materials
that make
up Earth.
Concepts/Topics/Vocabulary*
(What will you teach?)
These are concepts and terms that will be
encountered-often for the first time, over the
course of the unit. The list is not comprehensive; it
is meant to highlight terms that either are
particular to the unit, are introduced there, or
that play a large role in the work or content of the
unit. These terms and concepts are usually implied
by the standards, but not always made explicit in
them.
Student
Outcomes *
(What will students do?)
c. Use selected
properties to
identify common
rock forming
mineral groups,
including
carbonates,
halides, oxides,
silicates, sulfates,
and sulfides.
Classification and formation of
minerals into groups (Silicates,
Carbonates, Sulfides, Sulfates,
Halides, Oxides, Native
Elements)
● Students will
d. Describe the
physical
characteristics of
igneous,
Mineral characteristics and
identification (hardness, color,
streak, luster, crystal shape,
magnetism)
● Students will
d.
classify minerals
into groups by
exploring
common
compounds and
physical
characteristics
● Students will
infer how
minerals form
based on their
chemical
composition and
mineral
associations
make
observations
and perform
Skills/Engagement*
Assessment*
(How will you teach it and how will you
engage students?)
(How will students show you
what they know?) These are
formative (pre and on-going)
and summative (graded
post/unit assignments)
assessment
Activity 1: Online scavenger
hunt for the characteristic
compounds of the 7 mineral
groups that includes mineral
examples
Students will create a
memory game in
which they match
mineral groups with
characteristic
compounds and the
most common
mineral.
● Activity 2: Using
The teacher will
circulate to ask
students to justify
their characteristic
unidentified mineral
samples, students will
identify physical
metamorphic, and
sedimentary rocks,
including crystal
size and shape,
mineral and
chemical
composition,
density, and origin.
Goal 1.c. Give
examples of how
changes in the
physical Earth
affect other Earth
systems and
human activity.
Mining and mineral resources
tests to classify
the physical
properties of
unknown
samples
● Students will
use a key to
identify the
unknown
sample
characteristics and create
groups based on these
traits.
● Activity 3: After clarifying
the tests/observations
geologists use to identify
unknown samples,
students will carry out
those tests and make
determinations as to the
mineral identity.
groups, determining if
they understand what
a physical property is
and if they are
identifying
appropriate
similarities.
The teacher will
check the student lab
sheet to check for
correct mineral tests
and logical mineral
identifications.
● Students will
● Activity 4: Blood minerals
determine what
types of
minerals are
economically
valuable
● Students will
identify the
political issues
associated with
mining
● Students will
model the
economical
considerations
of mineral
mining including
video clip reading: students
ask and answer questions
related to the political and
economic difficulties
associated with natural
resources
● Activity 5: Cookie Mining –
Students will purchase land
(cookie), mining equipment
(toothpicks and paperclips),
and time to remove the ore
(chips) from their land.
They will keep a ledger to
determine how much
money was made/lost after
the sale of their ore and
Students will discuss
in small groups the
major problems
associated with
Coltan mining in the
Conga. Groups will
then share out their
main ideas, and the
teacher will guide
discussion and
assess student
understanding.
Teachers will collect
mining ledgers and
student reflections to
check understanding.
land rights,
equipment
costs, and
reclamation
land reclamation.
Lesson Plans/Seeds. The lesson seeds are ideas that can be used to build a lesson. They are designed to generate evidence of student
understanding and give teachers ideas for developing their own activities. Lesson seeds are not meant to be all-inclusive, nor are they
substitutes for instruction.
● Specific mineral research/presentation
● Everyday uses of minerals
● Local mineral collecting/identification
Resources: Substantial lists of suggested literary and/or informational texts and other supporting resources.
Suggested Texts (Literary and/or informational)
Suggested Media to support Technology resources
this unit
Kors, Joshua. "Blood mineral: war rages in Africa over a
remarkable metal used to make cell phones and MP3
players." Current Science, a Weekly Reader
publication 8 Jan. 2010: 10+. Gale Science In Context.
Web. 13 July 2012.
Blood Colton video:
Mineral Groups website:
http://youtu.be/Ov6SIYofcdY http://www.mineralogy4kids.org/groups.html
URL: http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/scic/MagazinesDetails
Page/MagazinesDetailsWindow?failOverType=&
query=&prodId=SCIC&windowstate=normal&content
Modules=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Magazines
&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&
source=&sortBy=&displayGroups=&action=e&catId=
&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA2
16360678&userGroupName=colu60611&jsid=49427
d2372bcd9f7d83126aebb067822
Teacher Resources:
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/identification.html