Summary Appreciate the beauty and variation in rocks. Identify minerals in rocks and through mineral tests. Science content Earth/Space: Rock cycle, Earth Materials, Natural resources (5) Activities in this lesson Rock collection Granite minerals Mineral testing: hardness and streak colour Rocks: geodes Resource Capilano Rock and Gem Procedure Do a selection of the activities. Explore a rock collection to notice the varied colours, patterns and textures in rocks and minerals. Look very closely at granite to find the individual mineral grains in it. Identify minerals with streak and hardness tests. Break open geodes to find the mineral crystals inside. If available, use a rock tumbler to initiate the (weeks long) process of polishing rocks. Tumbler and rough rocks available at Capilano Rock and Gem (see resource). Notes Wear mineral jewelry if possible. e.g. jade necklace, and show students rough jade to compare. NYC after school programs did rock collection and geodes then sedimentary sand art. Science clubs did granite minerals and mineral testing, then started rock tumbling, including amazonite. Grades taught Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3 Gr 4 Teaching Site Bayview Elementary Science Club Gordon Elementary Science Club After School Programs at Elementary schools in New York City
