Rocks and minerals
by Jennifer Belcher
Grade level: 3
Rationale
Rocks and minerals are something that kids see every day. Learning about the different types of minerals that make up the rocks will help students become more aware of the abiotic features of the environment and their importance. A field trip to the Natural History Museum will give students exposure to a wide variety of rocks and minerals. In addition, students will work on classifying objects, an important tool for observation.
Objectives
Students will be able to identify the
three groups of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic).
Students will be able to name one type of
rock from each group.
Students will be able to describe at least
one identifying feature from each rock group.
Students will be able to classify some
minerals by unusual features that are observed.
Materials
Permission slips (attached)/ chaperone guidelines (attached)/ science journals.
Preparation
 | Get approval from school administration (per school policy). |
| Contact the museum to make reservations (at least 60 days prior to trip). |
| Arrange for transportation (per school policy). |
| Send permission slips and chaperone guidelines home at least 21 days in advance. |
| Send copies of lesson to chaperones at least one week in advance. |
| Arrange for necessary medications for students who need it during the day and make sure there is a first aid kit available. |
| Order sack lunches from school lunchroom for students, teachers, and chaperones. |
| Work up a tentative itinerary, leaving time for bathroom breaks. |
Pre-activity: What's a Rock?
Anticipatory set
Collect a few rocks from the area and before students come into the class, leave at least one or two different rocks on each group of student desks. When students come in, allow them to examine their rocks. Discuss what the students think about the rocks. Write down descriptive words that the students use (10 minutes).
Activity
Display a number of books about rocks and minerals. Some suggestions are:
| Everybody Needs a Rock - Byrd Baylor |
| It Could Still Be a Rock - Allan Fowler |
| The Rock - Daniel A. Birchmore |
| Rocks and Minerals - Illa Podendorf |
| Why Do We Have Rocks and Mountains - Claire Llewellyn |
| Rocks Tell Stories - Sydney Hornstein |
Have each group of students (3-4) take a book and read to each other (15 minutes).
After reading, find out if any students found the three groups of rocks in any book (should be in most of the above list). Briefly describe the three groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic (15 minutes).
Closure
Discuss the field trip to the museum. Let students know who the chaperones will be and split students up into groups to be assigned to each chaperone. Review behavior rules for the bus and the museum and answer any questions the students may have. Remind students to bring a knapsack to carry things in, their science journals and a pencil.
Contact museum to confirm reservation.
On-site activity: Visit the Museum
8:30 AM: Introduce students to chaperones, answer questions, load the bus and count the children. Bus leaves.
9:00 AM: Arrive at the museum. Students will get into pre-arranged groups with chaperones. Students will hang jackets in appropriate area. At this time there will be a bathroom and water break.
9:15 - 10:15 AM: Students will tour the museum with chaperones. There will be no need to take notes at this time, just enjoy the museum.
10:15: Gather students in common meeting place. Take a head count. Allow a bathroom and water break. After the break, talk to students about what they saw in the museum for a few minutes.
10:30 - 11:15 AM: Quiet down the class and explain the next part of the trip. Each student will take out their science journal and go to the two mineral exhibits. Students will use their journals to do the following:
| Locate and identify at least one rock from the igneous group, sedimentary group and metamorphic group. Record the name and a description of the rock in your journal. |
| Find two or three minerals in the collection that appeal to you. Write down the name of the mineral, describe it, and explain what is it you like about this mineral. Draw a sketch of the mineral if you think it will help. |
11:15 AM: Gather students and their coats. Take a head count and load the bus to go to the park for a picnic.
11:30AM - 12:30 PM: Take students to a local park for a picnic lunch and some play time. If the weather is inclement, bring the students back to the school and have a picnic in the classroom followed by some indoor recess time.
12:30 PM: Return to school (arrive approximately 1:00 PM).
Post activity: Classifying rocks
Anticipatory set
Allow students to discuss the museum trip including their favorite exhibits and why (10 min).
Activity
Have students take out their science journals. Ask students for some descriptive words they used to describe specific rocks and minerals. Write some on the board leaving room to write rock names underneath. Let the students come up to the board two or three at a time and put rock and mineral names underneath each descriptive word. Ask students to find more than one way to describe a rock or more than one rock to fit a description. Finally, see if students can come up with any characteristics (properties) that were unique to each of the three rock groups. (30 min).
Closure
Have students make a book to send to the museum as a thank you. Pair up students and have each group contribute one page of text and drawings telling what they enjoyed about the museum and all of the students will sign the last page. Also, have students (as a class) make a thank-you card for each chaperone.
Assessment
Students will be informally assessed by their ability to put rocks and minerals into descriptive categories. For a more formal assessment, the teacher can review the science journal assignment from the museum to check for completeness.
Extensions
| Students can make Venn diagrams using two properties of the rocks or minerals they observed. |
| Students can make their own rock collections. |
| Students can study crystals and learn how to grow their own. |
Sample permission slip April 1, 1998 White Lake Elementary School Dear Parent/Guardian, On Friday April 29, 1998 the third grade will be visiting the UWSP Museum of Natural History followed by a picnic lunch (weather permitting) at Local Park. The purpose of this trip is to see the museum exhibits and complete an activity studying minerals and rocks on display. The bus will leave the school at 8:30 and return at 1:00 PM. Thanks to everyone's generosity during fund raising activities, there will be no cost to any students for this trip. If you have any questions, please feel free to call one of the third grade teachers (Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Jones, or Miss Belcher) at 715 555-4567. If your child normally purchases a lunch in the cafeteria, a sack lunch will be provided for the trip. If you wish to pack a lunch for your child, please indicate on this form where shown. Please sign below to give permission for your child to attend this field trip, detach the bottom portion of this form and return to the school by 4/14/98. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I give permission for my child, _______________________________ to attend the April 29, 1998 trip to the UWSP Museum of Natural History and the Local Park. I also hereby authorize the representatives of White Lake Elementary School to administer emergency medical assistance to my child in case of an emergency. ________________________________________Signature of parent or guardian/ date _____ I would like my child to receive a sack lunch from the school (the cost will be charged to the child's normal lunch ticket). _____ I would not like my child to receive a sack lunch from the school and will provide a sack lunch for the trip. If your child has any special medical needs, medications, or any allergies that the school is not aware of, please indicate on the back of this form. |
| Sample chaperone request
and guidelines We need chaperones! The third grade class at White Lake Elementary School needs chaperones for our April 29, 1998 trip to the UWSP Museum of Natural History and the Local Park. The bus will leave at 8:30 AM and will return to the school at 1:00 PM. Each chaperone will be responsible for a group of 4-5 students and will receive a copy of the lesson plan a week prior to departure. We are studying rocks and minerals and a visit to the museum will allow us to see and feel a variety of rocks that we might not be able to find in our yard. Who can be a chaperone? Any parent, guardian, grandparent, or other relative who is at least 21 years old and wants to help us have a great time! Lunch will be provided by courtesy of the third grade. Please read the following information carefully and sign below if you would like to be a chaperone for our trip. If you have any questions, please feel free to call one of the third grade teachers (Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Jones, or Miss Belcher) at 715 555-4567. Thank you, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Jones, and Miss Belcher --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I, _____________________________________ would like to chaperone the White Lake Elementary School trip to the UWSP Museum of Natural History and the Local Park. I understand that as a chaperone I am expected to abide by the following rules:
_________________ ______________ ___________________Signature/ date/ phone number |