Rocks and Minerals
Lesson 14
Identifying Minerals
Students compare their information about each mineral sample to the mineral identification cards to identify each mineral by name thus creating a mineral field guide.
3. Lesson set up and Management
INQD: Simple instruments, such as magnifiers, thermometers, and rulers provide more information than scientists can obtain using only their unaided senses.
PS2A: Objects have properties, including size, weight, hardness, color, shape, texture, and magnetism. Unknown substances can sometimes be identified by their properties.
PS2B: An object may be made from different materials. These materials give the object certain properties.
- Students will analyze their observations and the written information they have read to form their own conclusions, telling what type of mineral each sample is as they complete their Mineral Field Guide.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
- Run fifteen sets of the Mineral Identification cards to be used year after year. Copy each set onto a different color paper, laminate them, and cut them apart. These sets will last a long time stored in individual ziploc bags. If one gets separated from the set it is very easy to tell what bag it goes back into based on the color of the cards. These cards will not get mixed up with the set you will give the students to cut apart.
Student Management:
- Some students will find it helpful to place each mineral on the card as they identify it.
- FINAL ACTIVITIES #3
- It might be helpful to create a "My Mineral" outline that all students can use for research of the mineral of their choice.
- Students might prefer to work in pairs and complete their report in poster format to share with the class.
Writing Support:
- Students will record conclusions on their Mineral Profile sheets.
- Students can select one mineral to write about in their science notebook answering this question - "What information from your field guide and the identification card led you to your conclusion?"
Reading Support:
- Students will read and analyze their Mineral Profile Sheets and Mineral Identification cards.
- Finish reading the articles in Kids Discover ROCKS (the reading supplement to the kit) at the end of the lesson.
Last updated 06/18/2009