[Jerri3]

Do any of you have some FUN center activities that would not last longer than 20 minutes involving rocks and minerals?

Thanks a bunch!

[mjh96]

Hi, I do some rocks and minerals stations with my 4th graders. One is just observing the rock, using a magnifying glass. THey record things like color, different mineral components visible, size, shape, physical properties in general. The next station they inspect for luster, with a black construction paper background and a flashlight. At another they do a scratch test to determine the harness of the rock, and at the last one they do a streak test on the back of a piece of tile.
If you explain the directions ahead of time, and have copies of the directions at each station for the kids to refer to, each station can be done in 10-15 minutes.
My kids usually have a blast, and talk about the centers long after they are done. Hope this helps...good luck!

[hescollin]

Make edible rocks...helps students see the difference in the three types of rocks. Igneous rocks---melt chocolate chips in microwave, (melted rock or magma) have a piece of wax paper on each desk and put a spoonful of melted chocolate on each wax paper for students to watch it cool and harden. *****Make Gumdrop Metamorphic rocks....Give each student 2 pieces of wax paper, give each student three different colored gum drops (cut into nine or ten pieces)---put the pieces of gum drops between the pieces of wax paper and have the students press the gumdrops together)remove the wax paper and discuss how heat and pressure make metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary Rocks...make and eat Rice Krispies. *****Make pet rocks Students bring a rock about the size of an egg. Use for experiments, do rocks sink or float. Be sure and have at least one rock that floats. Than make their rocks into Pet Rocks (teacher uses super glue ---to glue on two wiggly eyes.) Pet Rocks are their reading buddies and listen to students read. Students must read to their rock fifteen minutes each night to keep their rocks alive (we use this as part of our Book-It reading activity) (******Hard boiled egg cut in half with a red hot candy put in the center of the egg yolk = the different layers of the earth. Shell is the crust and is approximately 6-40 miles, the white represents the mantle and is approximately 1,800 miles, the yolk represents the outer core and is approximately 1,375 miles, the red hot is the very very HOT inner core and is approximately 1,750 miles. Read the book "The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth" this explains the layers of the earth and the composition of each. These are not my ideas they have been gathered here and there and put into my collection of ideas and activities.

[Jerri3]

I love the ideas and really appreciate you sharing.

[jennylyn1119]

Could you please send me the information for your rock stations. My e-mail is jward<img src="images/smilies/symb.g...rsvilleisd.net

Thanks!

[Frenchy]

Hello Mjh96's - would you be able to send me an email with an explanation of each station? (chris_sab77hotmail.com) Thanks!

Hi! I'm an earth scientist and elementary teacher. I love some of your ideas to use everyday materials as models for what's happening with rocks and minerals. One very important thing to remember: observations of streak, luster, and scratch test hardness are only used to classify minerals, not rocks. With rocks, we look for if it has grains or crystals, the size and shape of those grains and crystals, and if the rock has layers or not. It is a confusion often made by students, so I think it's important for us as teachers to keep it straight :-)