Rocks and minerals are of great importance in the history of our Earth, although it unfortunately remains a concept that lacks lustre and enthusiasm for elementary students. Most students are able to comprehend the differences between rocks and minerals and how formations occur over time, however, the tangible relationships students can gain by interacting with various types of rocks and minerals and causation by rocks and minerals remains detached.
The following activities will span across approximately eight fifty-minute science periods each, allowing students to learn about rocks and minerals, causes and effects of mining and erosion and their societal and environmental implications, as well as the use and disposal of rocks and minerals through hands-on experiences and self-guided discovery. The purpose is for the learning to be student-directed through the setup of the materials and stations.
Related Resources:
Reviewing Making Molecules Activity Using Remind
Categories: Lab/Student Activity, Lesson Plan
Students will be completing the assignment entitled Making Molecules (see hand-out link below) created by science-class.net where they will have to create models of different compounds using beads... read more
VSEPR - TAKING A PBL APPROACH
Categories: Lab/Student Activity
I wanted an activity for students that would get them thinking about the shapes of molecules - and how they could connect this to their prior knowledge of Lewis diagrams and chemical bonding. I use a... read more
Build a Pig House
Categories: Lesson Plan
Written by Larissa Crawley, Don Galbraith Award Recipient 2023, Nipissing University. This activity could be used on its own as a STEM challenge in any classroom, or could be used as a... read more