Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 1 Suggested Lessons and Sample CFA for
Grade 3.3: The Changing Earth
Key Vocabulary: crystal, classify, fossil, geology, igneous, metamorphic, mineral, property,
rock, sedimentary, texture
*Marzano's Academic Vocabulary italicized
Grade-Level Expectations
3.3.a.1. Differentiate between rocks and minerals.
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks: Part 2: Taking Rocks Apart
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks: Part 3: Observing Crystals
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 1: Detecting Calcite
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 2: Looking for More
Evidence w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 4: Take it for Granite: Part 1: Identifying
Minerals in Granite w/Science Stories
3.3.a.2. Use the senses and simple measuring tools to gather data about various rocks and
classify them based on observable properties (e.g. shape, size, color, weight, visible
markings).
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks Part 1: Investigating Mock
Rocks w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 1: Detecting Calcite
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 2: Looking for More
Evidence w/Science Stories
3.3.a.3. Conduct simple tests to determine properties of different minerals (e.g. color, odor,
streak, luster, hardness, magnetism), organize data in a table, and use the data and other
resources to identify unknown mineral specimen.
Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 2 FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks Part 1: Investigating Mock
Rocks w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks: Part 2: Taking Rocks Apart
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks: Part 3: Observing Crystals
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 2 Scratch Test: Part 1: Observing Minerals
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 2 Scratch Test: Part 2: Testing for Hardness
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 1: Detecting Calcite
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Part 2: Looking for More
Evidence w/Science Stories
3.3.a.4. Summarize nonfiction text to compare and contrast the conditions under which
igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks are formed.
Use your library to find books and/or articles about rocks for all students to read.
See website http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/face.htm for nonfiction text about rocks
and the rock cycle.
See website http://www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/create/index.html for more
information on the different types of rocks.
3.3.a.5. Observe and analyze rock properties (e.g. crystal size or layers) to infer the
conditions under which the rock was formed.
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 1: Mock Rocks: Part 3: Observing Crystals
w/Science Stories
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 4: Take it for Granite: Part 1: Identifying
Minerals in Granite w/Science Stories
3.3.a.6. Evaluate the usefulness of different rock types for specific applications (e.g.
buildings, sidewalks, stone walls, statues or monuments)
FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 3: Calcite Quest: Interdisciplinary Extensions:
Limestone and Farming, Research uses of Portland Cement p. 24
Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 3 FOSS Kit Earth Materials: Investigation 4: Take it for Granite: Interdisciplinary
Extensions: Research Stones used as Tools p. 19
Integration of GLE 3.4
3.4.a.2. Summarize nonfiction text to explain how humans use technology to access and use
natural resources to produce electricity or other products (e.g. paper or concrete)
See 3.3.a.6
Other all-encompassing projects:
Start a class rock collection and try to identify their type
Students choose their own project to research and experiment with. See FOSS Kit Earth
Materials: Investigation 4: Take it for Granite: Part 2: Choosing Your Own Investigation.
Good Websites
www.fossweb.com
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/rocks_soils.shtml is an interactive website
in which students look at different rock samples to see if they split, float, is permeable
and how it wears.
www.k-3learningpages.net/web%20rocks%20and%20minerals.htm a list of about 25
different websites all about rocks and minerals.
www.geodegallery.com/school/whole.html very cool video showing a geode being
broken apart.
www.enchantedlearning.com
www.brainpopjr.com
Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 4 Name ________________________
Date _________________________
SAMPLE
Common Formal Assessment for
3.3 The Changing Earth
ROCKS: Adapted from the FOSS Science Kit: Earth Materials
Earth is made of solids, liquids and gases. These nonliving things are called earth materials.
Geologists are scientists who study solids known as rocks. They have discovered many kinds
of rocks that made up the Earth’s crust.
The hardest part of a geologist’s job is finding out what makes up a rock. Many earth materials
mix together to make a rock, just like ingredients are combined in a kitchen to make a
chocolate-chip cookie. Once a geologist knows a rock’s ingredients, he or she can figure out
where that rock came from and how it was formed.
Geologists make careful observations and keep detailed records about how a rock looks and
feels. Some of the properties of a rock a geologist records are color, sizes, shape, texture, and
mass.
After studying the whole rock, a geologist breaks off a piece of the rock to learn more about it.
To look more closely at a piece of rock a geologist can use special tools to perform tests on it.
Next, the piece of rock is mixed with liquids. This makes the piece of rock break apart into
smaller parts. The smaller parts of the rock separate by size and weight. The heavier sand
parts of the rock fall to the bottom, and the lighter clay and silt parts lie on top of the sand.
Geologists use this settling process to look at different-sized parts that made up the rock.
Then they estimate how much of each different-sized part made up the rock. This information
helps them learn where the rock came from and how it was formed.
Next, a geologist breaks apart the parts even more by shaking them in liquid. Some of the
ingredients will dissolve into the liquid. When the liquid evaporates, the solid ingredients left
over will have turned into crystals.
Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 5 Use the article to answer the following questions.
1. Geologists perform tests on rocks to ____________________
a. decide if they are living.
b. learn where they came from and how they were formed.
c. find out about the temperature of the rock.
d. see if their rocks are made up of liquids.
2. Use this story map to help you answer question 2.
First, the
geologist
breaks off a
piece of the
rock.
The piece of
rock is mixed
with liquids to
break it apart
into smaller
pieces.
Box 1
Finally,
geologists use
this settling
process to look
at what makes
up the rock.
Box 4
What belongs in Box 3 in the story map above?
a) The smaller parts of the rock separate by size and weight with the heavier sand parts
falling to the bottom and the lighter clay parts lie on top of the sand.
b) The earth materials mix together to make a rock, like how ingredients come together to
make chocolate chip cookies.
c) Next, the geologist breaks apart the parts even more by shaking them in liquid to see if
the ingredients will dissolve.
d) Then the geologist makes careful observations and keeps detailed records about how
the rock looks and feels by recording the rocks properties.
Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 6 3. Sand is ________________________clay and silt.
a. lighter than
b. heavier than
c. the same weight as
4. List three properties of rocks that a geologist observes.
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
5. Using information from the article and your experiences, explain how a chocolate chip cookie
and a rock are similar.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Developed by C. Nelson, A. Waterman, R. Pelczar Summer 2009 Page 7