Jean Bacon, Administrator for Teaching and Learning, North Adams Public Schools

In this unit, students investigate the processes of erosion and weathering through hands-on investigation. They will see how these

processes affect the formation of landforms. Students will analyze different types of maps to look for patterns and design a solution to mitigate the effects of an earthquake.

Authors:

Jean Bacon, Administrator for Teaching and Learning, North Adams Public Schools

Lindsay Osterhoudt, Science Coordinator, North Adams Public Schools

Kathy Atwood, Grade 3 Teacher, North Adams Public Schools

Troy Segala, Business Administration Management major, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Revisions made June 2015:

Jessica L. Wojcik, Interdisciplinary Studies major, Education major, Social Work minor, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Grace Sullivan, English & Women’s Studies major, Williams College

Lesson #1: What is a Rock?

BACKGROUND

Overview of the Lesson

In this lesson, Science Fellows will encourage students to begin to think like geologists and become acquainted with the eight Science practices. Through class discussion and the “Types of Rocks” song, they will be introduced to metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks. In groups, they will generate questions about these types of rocks and then have a chance for hands-on exploration with hand lenses and rock kits. At the end of the lesson, they can start answering the essential question for this unit, which will tie their new scientific knowledge to their community: How has Mount Greylock changed over time?

Focus Standards

[2006] 4-ESS-3 Identify the three categories of rocks (metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary) based on how they are formed and explain the natural physical processes that create these rocks.

W.4.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

• Describe the different processes by which sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks form.

Assessments

• Create a “Planet Earth” newspaper and write the first article, writing an “interview” with a sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic rock

Key Vocabulary

Tier 1- Lens

Tier 3- Sedimentary, Igneous, Metamorphic, Geologist

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

**Items in bold should be returned for use next year**

LESSON DETAILS

Lesson Opening/Activator

• Talk about what scientists do. Give each student 3 sticky notes and ask them to write down three verbs that describe a scientific practice. Post the verbs around a picture of a scientist (or a picture of your class as developing scientists!). Discuss each verb.
• Refer to the “Eight Practices of Science” for additional inspiration. (See worksheet in binder.)

During the Lesson

1. Discuss the word geologist by breaking apart the word (“geo” = Earth, “logist”= one who studies). Explain that a geologist is a type of scientist. With a partner, students will read “Written in Stone” from the Foss Science Stories of Earth Materials. Have students record in science journals a “Give Me 5” (record 5 things a geologist does.)

1. Explain that you will be exploring the Earth’s surface, including rocks, and how it changes. On a piece of chart paper write the essential question: “How has Mount Greylock changed over time?” Each time you complete a lesson, you will be able to answer some part of this question. Now may be a good time to lay the ground rules for the class about working with hands-on materials and the college students.

1. As a class, develop a semantic map to draw on background knowledge. You can do this activity together as a class.

• Write the word “rock” in the middle of the chart paper.
• Conduct a group brainstorm. The teacher writes down student-generated words relating to rocks. Students make connections between words and generate meaningful categories.
• Optional: Keep the map in the front of the room; after the “Types of Rock Song” song, have students generate additional words and/or categories.

4.Show the class the “Types of Rock Song” ( Distribute handouts of the chorus lyrics. Using these lyrics, answer the following three questions:

• How are igneous rocks formed?
• How are sedimentary rocks formed?
• How are metamorphic rocks formed?

5.In groups, ask the students to generate questions about igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks and record these questions in their science journal. Try to use the following words as question starters: compare, contrast, define, describe, explain, andillustrate. Then, distribute hand lenses and rock kits to each group. Each group gets an igneous rock, a metamorphic rock and a sedimentary rock; rotation of the rock samples is optional. Do not remove the numbered labels. Encourage the students to answer their own questions by examining the rocks as a geologist would, first by looking without a lens but then using the hand lens. Have students’ record thoughts and observations in their science journals. [SP1- asking questions]

6.As a class, pose the following questions: How do you think Mt. Greylock was formed? What type of rock types do you think are on Mt. Greylock? Record possible answers on the Essential Question poster.

Lesson Closing

• Write the vocabulary (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, geologist) down on index cards to be added to a vocabulary ring. Pictures are encouraged.

Assessment

• Tell students that for this unit, they are going to be investigative journalists writing for the “Planet Earth Newspaper.” For their first assignment, they will write an interview with a rock type of their choice. The students can use both their new scientific knowledge and their creativity to fill out the “Interview with a Rock” worksheet.

Lesson # 2: Mineral Mystery

BACKGROUND

Overview of the Lesson

In this lesson, students will perform tests on a collection of minerals to determine which mineral they are. The science fellow and teacher should carefully read over the lesson before teaching to gain a better understanding of the concepts they will need to explain to the students. Students will be creating a chart about the mystery minerals and designing an ad for their rock newspaper portfolio project. Once the hands-on portion of the lesson is completed, the classroom teacher should continue working with the students on adding vocabulary words to their vocabulary rings.

Focus Standard(s)

[2006] 3-5 ESS-2 Identify the physical properties of minerals (hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak), and explain how minerals can be tested for these different physical properties.

Learning Objectives

• Perform appropriate tests to determine the hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak of different minerals.
• Note differences between rocks and minerals.
• Use previously recorded data to identify different minerals.

Assessment

• Students will create a chart with their observations of the different minerals, based on the performed tests.
• To assess the difference between rocks and minerals listen to class discussions during the explanation portion of the lesson about these terms.
• Students will use a list of characteristics given to them to identify the mystery minerals quartz and limestone.
• As part of the portfolio newspaper project, students will become an expert on one of the minerals they observed and create an ad to advertise this mineral.

Targeted Academic Vocabulary

Tier 1- Color

Tier 2 - Organic, Hardness, Streak

Tier 3- Mineral, Crystal, Luster, Cleavage

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

**Items in bold should be returned for use next year**

LESSON DETAILS

Lesson Opening/Activator

• The Earth is made up of lots of different types of minerals, and some are more common than others. Today, we’re going to go on a mystery mineral hunt to learn a little more about what minerals are and how to identify them. Before we get started on our lesson today, we need to talk about the difference between rocks and minerals.
• Rocks are groups of different minerals that form together. Those minerals combine to form the rock. Therefore, minerals make up rocks.
• Below is a chart that compares these two substances side by side. Use this as a basis for a class discussion. This chart is included as a handout in this unit. The handout has some boxes that are blank. The classroom teacher should make copies of this to hand out to students. Students can fill in the chart as the comparisons are discussed in class to ensure that the students are paying attention.

During the Lesson