Rocks and Minerals Middle School Science Alan Hutchens

State Standards 7.3.8Describe how sediments of sand and smaller particles, sometimes containing the remains of organisms, are gradually buried and are cemented together by dissolved minerals to form solid rock

State Standards 7.3.9Explain that sedimentary rock, when buried deep enough, may be reformed by pressure and heat, perhaps melting and recrystallizing into different kinds of rock. Describe that these reformed rock layers may be forced up again to become land surface and even mountains, and subsequently erode.

State Standards Explain how the thousands of layers of sedimentary rock can confirm the long history of the changing surface of Earth and the changing life forms whose remains are found in successive layers, although the youngest layers are not always found on top, because folding, breaking, and uplifting layers.

State Standards 8.2.5Use computers to store and retrieve information in topical, alphabetical, numerical, and keyword files and create simple files of students’ own devising.

National standards UCP-3, A-1, A-2, B-1 Mineral Identification UCP-1, UCP2, A-1 B-1 B-3, D-1 Mineral Characteristics UPC1, UCP3, B-1, D-1 Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks

Understandings How rocks are formed Three major groups of rocks The major groups of minerals The major types of rocks native to Indiana The major characteristics of each rock group

Essential Questions What are rocks formed from sediments What are rocks formed from cooling of molten material What are rocks formed from heat and pressure What is the definition of a mineral What is the definition of a rock

Knowledge and Skills Be able to recognize and identify rocks from the three major rock groups Be able to tell the difference between minerals and rocks Be able to verbalize the process of rock formation

Performance Task Collect and identify 20 rocks and or minerals with a PowerPoint presentation describing the characteristics of the rocks.

Activities Use internet exploration Use outdoor classroom experience to collect rocks and minerals Use classroom samples and books to identify rocks and minerals Use streak plates, hardness items, acid test and other tests to identify the rock sample

Student Products A 20 item rock collection with proper identification PowerPoint presentation of uses and characteristics of each rock or mineral

Assessment Students will be assessed on the effective use of technology and the student products that will be produced

All pictures in webquest and PowerPoint taken with Kodak digital camera provided in this workshop.