TCNJ Lesson Plan

Rocks

Student Name: Sara Lesnik

School Name: Hopewell Elementary

Grade Level: 3rd grade

Host Teachers Name: Ms. Devereaux

Guiding and/or Essential Questions:

1. What are rocks made out of?
2. What are the different types of rocks?
3. How are rocks formed?
4. How does the way a rock look help us determine how it was formed?
Pre-lesson Assignments and/or Student Prior Knowledge (ex. background knowledge,
possible misconceptions, prior lesson content)
Students know how to observe and record their observations in their science notebooks. They
also know how to use the materials in a safe and helpful way to help them learn. Students have
learned about weathering and erosion and know that this affects rocks. Students have also sorted
rocks based on different characteristics. Although students have studied rocks before they may
believe that all rocks are made the same way out of the same material.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text
as the basis for the answers.
Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an
explanation of a phenomenon. (4-ESS2-1)
Learning Objectives and Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessment

Students will identify similarities and

differences among rocks.

Teacher will assess for correct identification of

similarities and differences among rocks on the
Venn diagram.

Students will classify the different rocks into

sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.

Teacher will assess for correct classification in

the science journal and to questions asked
during discussion.

Materials/Resources: (List materials, include any online or book references and resources)
Science notebook
Hand lenses
Set of rocks
Markers
What we know about rocks List
What we want to know about rocks list
Plan for set-up/distribution/cleanup of materials:
The rock containers, trays and hand lenses will be on the back table for students to
retrieve when it is time. One partner will go get the materials for their group. When they are done
with the materials they will put them back into the appropriate containers and piles. Students will
also already have their rocks and minerals books with the reading passage, Rocks- Here, There,
Everywhere, in it.
Step-by-Step Plan:
1. Lesson beginning: The teacher will instruct the students to take a couple of minutes to
read what they wrote in their science notebooks the day before. The teacher will facilitate
a discussion about how the different groups sorted the rocks and how some rocks could
have gone into multiple groups or only one group. Yesterday you sorted rocks. Can
someone tell me what properties you used to sort the rocks? After the discussion the
teacher will tell the students what they will be doing today.
2. After the discussion the students will be put in partners and one partner will go to the
back table to collect all of the materials that they need. The teacher will instruct the
students to examine the rocks and talk to their partner about what they observed. The
partners will be prompted with questions like: how do the rocks feel? How do they look?
Which rocks are heavy and which rocks are light? Today were are going to continue to
look at different types of rocks and how rocks are formed. After I put you into partners
one partner is going to go to the back table, take a tray and collect one rock from each
container and two hand lenses. Then you are going to come back to your partner and each
of you are going to look at the rocks and discuss how the rocks are the same and how the
rocks are different
3. The students will have time to explore the rocks and then as a class they will read the
passage Rocks- Here, There, Everywhere. The teacher will read the passage and instruct
the students to follow along and underline the information they find important in the text.
After each section the teacher will stop and let the students explore the rocks again.
4. Once the teacher finishes reading the passage and the students have explored the rocks
one partner will return the material to the back table in the appropriate containers. The
class will have time to write new ideas or questions they have about rocks in their science
notebook. After they write down their ideas they will be called to the carpet with their
notebook and will have a chance to share their new ideas and questions with the class.
5. Closure: Still on the rug the teacher will go over what we know and what we want to
know lists. The students will add to the list about what they know about rocks, the teacher
will cross out ideas that they now know are not true. The students will also add to the
questions list. After the students add their questions the teacher will review the previous

questions with the students. The teacher and the students will decide which questions
were answered after the activity. The students will be sent back to their desks by table to
put their science notebooks away and get ready for snack.
Key Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

What properties did you use to sort the rocks?

What are rocks made of?
What are the different types of rocks?
How can you tell that a rock is igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic by the way it
looks?

Logistics:
Timing: Given 50-60 minutes
Lesson beginning: 10 minutes
Rock observations: 15 minutes
Reading/exploration: 12 minutes
Science notebook: 8 minutes
Closure: 10 minutes
Transitions: Students will begin at their table to review their science notebook. They will
stay at their desks for the remainder of the lesson beginning. The students will be called by group
to get their materials. When students are observing the rocks they will be spread out throughout
the classroom. Students will return to their desks for the reading activity. For the closure,
students will be called to the rug to discuss what they observed and read about during the
activity.
Classroom Management: Class management is not usually a problem with this class.
During partner work I will monitor the class to make sure that both partners are participating in
the activity. During the reading the students will be instructed to put the rocks on the trays and
not touch them until I have read a section and instructed them to explore the rocks again. During
group or partner work O sometimes gets distracted. I will make sure the he and his partner are on
task.

Differentiation
I will read the passage to the class so everyone finishes at the same time. The slow readers and
the fast readers will not finish at different times. Students will be partnered by table so every
students will have someone to work with. During the reading the students will underline what is
important to them. Students will also be able to touch the rocks and examine them. Students who
have trouble observing important characteristics of the rocks will have their partner to help them

discuss what is important to notice about the rocks. F may become unfocused and loose track of
what she is doing, her para will be there to make sure she stays in task.