Understanding Earth and Space Systems: Rocks and Minerals

Rocks and Minerals |  Mining   |   Fossils   |  Soil

• Rocky the Rockhound
  http://sln.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/index.html
  An excellent site!!
  
  • Watch a slideshow on Rock Hound Collection Safety.
    
  • Follow Rocky the Hound on a discovery of the three types of rocks, their formation, and investigate kinds of rocks of each type.
    
  • Become a rock expert, then try the quiz.
    Level: Primary, Junior
    
  • Metamorphic Magic
    Use the metamorphic cookie recipe to teach the concept.
    
    
• Rocks and Minerals Slide Show
  http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html
  Descriptions of rocks and minerals with graphics powerpoint presentations. 
  Level: Intermediate reading level
  
  
• Interactives Rock Cycle
  http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/index.html
  Information provided then interactive assessments of their learning follows.
  
  • Types of rocks
  • How Rocks Change
  • The Rock Cycle Diagram
  • Test Your Skills
    
    
• Rocks and Minerals
  http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/rocks/
  Detailed text documents, links and lesson plans.
  
  
• Rocks for Kids
  http://www.rocksforkids.com/index.html
  Text-based site that answers many questions about rocks.
  
  
• Rock Hunters
  http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=365
  Lesson plan, work sheets and web links that explain rocks and minerals.
  
  
• Mineral Matters
  http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/
  Read about colour, streak, transparency, lustre, hardness, cleavage, fracture, specific gravity, crystal form.
  
  • How to Find Minerals
  • Create a Collection
  • FAQ
  • Grow Your Own Crystals
  • Mine Games - online games and quizzes
    Test your knowledge at: 
    -Sedimentary, My dear Watson- a true/false game
    -Mining for Minerals- an interactive word search that you can play on-line
    -Knowledge Nuggets- Do you know which minerals are the hardest, softest, most colourful?
    
    
• Minerals - Field Guides
  http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/minerals/index.html
  
  
• Geo Mysteries
  http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/mysteries.html
  Help Rex solve three mysteries about rocks, fossils and minerals.
  An excellent test of what the student know about how rocks are formed!
  
  • Geologic Timeline
  • Field Tips- List what tools are necessary when looking for rocks, minerals and fossils.
    
    
• Mineral Matters
  http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/how-to.html
  Read about colour, streak, transparency, lustre, hardness, cleavage, fracture, specific gravity, crystal form.
  
  • Mine Games:
    Test your knowledge at: 
    -Sedimentary, My dear Watson- a true/false game
    -Mining for Minerals- an interactive word search that you can play on-line
    -Knowledge Nuggets- Do you know which minerals are the hardest, softest, most colourful?
    
    
• Nebraska Earth Science Education Network
  http://nesen.unl.edu/Lessons/Geosphere/Geosphere.asp
  Activities and lesson plans for rocks and minerals. Check out "Make a rock". 
  
  
• Mineral Gallery - By Name
  http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/by-name.htm
  Provides picture of mineral, and lists the minerals: color, luster, transparency, crystal habits, cleavage, fracture, hardness, streak test.
  
  
• Minerals Matter
  http://www.gnb.ca/0130/MineralsMatter/Intro.htm
  A list and explanation of some everyday items that contain minerals. Use the next button at the bottom of the page.
  
  
• Mineral Information Institute
  http://www.mii.org/
  A comprehensive site with many printable lesson plans and background information for the teacher.
  • For Teachers Only
    http://www.mii.org/teacherhelpers.html
  • Idea Starters (lessons and curriculum links- pdf format 21pgs)
    Mineral identification cards and activity, rock cycle explained, plate tectonics activity, minerals and you, industrial mineral list used around the house, 
    http://www.mii.org/pdfs/Ultimate.pdf 
  • Individual lesson sheets to print of everyday uses of minerals
    http://www.mii.org/teacherhelpers.html#uses 
  • Individual lessons and activities 
    http://www.mii.org/lessons.html 
  • Everything comes from Natural Resources
    http://www.mii.org/lessons.html  Part 1 (16 pgs.)
    http://www.mii.org/pdfs/have/every2.pdf  Part 2 (14 pgs.)
  • Reclamation Stories
    Positive and negative effects of human interaction on the landscape.
    Good graphics. Reading level above grade level.
    http://www.mii.org/recl.html
    
    
• Mineralogy 4 Kids
  http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/K_12.html
  • The Rock Cycle
    • Igneous Rocks
    • Sedimentary Rocks
    • Metamorphic Rocks
  • Minerals in Your House
  • Mineral Properties
    
    
    
    Fossils
    
    
    
• Fossils of Nova Scotia
  http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/index.htm
  The discovering of fossils in Nova Scotia.
  
  
• Learning from the Fossil Record
  http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/Learning.html
  Lesson plans about fossils, rocks, soil, paleontology.
  Level: Junior, Intermediate
  
  
• Finding Fossils
  http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/index.html
  Discover how, where, and what you need to know about finding fossils.
  
  
• Online Activites: Fossils
  http://www.rom.on.ca/programs/activities/fossils/index.php
  
  • How are fossils formed?
  • How fossils are prepared at a museum?
  • Where are fossils collected?
  • Play an on-line fossil identification game!
    
    
• Coffee Ground Fossils
  http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/fossil.html
  Recipe for a dough to simulate rocks- add a 'fossil' imprint.
  
  
• Getting into the Fossil Record
  http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/fossil/
  Two level on-line modules that explain many aspects of fossils. Good information through reading a series of on-line slides.
  
  
• Activities for Beginning Rockhounds
  http://www.rockhoundingar.com/pebblepups.html
  • Make your own fossils
  • Make a Volcano
    
    
    

Soil

• What on earth is soil?
  http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/edresources/soil.html
  Read about the composition of soil.
  
  
• Ask the answer worm
  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/squirm/skworm.html
  Read the slides that answer questions about soil.
  
  
• Fun & Games - Soil
  http://www.biodiversity911.org/FunandGames/funandgames.html#
  Curser down to - What's Your Soil IQ and take the on-line quiz.
  

 

Copyright 2001
Pat Elliott, Library Specialist
Saturday January 17, 2009 2:31 PM