K5 Science Endorsement GPS Lesson Plan

Title
Teacher(s)
E-mail
School
Lesson
Title
Grade
Level

Rocks and Minerals Lesson 2

Ayoola
Doyin.Ayoola@cobbk12.org
Blackwell Elementary
Rocks and Minerals Lesson 2
Third

Concept The difference between rocks

and minerals
s(s)
Targeted
Lesson Essential Questions
What is the difference between a rock and a mineral?

Georgia Performance Standards S3E1. Students will

investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.

a. Explain the difference between rocks and minerals

Safety Considerations: Be sure to keep magnets away
from computers or electronic devices. Do not put any
materials into your mouth.
The Learning Plan:
EXTEND:
Have 3 different science stations set up-Station 1:
Put the sentence a rock is made of minerals on the board. Have students
brainstorm other real world analogies that would be part-whole such as
cookie to chocolate chips or salad to vegetables. See how many rock to
mineral analogies that students can create and create a class chart of the
entire list.

Station 2:Have students work in teams with a checklist of items of real world
items such as a granola bar, wood, a person, etc.. to decide based on our
definition-rocks are solid earth materials formed from a mixture of minerals
and some other materials. Whereas minerals are naturally formed solids with
crystal structures. See if students can brainstorm other real world items that
would be similar to rocks or similar to minerals.
Station 3:Have students do a scavenger hunt in classroom using the rock and
mineral collection. Students have to find at least 1 rock and 1 mineral and
explain to a partner why it is either a rock or a mineral. They must place their
finding on a t-chart on huge chart paper. For a formative assessment
students have to write down their explanations on an index card for a ticket
out the door.
EVALUATE: As a summative assessment, students use Kidspiration or
Inspiration software on computer to design a Venn diagram that compares
and contrasts rocks and minerals. Have them include pictures and/or
diagrams to depict the difference between rocks and minerals. Teacher will
grade venn diagram using a rubric.
.
.
Title of the Lesson:
Lesson Logistics/Materials: Students will work in small groups.
Materials needed:
Opening/Hook/Initial Focus:
Read Let's Go Rock Collecting by Roma Gans to students. Review what is a
rock and what is a mineral on a T-chart organizer on chart paper.
Work Session:
Have students brainstorm other real world analogies that would be partwhole such as cookie to chocolate chips. Give students a checklist of items
of real world items such as a granola bar, wood, a person, etc.. to decide
based on our definition-rocks are solid earth materials formed from a mixture
of minerals and some other materials. Whereas minerals are naturally
formed solids with crystal structures. Have students do a scavenger hunt in
classroom using the rock and mineral collection. Students have to find at
least 1 rock and 1 mineral and explain to a partner why it is either a rock or a
mineral. Students use Kidspiration or Inspiration software on computer to
design a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts rocks and minerals.
Have them include pictures and/or diagrams to depict the difference between
rocks and minerals.

Closing:
Students will present their venn diagrams to their partners and discuss what
the difference between a rock and a mineral is. Have students draw a chart,
venn diagram, or some explanation in their science journals that best helps
them to understand the difference between a rock and mineral.