graded assignment laboratory rocks and minerals

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Lesson Plans & Activities 9-12

Please see below for lessons and activities.

Biology/Ecosystems  ||  Geography  ||  Geology  ||  Global Change  ||  Natural Hazards  ||  Oceans/Coasts  ||  Water

Biology/Ecosystems

Wildlife and Contaminants - Lessons A series of lessons targeted to high school students that introduces the topic of ecotoxicology and guides students through the scientific process of gathering raw data and drawing conclusions about the impact of contaminants on wildlife.   

Become a Phenology Observer - Activity The National Phenology Network (sponsored by the USGS) is looking for volunteers to help monitor plant and animal species found across the United States. Learn how to monitor plant and animal phenology and sign up to contribute new observations to the national phenology database. Make this a classroom project!

Lessons on the Lake: An Educator's Guide to the Pontchartrain Basin - Lessons Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain Basin is home to 1.5 million people and an estuary ecosystem with enormous biodiversity. Activities in the educator's guide help students in grades 5-12 gain an understanding and appreciation of the Basin and teaches them the skills to identify environmental concerns, make changes, and solve problems.

Land and People - Activity Students look at interactions between people and the environment in three regions of the United States: Cape Cod, Los Angeles, and the Everglades. Targeted to grades 7-12.

Interactive San Francisco Bay Data - Activity Look at plots of data collected from the water of San Francisco Bay, then generate your own plots using real data. How does a change in light penetration compare to water temperature? Does a change in salinity correspond with a change in chlorophyll?

Topographic Map Resources for Teachers - Lessons and Activities This directory level site includes links to various resources on topographic maps, how to obtain them, read them, their history, and map projections and includes links to various teaching activities and modules. It is the one-stop shop for learning about, using, and teaching topographic map concepts.

I ntroduction to Soils - Lessons A series of lessons teaching high school students about soils and linking them to climate, vegetation, and geology.

Exploring Maps - Lesson Exploring Maps  is an interdisciplinary set of materials on mapping for grades 7-12.  Students will learn basic mapmaking and map-reading skills and will see how maps can answer fundamental geographic questions.  The map images and activities in this packet can be used in various courses, including geography, history, math, art, English, and the sciences.   

Constructing a 3D Topographic Map - Activity This exercise uses clear plastic take-out lids, each marked with a different elevation line, and stacked to produce a 3D topographic map. It includes a base map of Angel Island (San Francisco Bay) but can be adapted to any local topographic feature.

27 Ideas for Teaching with Topographic Maps - Activity Contains 27 ideas for teaching with the approximately 57,000 topographic maps that the USGS offers.

Map Mysteries - Lesson Sample questions to use with USGS topographic and thematic maps as starting points to uncover mysteries about the cultural and physical geography of the Earth.

Corn Maze Geography - Activity Visit a corn maze and use these activities to learn about maps and geography.

How to Use a Compass with a USGS Topographic Map - Activity Learn to navigate using a topographic map and a compass.

Map-It: Form-based Simple Map Generator - Activity Enter the longitude and latitude of points to plot on a simple map. Download a postscript version of the resulting map.   Satellite Imagery

Tracking Change over Time - Activity Enhance students' learning of geography, map reading, earth science, and problem solving through landscape changes recorded by satellites in space.

AmericaView - Lessons USGS is a partner in AmericaView, which has lesson plans and other education resources for working with satellite imagery. Mostly targeted to grades 6-12.

Journey Along a Field Line - Activity A sixteen-page comic book about the Earth's magnetic field. Travel down through the interior of the earth then back up into the ionosphere to learn how the magnetic field works.

Antarctic Ice Sheet - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through a paper model, why there are changes on the ice sheet that covers the Antarctica continent. By studying the paper model, students will better understand the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Chicxulub Impact Event - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, by means of two paper models, how dinosaurs may have become extinct as a result of an asteroid impact. By studying the paper models, students will better understand the mass extinctions that have been part of the Earth's history. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Crinoids - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through the use of a paper model, how crinoids lived and became fossilized. By studying the paper model, students will better understand the flower-like animal that is referred to as a "sea lily" and its ocean-floor environment. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

How to Construct Four Paper Models that Describe Island Coral Reefs - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing a set of four, three-dimensional paper models that schematically illustrate the development of island coral.

Make Your Own Paper Fossils - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, by means of paper models, how two organisms, a trilobite and a nautiloid, became fossils. The report is intended to help students and others visualize the size and shape of a trilobite and a nautiloid, the environment in which they lived, and the circumstances of their fossilization and subsequent discovery. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Make Your Own Paper Model of a Volcano - Lessons and Activities

This report contains instructions and a pattern for making a three-dimensional paper model of a volcano. This model is intended to help students and others to visualize a stratovolcano (inside and out) and to learn some of the terms used by geologists in describing it.

Paper Model Showing Motion on the San Andreas Fault - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing a three-dimensional model that schematically illustrates the fault motion that occurred during the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989, in California. The model is intended to help students and others visualize the process of fault slip during earthquakes.

Sand Dunes - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through computer animations and paper models, why sand dunes can develop different forms. By studying the animations and the paper models, students will better understand the evolution of sand dunes.

How to construct 7 paper models that describe faulting of the Earth - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing seven three-dimensional paper models that schematically illustrate common earth faults and associated landforms.

2 Paper Models Showing the Effects of Glacial Ice on a Mountain Valley - Activity This report contains instructions and templates for preparing three-dimensional paper models of two features a mountain valley partly filled by a glacier and the same valley after the glacier has melted. Included are brief descriptions of how such glaciers form, how they erode the landscape, and what kinds of physiographic features they produce.

Earthquake Effects - Lessons and Activities The report is intended to help students and others visualize what causes earthquake shaking and some of the possible results of the shaking. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Landslide Effects - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates how four different types of landslides (slide, slump, flow, and rockfall) occur and what type of damage may result. The report is intended to help students and others visualize what causes landslides and some of the possible result of the landslides. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Plate Tectonics Tennis Ball Globe - Activity Create a mini globe that shows the major plate boundaries of the world (scroll to page 15).

This Dynamic Planet Teaching Companion Packet - Lessons and Activities This Teaching Companion is intended to assist teachers to teach plate tectonics, primarily for grades 6–14.

Schoolyard Geology - Activities - under construction Structured activities use man-made features that are found in a typical schoolyard to demonstrate geologic principles.

The Lifecycle of a Mineral Deposit - Activities A teacher's guide for hands-on mineral education activities. Designed to meet the National Science Standards, this product includes 10 activity-based learning exercises that educate students on basic geologic concepts; the processes of finding, identifying, and extracting the resources from a mineral deposit; and the uses of minerals. Geared for fifth through eighth grade science teachers.  

Collecting Rocks - Activity Learn about different types of rocks and how to identify and collect them.

What's in My Soil? - Activity Students separate, examine and identify the major components of soil to better understand how these components give soil its unique physical characteristics.

Introduction to Soils - Lesson This complete lesson plan teaches students how soils develop and provides links between soils, climate, vegetation, and geology. Includes materials for both teachers and students (handout, puzzle, field and lab sheets).

Graded Bedding - Activity Students are introduced to the concept of graded bedding, in which particles are sorted by size as they settle out of suspension. Students will discover that water is a good medium to separate and sort particles, and that particles have different behaviors in water and air.

Geologic Age - Activity Students investigate radioactivity as a tool for measuring geologic time.

Global Change

Greenhouse Gases - Activity Students observe and contrast thermal properties of three major greenhouse changes over time for dry air, water-saturated air, carbon dioxide, and methane.

Evaluating Glacier and Landscape Change - Lesson In this lesson students interpret USGS data in multiple formats and draw conclusions based on the data presented. 

Natural Hazards

Tabletop Earthquakes - Activity Construct a simple earthquake machine to demonstrate the principles of seismology. Includes supporting instructional material. 

Size and Occurrence of Floods - Activity Students use macaroni or beans to calculate the statistics of floor recurrence (see back side of poster).

Living with a Volcano in your Backyard - Activities A three-unit guide that provides science content and inquiry-based activities about volcanoes of the Cascade Range for middle-school students, with an emphasis on Mount Ranier. Includes more than 30 activities, a field guide, glossary, and supplementary information.

Predict an Eruption! - Activities This highly interactive site uses animations, illustrations, activities, and quizzes to show how eruptions at Mount St. Helens were accurately predicted by USGS scientists, then allows students to predict an actual eruption using real data.

Oceans/Coasts

The Fragile Fringe: A Guide for Teaching about Coastal Wetlands - Background Information and Activities Material to use for developing a comprehensive study of coastal wetlands.  Includes background information, suggested activities, glossary, references, and reading list. Activities can be demonstrated by the teacher or performed by students. Emphasis is on Gulf Coast wetlands.   

Hands-on Experiments to Test for Acid Mine Drainage - Activities Fourteen very basic exercises use home-made litmus paper and household items to test creek water for acid mine drainage and to look at plants, bacteria, and insects living in the water.

Ask a River to Text You with a WaterAlert - Activity Incorporate real-time data in the classroom by receiving instant, customized updates about water conditions at a specific river through WaterAlert.

Outreach Notebook for Groundwater - Lessons Five groundwater-related lesson plans for grades 6-8, complete with forms, diagrams, and supporting information. Although these were designed to be taught by an instructor and a water professional working together, a thoughtful educator could easily handle the lessons on their own.

• ⋮⋮⋮ ×
• Course Topics
• Atmospheric Science
• Biogeoscience
• Environmental Geology
• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Geomorphology
• GIS/Remote Sensing
• Hydrology/Hydrogeology
• Oceanography
• Paleontology
• Planetary Science
• Sedimentary Geology
• Structural Geology
• Incorporating Societal Issues
• Climate Change
• Complex Systems
• Ethics and Environmental Justice
• Geology and Health
• Public Policy
• Sustainability
• Strengthening Your Department
• Career Development
• Strengthening Departments
• Student Recruitment
• Teacher Preparation
• Teaching Topics
• Biocomplexity
• Early Earth
• Earthquakes
• Hydraulic Fracturing
• Plate Tectonics
• Teaching Environments
• Intro Geoscience
• Online Teaching
• Teaching in the Field
• Two-Year Colleges
• Urban Students
• Enhancing your Teaching
• Affective Domain
• Course Design
• Data, Simulations, Models
• Geophotography
• Google Earth
• Metacognition
• Online Games
• Problem Solving
• Quantitative Skills
• Rates and Time
• Service Learning
• Spatial Thinking
• Teaching Methods
• Teaching with Video
• Undergrad Research
• Visualization
• Teaching Materials
• Two Year Colleges
• Departments
• Workshops and Webinars

Mineral Identification

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html .

• First Publication: March 30, 2020
• Reviewed: December 10, 2020 -- Reviewed by the On the Cutting Edge Activity Review Process

Mineral Identification online (developed for remote learning during COVID-19 pandemic); students will explore the various characteristics of minerals and then apply them to identify unknowns.

Expand for more detail and links to related resources

Activity Classification and Connections to Related Resources Collapse

Grade level, readiness for online use.

Undergraduate introductory physical geology course for majors and nonmajors.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Some understanding of Plate Tectonics would help, but isn't required.

How the activity is situated in the course

One of a series of minerals and rocks labs that comes in the middle of the class AFTER covering plate tectonics, mountain building, structural geology, and maps.

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Students explore the various characteristics of minerals and then apply them to identify minerals. Luster, Color, Streak, Hardness, Crystal Form vs Cleavage and Fracture, etc.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Classification of minerals

Other skills goals for this activity

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

• Observe and describe the diagnostic properties of a provided mineral sample
• Identify and name rock-forming minerals by hand sample

Description and Teaching Materials

Student handout (copy of the relevant pages from lab manual)

This file is only accessible to verified educators. If you are a teacher or faculty member and would like access to this file please enter your email address to be verified as belonging to an educator. Email Adress Submit

Student instructions:

LAB PART 1 -- PREREADING:

• Find prereading in your lab manual and complete it in pencil.
• MINERALS: (16-min, 72 MB) Video only | Video w/CC and Study Quizzes
• MINERALS ADDENDUM: (3-min, 7 MB)   Video only | Video w/CC and Study Quizzes
• By the assignment deadline, upload completed prereading IN CANVAS. **Note: you can submit your prereading early in pieces with a request for feedback -- an excellent way to learn the material and build on that learning.
• Review instructor feedback and answer key; make corrections; and seek help if needed.

LAB -- PART 2 -- MAIN SECTION:

• Find lab in your lab manual and complete it in pencil. **For online students, click on link below for at-home samples.
• By the assignment deadline, upload completed lab IN CANVAS. **Note: you can submit your lab early in pieces with a request for feedback -- an excellent way to learn the material and build on that learning.

REVIEW, REFLECTION, AND ASSESSMENT:

• Try to complete original lab again on own without looking up tables or resources.
• For Minerals quiz, you will need to be able to ID minerals and describe particular characteristics (just like lab), but you will be limited in your time. The intention is that you will have learned all these minerals already and be able to ID them by sight BEFORE you start the quiz and without any aids. So be sure you practice them all enough before you start.
• Complete lab quiz in CANVAS.

ONLINE MATERIALS:

**For online students, complete the lab using your lab in the lab manual, as though you were IN class and holding samples. In lieu of face-to-face samples, click on the various links below to access photo and video footage. Note: there is no way to replace a hand sample with a video/image. You will not be able to feel textures, assess density, or manipulate the samples as you would like. However, there are some things you get better through online images and videos. Do your best! **Samples in photo albums are in order in photo album, but to check on sample number, click on photo and then information icon: i . See same location for any additional information that can't be "seen" like hardness and density.

• BOX A Minerals -- Hardness -- be sure to review the section of the preliminary review material related to HARDNESS. Video (*No audio)    |    Photo Album
• BOX B Minerals -- Cleavage and Fracture -- be sure to review the section of the preliminary review material related to these topics, especially the examples provided. Your answers should match those examples in format and type. Video (*No audio)    |    Photo Album
• BOX C Minerals -- Crystal Form -- shape of the crystals -- draw image and describe Video (*No audio)    |    Photo Album
• BOX D Minerals -- Optical Properties -- transparent, translucent, or opaque | color | luster | special optical properties Video (*No audio)    |    Photo Album
• BOX E Minerals -- Mineral Identification -- apply what you learned above as well as other observable characteristics of the samples to identify each one. There are exactly as many samples as are minerals in your table. No repeats in this box. All unique. Note: you will have to be able to identify these minerals quickly and easily in the next few weeks when they appear in rocks and also later on the quizzes, so really be sure you understand what makes each sample unique (refer to the Diagnostic Characteristics column in your table). Video (*No audio)    |    Photo Album

Teaching Notes and Tips

See tips section and extra resources (all kept up to date for current students) on class website .

I have students check answers against a key once they've turned in the lab. They are expected to make corrections and then study and practice before taking and end-of-week 20-minute quiz.

Here's how I handle the keys -- I release them to students AFTER the assignment deadlines -- so students can fully grade and review their own assignments. I grade the assignment they turned in for completion, thoroughness, and thoughtfulness, but not necessarily correctness. Turns out that if students aren't getting it, I can tell very easily by their answers, and I don't give them credit for answers that don't make sense, that don't fully address the question, etc. But if it's wrong, but they have a logical thoughtful effort applied, then okay. Students COULD technically get keys from previous semesters, other classes, or past semesters and use them, but if their answers are identical to any other students or to my key, they don't get credit. So in the end it doesn't help them. And most of their points come from weekly quizzes I have where I make them apply their understanding to new examples. The stakes are low on lab assignments because the answers don't need to be correct, just thoughtful and complete. I want to encourage students to use them to learn. Then I check that understanding on quizzes.

References and Resources

See more Search the Portal »

Module 11 – Rocks and Minerals

Module 11 overview, learning objectives and content.

What are rocks made of? What are minerals made of? What are the three different types of rocks? How are they formed and what special properties do they have? What are the physical properties of minerals? In this module, we will tackle the answers to these questions.

In this module we will leave Chemistry and switch over to the study of Rocks and Minerals. Topics included in this module that we will cover are what rocks and minerals are, the three types of rocks and how they are formed, and the physical properties of minerals. As always, please make use of all the supplemental material given to you.

Module 11 Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Illustrate basic scientific concepts in Earth Science and Astronomy.
• Describe the three categories of rocks.

This module will take a look at different types of rocks and minerals. We will look at the formation of these rocks, their abundance to our Earth, the differences and similarities within them.

Activities to enhance learning:

• Interactive tutorials
• Practice Problems

Assignments and Graded Assessments:

• Rocks and Minerals Virtual Lab
• Rocks and Minerals Virtual Lab Assessment
• Module 11 Rocks and Minerals Assessment
• Module 11 Overview, Learning Objectives and Content. Authored by : Sarah Liechty. Provided by : Ivy Tech Community College. Located at : http://ivytech.edu . License : CC BY: Attribution

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14 Labs in Rocks and Minerals

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