Topic A: Rocks and Minerals Unit Plan
Grade: 3
Overview/Essential Questions:
Students learn about materials found on Earth’s surface—rocks, minerals and soil. By closely examining sample rocks, students discover similarities and differences and explore these, using simple tests and tools. Students learn that each kind of rock has a set of characteristics and that these characteristics can be used in classifying and identifying rocks. In studies of soil, students discover that the component materials include rock fragments and remains of living things, and that different soils have different compositions. Students learn that the characteristics of rock and soil are important to their use within the community. (Alberta Education program of studies)
· What types of similarities and differences are there between rocks?
· How are rocks classified?
· What are the different components of soil?
· Why are rocks important for the environment and how are they used?
Outcomes/Objectives:
General Learner Expectations
Students will: 3–5 Demonstrate knowledge of materials that comprise Earth’s crust, and demonstrate skill in classifying these materials.
Specific Learner Expectations
Students will:
1. Compare samples of various kinds of rock, and identify similarities and differences.
2. Given a description of the properties of a particular rock or mineral, identify a sample rock or mineral that matches those properties.
Properties that students should be able to describe and interpret include:
· colour
· Lustre or “shininess”; e.g., shiny, dull, glassy, metallic, earthy
· Texture; e.g., rough, smooth, uneven
· Hardness, based on scratch tests with available materials
· Presence of carbonates. Note that the presence of carbonates can be tested with vinegar or another mild acid
· Crystal shape for minerals, or overall pattern of rocks.
3. Describe and classify a group of rocks and minerals, based upon the above properties.
4. Recognize that rocks are composed of a variety of materials; and given a course grained rock and magnifier, describe some of the component materials.
5. Recognize and describe the various components within a sample of soil; e.g., clay, sand, pebbles, decaying plants; and describe differences between two different soil samples.
6. Describe ways in which rocks break down to become soil, and demonstrate one or more of these ways; e.g., by shaking a group of small, soft rocks in a jar of water; by striking rocks together.
Note: Safety goggles should be used.
7. Describe some common uses of rocks and minerals; and identify examples of those uses within the school, home or local community.
Student terms:
I can identify the differences and similarities between rocks and minerals.
I can classify rocks based on their characteristics
o colour
o Lustre
o texture
o hardness
o presence of carbonates
I can identify the different types and components of soil.
I can describe how rock break down to become soil.
I can explain why rocks are important to the environment.
Performance Task
Knowing about the different types of rocks, minerals, and soil in the environment is essential because these components provide different types of information about the environment and contribute to a number of resources humans use in the world. Students will demonstrate their understanding of rocks and minerals, types of soil, erosion, and why rocks are important through a unit test and the rocks and minerals classification chart.
Student terms Outcomes:
I can identify the differences and similarities between rocks and minerals.
I can classify rocks based on their characteristics
o colour
o Lustre
o texture
o hardness
o presence of carbonates
I can identify the different types and components of soil.
I can describe how rock break down to become soil.
I can explain why rocks are important to the environment.
Rocks and Minerals Unit Quiz
Note: The complete copy of this unit test is available in the Nicolas Sheran grade 3 rocks and minerals unit plan
1. What are rocks made of? (1 mark)
2. What are minerals made of (1 mark)
3. Name the three types of rocks (3 marks)
4. Name the four types of soil (4 marks)
5. How are metamorphic rocks formed (1 mark)
6. Name one rock and one mineral (2 marks)
7. Name one similarity and one difference between these two rocks. (2 marks)
8. ______is the process of breaking down rocks. (1 mark)
9. What are the two main types of erosion? (2 marks)
10. List five properties of rocks and minerals that we looked at. ( 5 marks)
11. 11. What is the most common type of rock? (1 mark)
12. Name three ways that rocks and minerals can be sued in you home? (3 marks)
13. What can help protect soil from becoming eroded? (1 mark)
14. What is the name of an individual who studies rocks and minerals? (1 mark)
Circle T for true and F for false.
15. If a mineral fizzes in vinegar, calcium carbonate is present
T or F (1 mark)
16. A Streak test determines how hard a mineral is.
T or F (1 mark)
17. All rocks are the same color, size and shape.
T or F (1 mark)
18. The largest size of rock is called a boulder.
T or F (1 mark)
19. Cleavage test tells us how a rock breaks.
T or F (1 mark)
20. A sieve helps separate rocks from minerals
T or F (1 mark)
Use the sentence below to fill in the chart.
21. My sample is very soft and can be scratched with a fingernail. It is clear and leaves a white residue on the streak plate. It has a glassy appearance and is non-magnetic. (5 marks)
Color / Streak test / Luster / Hardness / MagneticRocks and Minerals Classification Table
Students will record data from the rocks and minerals tests in this chart then identify the sample rock that matches the following properties:
· colour
· Lustre or “shininess”; e.g., shiny, dull, glassy, metallic, earthy
· Texture; e.g., rough, smooth, uneven
· Hardness, based on scratch tests with available materials
· Presence of carbonates. Note that the presence of carbonates can be tested with vinegar or another mild acid
· Crystal shape for minerals, or overall pattern of rocks.
A copy of the Classification table is found in Topic A: Rocks and Minerals master 7a and 8a by Edmonton Public
Summative Assessment
Unit Test
Classification Table
Formative Assessment
- Work booklet
- Oral
- Observation
- Experiments
- Writing projects
Calendar: 29 days
Monday 1h / Tuesday .5 / Wednesday 1h / Thursday 1hSept 3
KWL rock and minerals chart / 4
Properties of rocks
Mystery bag / 5
Sorting identifying different properties
9
Rock scavenger hunt / 10
Colour test / 11
Luster test / 12
texture
16
Streak test / 17
Hardness test / 18
crystal / 19
Vinegar test
23
Magnetic test / 24
Cleavage test / 25
Soil excavation / 26
sieves
30
Soil layers / Oct 1
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain / 2
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain / 3
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain
7
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain / 8
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain / 9
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain / 10
Rock erosion
Hitting
Frozen water
moving water
plants
water and rain
wind
acid rain
14 holiday / 15 NO SCHOOL PD / 16
Journal activity why soils and rocks are important / 17
Common uses of rocks
21
Where do we use rock and soil / 22
Everybody needs a rock story / 23
review / 24 NO SCHOOL PD
27
Unit test / 29 / 30 / 31
Lesson Plan Break Down
SLE 1, 2, and 3
Day 1 (.5 day)
- Brief introduction about what we will be discussion
- What I already know Rock and Minerals KWL chart
o Students will work independently first
o Then share what they know with are partner
o Then have partners share what they already know with the class
- Introduce I can statement
Day 2
- Focus on the concept of properties
- Introduce with a game of I-spy focusing on color, size, texture, and function
- Will use smartboard
- Mystery practice (this sheet will be included in formative assessment mark)
o Place 10 items with different texture inside 10 brown bags
o Students must record six properties of the mystery object
o Have student rotate in group through the different mystery bags
- Once students have rotated through all the stations bring back to large group and ask each group to describe one of the bags
Day 3
- Review how to sort objects. Use the whole class to sort and ask what they think my sorting rule was ie boy and girl, could use hair colour, eye colour
- On sorting mates students will work individuals or in partners to sort beads and a variety of other objects
- The will identify different sorting rules ie colour, size, shape, texture, cost, age.
- Sorting mates are on the bottom shelf under $
- Have students define ‘properties’, generate a list of characteristics/descriptors that can be used to classify or differentiate between objects.
- Properties: are the qualities or characteristics which describe a certain living ting, place, objects.
Day 4 (this may take two days)
- Have students write about different properties in their journal ?
- Brainstorm different descriptive words that can be used for rocks and minerals ie colours, textures, lustre use (Exploring the properties of rocks and minerals worksheet)
- Rock Scavenger Hunt
o Hand out scavenger cards to mark sure students find a variety of rocks
- Once students have found rocks come back inside and have students classify rocks based on their different characteristics ie texture, shape, colour, luster
- Students can refer to chart made at the beginning of class
- Have students use My Rock workshop for one of the rocks they found (this sheet will be included in assessment
Day 5 (.5 day)
- Finish My Rock Sheet and introduce the three types of rocks
- Use a smartboard presentation
- Metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary
Day 6 colour test (this may need to continue into the next day)
- For all of the classification test I will use a smartboard timer for groups
- Classification table (enlarged version of master 7a and 8a)
- Have students’ write each mineral and rock in the appropriate column
- Discuss difference between rocks and minerals
- Students’ will record colour of each rock and mineral. Place guided question on board or with each group.
o Students will rotate through different stations until they have recorded data for all twelve rocks and minerals
Day 7 luster test
- Discuss what terms students can use to describe the luster of a rock or mineral
- Have a class web where we add each test we did to it and what it tells us about the rock.
- Have flashlights
Day 9 texture (.5)
- Have students feel rocks using words such as rough, smooth, or uneven
- Have students choose one rock and make a plasticine model of the rock.
Day 8 Streak test
- Will first discuss what a streak test is and what it tells us
- Students will conduct the streak test and record on classification table
- Have student identify what they noticed
Day 10 Hardness test (fingernail, penny, metal nail, emery file) ( .5) Will need to continue to next day
- Students will use the four tools to test the hardness of the rock or mineral and then identify overall hardness
Day 11 Vinegar test
- Student will conduct the vinegar test on the rocks and minerals and record observations
- Use master 14 to help students make predictions about whether rock will fizz
- Transfer result to 7 and 8 a after everything is cleaned up
Day 12
- Students will record if the rock or mineral is magnetic or not
- Will record the name of each rock and mineral after discussion each type
- Discuss what is in a mineral to make it magnetic
Day 13 Crystal shape (may not be able to do this lesson would be goo on .5 day)
- Teach students about different crystal shapes and what they mean.
- Have students draw the different crystal shapes and label them
Day 14 Cleavage test
- Size master 15
- Provide each group with a sample of halite, calcite or fluorite
- Have students strike with hammer and examine how the mineral breaks
- Students will then draw a diagram of the break
SLE 4
Day 15 (use as part of assessment)
- Have student list ingredients I would need if I made oatmeal cookies. Have the ingredients to demonstrate what they look like
- Can any comparisons be made between the cookies and minerals or rocks
- Bring in oatmeal chocolate/raisin cookies make sure enough to each one for experiment on to eat
- Notice that both rocks and cookies have distinct ingredients, use magnifying glass
- Have students record observations on master 16
- Then have students work with a partner to identify the differences and similarities
Day 16
- Students use a magnifier to observe and describe some of the component materials in course-grained rocks
- Use safety glasses and a hammer to break a rock into pieces to see if the middle is composed of the same materials
- Master 18
SLE 5
Day 17(.5) ( may not be able to do this lesson on a .5 day)
- Sieves to separate particles
- Students will build a sieve to separate the different properties in soil ie net, plastic cups, nylon, pipe cleaners, glue, scissors
- Can refer to kitchen utensil to create comparisons