Materials for Rock Stations
Station# 1 / Station
# 2 / Station
# 3 / Station
# 4 / Station
# 5 / Station
# 6
*Rock bag # 1
5 hand lens
One paper bag / *Rock bag # 2
5 hand lens
Sorting map / *Rock bag # 3
5 rulers / *Rock bag # 4
4 balances
4 bags of gram pieces / *Rock bag # 5
2 - two cup measuring cups
( add water)
4 - 100 mL graduated cylinders
4 hand lens
Paper towels / *Rock bag # 6
- calcite – a mineral found in the SF gr.4 mineral kit
- 6 small cups (“condiment” size )
- Graduated cylinders
- 2 hand lens
- container of vinegar
Teacher Preparation ahead of time: Each station needs 5 or more rocks that fit the requirements for the assigned station.
- Station 1 Observe a Rock - a variety of five or more rocks so that there is one “unique” rock for each member of the group
- Station 2 Classify Rocks - 10 or more rocks that share some properties
- Station 3 Measure a Rock’s Length – five or more rocks in different lengths at least 1 cm apart in length
- Station 4 Weigh a Rock - five or more rocks of different masses – Weigh them ahead of time to make sure they are not too heavy to be measured usingthe SF kit red balances and single gram cubes.
- Station 5 - Measure a Rock’s Volume - five or more rocks with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the graduated cylinder being used so they will fit inside it.
- Station 6 - Bubbles and Fizz (Gr. 4 & 5)- two or three rocks need to have the mineral carbonate in them - ex. Limestone, marble