Earth Science Project

3rd grade Rocks Ginny Buttram

Hayes Elementary SchoolScience Lab

5-E Lesson Plan UnitDay One

• Standards: S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils. a.) Explain the difference between a rock and mineral.

• b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).

• ELACC3RL1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

• ELACC3RI7: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

Day One: Engage

• My goal on day one is to

To make rocks amazing!

Begin with “Guess what we are learning” clues game

Clue one: I am the oldest thing in this room.

Clue two: I come in all shapes and sizes and colors

Clue three: I can make sand.

Clue four: You can find me everywhere you just have to look!

Everybody Needs a Rockby: Byrd Baylor

Day Two: Explore

• Standards: S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.

• A.) Explain the difference between rocks and minerals• b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals

using observation (shape, color, texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).

• MGSE3.MD.4 Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch.

Give students rocks, minerals, hand lenses, science journals, and time to explore!

• Students will move to their tables. At some tables students will find labeled rock samples. At the other tables, students will find labeled mineral samples. Provide each student with hand lenses. Teach proper use of hand lenses.

• Give students adequate exploration time to look through the samples they have and make observations including measurements of the rock with the ruler provided. They should record these observations in their science journals. Ask students what they notice about each collection before switching.

• Students should switch rocks and minerals and allow students to look at the other collection. Ask for additional observations, including the measurement using the ruler provided and have students record. Encourage the use of descriptive words about what they can see through the hand lenses

Closing:

• Have students share their findings about the differences between rocks and minerals on the carpet.

•

Formative Assessment

• Ticket out of the door---use two vocabulary words listed on the bulletin board to describe what you observed today.

• Vocabulary words to choose from:• Luster size• Smooth shape• Rough length• Color Weight

Day 3: Explain:• Probe: “Is it a Rock? Version One”• How do you decide if something is a rock? Have them complete using

sticky notes passed to the end of the row. I will collect these and make a chart with their information. (bar graph with sticky notes)

• Discuss results.• Complete Rock versus Mineral graphic organizer in their science

notebooks together as whole group• Ticket out of the door: using the words listed… which one is a rock?

Formative assessment:Ticket out of the door

• Ticket out of the door:•  • Name___________________________________•  • Which of the items listed is a rock?•  • Gold Marble Concrete•  • Tree bottled water pay doh

Day four: Elaborateread aloud “Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth, and Rough

Technology

• We will use the book as well as the app easyLearn Rocks and Minerals. I have access to IPAD carts. Students can work in groups of two to help them identify the rock that they collected at the beginning of the week. Students should record results in their science notebooks.

Day 5: EvaluateUsing a RAFT

• Students are to use the rocks they have been researching and create a pet rock.

• R-role for the activity (store owner)• A-audience is someone looking to buy a pet rock• F- format could be a newspaper, or a flyer, or an internet

add• T-topic is your pet rock

Rubric for RAFT: summative assessment

• Students will decide what their role is for this activity. a store owner, or a movie star agent. • Next they must decide who their audience will be. Someone looking to buy a pet rock• Next, what format is the poster going to be in? A diary, a newspaper, a flyer• And finally, they must use their topic as their pet rock. • Rubric:• 4-points: Student clearly identifies pet rock including (size, color, and texture). Pet rock must be sold to

someone else. You must state how you know this pet rock is a rock and not a mineral, what makes this pet rock so special, and what kind of rock you think that it is. Drawing must be creative and show your pet rocks attributes.

• 3-points: Student clearly identifies pet rock including (size, color, and texture). Pet rock must be sold to someone else. You must state how you know this pet rock is a rock and not a mineral. What makes this pet rock so special, and what type of rock you think that it is. (no drawing included)

• 2-points: Student clearly identifies pet rock including (size, color and texture). Pet rock must be sold to someone else. You must state how you know this pet rock is a rock and not a mineral.

• 1-point: Student clearly identifies pet rock including (size, color, and texture).