5E Lesson Plan

rd

3 Grade Earth
Science
Rocks and Minerals

Kim Littlejohn MSP Cohort 1

7/6/2015
0

5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Dr. Kim Littlejohn

Date: August/September 2015
Subject/grade level:

3rd Earth Science

Lesson 1 Title: If you Find a Rock

(This lesson will take place over several class meetings)
Georgia Performance Standards - S3E1. Students will investigate the physical
attributes of rocks and soils. b. Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals
using observation (shape, color, and texture), measurement, and simple tests
(hardness).
Lesson Essential Questions: What are some physical attributes of rocks?
Materials:
Hand lens
Centimeter ruler
Rocks- brought in by students
Colored pencils, crayons
Poster board
Rock samples
Ziploc bags
ENGAGE (Day 1) see pg. 159 MPPS
Show students your special rock, talk about how rocks are the oldest things they
may encounter
Introduce the author and illustrator
o Ask pre-reading questions as listed on p159
Read Aloud If You Find a Rock
o After reading questions on p160
Give directions for hunting for their own rock to bring to lab next week, give
students zip-lock bags to collect their rocks
EXPLORE/EXPLAIN (Day 2)see pg. 160 MPPS
Have students place their rock on the tables and observe their own rock and
others
Discuss with their table mates how the rocks are alike and how they are different
Revisit If You Find a Rock, make a list of some of the rocks described in the book
Discuss properties such as shape, color, size, and texture
Students will observe and record the properties of their own special rock using
the I Found a Rock student page and their centimeter rulers.
ELABORATE (Day 3)- see pg. 162
Give each student at a table a hand lens and one of the following rocks: obsidian,
granite, sandstone, limestone, or marble.
Students will observe his or her rock and compare it to the other rocks at the
table.
Ask probing questions on p162
1

5E Lesson Plan

Read aloud Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth, and Rough and ask questions from p162
Discuss how rocks are made of minerals.

EVALUATE (Day 4)
Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is conducted throughout the unit through observations and
group participation.
Summative Assessment
Pet Rock Posters
Discuss Pet Rock fad of 1975, show pictures from the internet.
Challenge student to create an advertisement for a Pet Rock
Go over rubric with students.

5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Dr. Kim Littlejohn

Date: August/September 2015
Subject/grade level:

3rd Earth Science

Lesson 2 Title: Mineral Management

Georgia Performance Standards - S3E1. Students will investigate the physical
attributes of rocks and soils. a. Explain the difference between a rock and a mineral. b.
Recognize the physical attributes of rocks and minerals using observation (shape,
color, and texture), measurement, and simple tests (hardness).
Lesson Essential Questions: How can we identify common minerals using some of
their observable attributes?
Materials:
Rocks and Minerals Rubber band book
Station 1: Quartz, halite, steel file, 20-penny nail, hand lens
Station 2: Graphite, hand lens
Station 3: Hematite, unglazed white tile, hand lens
Station 4: Magnetite, halite, unglazed white tile, ring magnet, hand lens
ENGAGE
Read aloud Mineral Management rubber band book this needs to go in their ISN
unit pocket
Discuss what students know about minerals
EXPLORE
Students will set up observations pages in their ISN page for each station.
Students will rotate through each of 5 stations. At each station students will
make observations about minerals.
They will keep a written record of their observations in their ISN
EXPLAIN
Students will use their written records to identify some of the minerals based on
attributes.
Have each student write a description of what they did in their ISN. Have them
include a description of the activity they did, and how they identified the
minerals
ELABORATE
Have students answer the Connecting Learning Questions from pg32 in their ISN
EVALUATE
Observation of groups movement through each of the stations

5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Dr. Kim Littlejohn

Date: August/September 2015
Subject/grade level:

3rd Earth Science

Lesson 3 Title: What makes Soil?

Georgia Performance Standards - S3E1. Students will investigate the physical attributes
of rocks and soils. c. Use observation to compare the similarities and differences of
texture, particle size, and color in top soils (such as clay, loam or potting soil, and
sand).
Lesson Essential Questions:
How so soils from different sources compare?
Materials:
For each group:
Hand lens
Balance
Metric masses
3 soil samples
Tablespoon measure
Toothpicks
Water
Wax paper
Soil sample student pages
ENGAGE
Have students bring in Ziploc bag of soil from place of their choosing
Read aloud Soil rubber band book copy goes in ISN pocket
Students can use their hand lens to observe their soil samples.
EXPLORE
Students will choose 3 different soil sample for their group to work with
Students will work through the different experiments and record their
observations and discoveries.
EXPLAIN
Students respond to Connected Learning questions on page 185 in 3rd grade
AIMS Earth Science
ELABORATE
Students will go to playground and collect soil samples from different depths and
perform same experiments as before.
EVALUATE

Observation of groups as they work through the different stations.

5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Dr. Kim Littlejohn

Date: August/September 2015
Subject/grade level:

3rd Earth Science

Lesson 4 Title: Weathering Ways

Georgia Performance Standards - S3E1. Students will investigate the physical
attributes of rocks and soils. d. Determine how water and wind can change rocks and
soil over time using observation and research.
Lesson Essential Questions:
How does weathering change the surface of the earth?
Materials:
Several small rocks
Plastic jar with lid
Paper towels
Ziploc bags
Plastic eggs
Tub for water
Plastic cup
Ice cubes
Hot water
Water containers
Sandpaper
Chalk
Students pages
ENGAGE
Weathering Causes Changes rubber band book
EXPLORE
Explain to students that they are going to work through stations that deal with
some of the different types of weathering.
Introduce the weathering stations set up around the room, pass out the
Weathering Ways journals.
EXPLAIN
What is weathering?
How does water plat a part in weathering?
What natural forces produce weathering in our state?
What evidence do you find that weathering has taken place?
ELABORATE
Students will also explore weathering by wind using chalk and sandpaper
EVALUATE
Observation of groups Journal observations

5E Lesson Plan
Teacher: Dr. Kim Littlejohn
Date: August/September 2015
Subject/grade level:

3rd Earth Science

Lesson 5 Title: Radishes Rocks

Georgia Performance Standards - S3E1. Students will investigate the physical
attributes of rocks and soils. d. Determine how water and wind can change rocks and
soil over time using observation and research.
Lesson Essential Questions: What are some ways that plants can change rocks?
Materials:
Plaster of Paris
Radish seeds
Potting soil
2 half pint empty milk cartons tops cut off (per table)
ENGAGE
DE video Rocks: The Solid Earth Materials: Part 02
EXPLORE
Students will plant the radish seeds in the milk cartons
Pour a thin layer of plaster of Paris on the surface of the soil of one of the cups.
Students will place the containers in the window sill of their classroom
Write predictions in ISN
EXPLAIN
Students will answer the following questions on their ISN
Why did you need to observe two containers?
What did the plaster of Paris represent?
What did you learn about weathering?
ELABORATE
Rocks and Minerals SMARTBOARD activity
Weathering and erosion online activities
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/rocks-mineralslandforms/weathering-and-erosion.htm

EVALUATE
Summative Assessment
Rocks and Minerals internet scavenger hunt

5E Lesson Plan

Rocks and Minerals Internet Hunt

Name:

Directions: Use the links provided to find the answers to the questions. Use the Back button of your browser to return to this page. If
a link is broken, use your Internet searching skills to find the answer.
1. List the three rock groups. ,,

2. Describe the rock cycle. Watch the Rock Cycle animation. Describe the rock cycle IN DETAIL.

3. Write 3 minerals found in a house. Name the specific product where it is used. ,,

4. What is the difference between a rock and a mineral?

RocksMinerals5. The gem Corundum is called a sapphire unless it is colored red.
What do they call a red colored corundum?
6. How old is the Hope Diamond?
7. Asbestos is a mineral that people used to protect themselves from fire. Later they discovered it was dangerous.
How is it dangerous?
(Use FactMonster.com.'s search to find the answer. Enter asbestos in the search box.
Click Go. Check out the information in the encyclopedia.)
8. F. Mohs developed a scale to measure hardness of gemstones. Explore the scale here. What is the scale called?
9. What mineral has the least hardness according to the scale?
What mineral has the greatest hardness?
10. Ever hear the phrase "it sank like a stone"? What rock can actually float?