Maddison Akers
Portfolio 1
Book: The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth
Grade Level: 3Rd grade
GLCES covered:
1. E.SE.E.1 Earth Materials- Earth materials that occur in nature include rocks,
minerals, soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere. Some Earth materials
have properties, which sustain plant and animal life.
2. E.SE.03.13 Recognize and describe different types of Earth materials
(mineral, rock, clay, boulder, gravel, sand, soil, water, and air).
3. E.SE.03.14 Recognize that rocks are made up of minerals.
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4.E.SE.E.2 Surface Changes- the surface of Earth changes. Some changes are
due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering; and some changes are
due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
5.E.SE.03.22 Identify and describe natural causes of change in the Earth’s
surface (erosion, glaciers, volcanoes, and landslides.
The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth:
~Students will be introduced to earth science and learn that rocks are made of
minerals, as well as other facts about the earth.
This book can be read to the students as introduction to the subject of Earth
Science at the beginning of year, or during a new concept. The reason for this is
because there are so many different topics, covered by this book. The book
introduces the Earth to students by taking them on a field trip through the
different parts of the Earth. This may be a bad thing if you are trying to focus on
one topic in the book, because there is so much information covered. Also, just
by reading the main text on the page, you’re missing much of the information on
the page because there are dialog boxes that give facts. To make sure the
dialogs are all covered you may be able to go back or even let students read the
book on their own. However, I like how it gives a broad overview to the topic of
Earth Science, I feel it gives the teacher much room as to how they will use the
book. This book talks about the earths layers and describes how that relates to
rock formation. It also tells the reader about soil formation as well as weathering.
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Another good aspect of this book is that is has a chart in the back to the book
that students can refer to when learning about
Rocks.
1. First part of lesson the students will be put in groups and given a few
different types of rocks. Without any knowledge of the rocks, students will
be asked to look and touch the rocks and write down observations. Have a
guide sheet that helps students ask different question about rocks. Next
they will be asked to write down differences and similarities between
rocks. After the class will go into group discussion about the
characteristics and talk about the differences and discover that they are
made of different minerals.
2. Next the book will be read to students, if multiple books are available, I
would prefer students have their own copy or share with a partner as we
read aloud together. The Teacher will point out the facts about Rocks and
how they are made of different minerals. Also, The book discusses other
earth materials such as; soil, clay, sand and gravel. Students will learn
that these materials are made from weather and erosion of rock and their
minerals.
3. . From Proteacher.com, I got the idea to use a cookie to simulate how a
rock is made of different minerals. You bake different types of cookies,
chocolate chip, peanut butter, and raisin, M&M and pass out one of each
type to each student. Next give them a toothpick and have them describe
the different ingredients that make up the cookie. Explain to them how
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each type of cookie is different because of the ingredients, and the
ingredients are like the different minerals that rocks are made of.
4. Next place five different type of sand on table in plastic bags. Each type of
sand comes from the weathering of a different type of rock. Have students
pick matches and then explain that sand as the characteristic (color) as
the rock because they have the same mineral.
Maddison Akers
Sources:
1.Cole, J. (1997). The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth. Scholasitiv Inc
2.Grade Level Expectations [3RD GRADE ]. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Michigan Department of Education
website: http://michigan.gov/documents/mde/SSGLCE_218368_7.pdf
3. Wendy. (2011, January/February 1). Rocks and Minerals [Web log
post]. Retrieved from ProTeacher
Collection :
http://www.proteacher.org/c/814_Rocks_and_Minerals.html