Earth and Space Systems: Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion

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.
    
    
• Canadian Junior Rockhound
  http://www.canadianrockhound.com/junior/index.html
  Includes:
  • What are rocks and minerals?
  • How to tell minerals apart
    by: colour, luster, streak and hardness
  • Making mineral identifiers
  • Classifying rocks
  • The rock cycle
  • Igneous Rocks
  • Metamorphic Rocks
  • Sedimentary Rocks
    Level: Junior, Intermediate
    Keywords: rocks, minerals
    
    
• Rocks and Minerals Activity
  http://www.nps.gov/brca/Geodetect/Rocks%20&%20Minerals/RM%20unitpage.htm
  Activity and links to rocks and minerals page.
  
  
• Rock Cycle
  http://www.brainpop.com/science/earth/rockcycle/index.weml
  What a video and then answer an on-line quiz. You may have to listen to the video more that once to remember all of the points discussed. (limited use of this site without a subscription).
  
  
• Rocks and Minerals Slide Show
  http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html
  Descriptions of rocks and minerals with graphics powerpoint presentations. 
  Level: Intermediate reading level
  
  
• 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 Identification - On-line test
  http://www.bwctc.northants.sch.uk/html/projects/science/ks34/rocks/list.html
  Click on 12 rocks and perform 3 on-line tests on each to determine the type of rock.
  
  
• 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/
  • How to Find Minerals
  • Create a Collection
  • FAQ
  • Grow Your Own Crystals
  • Mine Games - online games and quizzes
    
    
• 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/geology/geologylessons.asp
  Activities and lesson plans for rocks and minerals. Check out "Telling the story of a rock". 
  Level: Junior, Intermediate 
  
  
• 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 and Metals : A World to Discover
  http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/scho-ecol/toc_e.htm
  • Main Minerals and Metals Produced in Canada
    Lists the minerals, their use and their world markets.
  • Minerals and Metals at Home
    Visit different parts of a virtual house and learn what minerals and metals we use, then take an on-line test.
  • Our Hidden Treasures
    Click on the slide presentation and take notes about the 12 ways Canada has helped us live a better life through mining.
  • Order posters
    
    
• 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
    
    
• Rocks and Minerals
  http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/RocksandMinerals/rocks.html
  • Igneous Rocks
  • Sedimentary Rocks
  • Medamorphic Rocks
  • Test Your IQ Rock Quiz
  • Rocks and Charts
    
    
    

  Mining
  

• Mining and the Environment
  http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/scho-ecol/env/mae_e.htm
  Read about the process of mining including how the environment is protected.
  
  
• Start a Mine
  http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/scho-ecol/mine/start_e.htm
  Learn about mining in Ontario then start a virtual mine.
  
  
• Mining Gold
  http://www.canadianrockhound.com/junior/mining.html
  This page explains how gold ore from the mine is processed into fine gold.
  
  
  Fossils
  
  
• Fossils: About fossils and dinosaurs
  http://www.canadianrockhound.com/junior/fossils.html
  Links to information about dinosaurs and a dinosaur quiz.
  
  
• 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
  
  
• Fossils and Fossil Collecting
  http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/fossils
  Answers questions such as: what is a fossil?, How are fossils made?, How to collect fossils? 
  
  
• Finding Fossils
  http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/index.html
  Discover how, where, and what you need to know about finding fossils.
  
  
• Fossils: Behind the scenes at the museum
  http://www.rom.on.ca/quiz/fossil/
  • How are fossils formed?
  • How fossils are prepared at a museum?
  • Where are fossils collected?
  • Why are fossils classified?
  • 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://rockhoundingar.com/pebblepups.html
  • Make your own fossils
  • Make a Volcano
    
    
    

Soil

• How much soil is there?
  http://ltpwww.gsfc.nasa.gov/globe/app_soil/hmsoil.htm
  Click on the  link below the apple and read about the soil on earth.
• Soil structure shown
  http://ltpwww.gsfc.nasa.gov/globe/pvg/prop1.htm
• What does the soil do?
  http://ltpwww.gsfc.nasa.gov/globe/ped/pedhub.gif
  
  
• 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.