SCIENCE
4th Grade: Glossary, Video, Activities, Literature, Technology, Questions, Test Results

Competency Goal 2: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the composition and uses of rocks and minerals.

Objectives

2.01 Describe and evaluate the properties of several minerals.

2.02 Recognize that minerals have a definite chemical composition and structure, resulting in specific physical properties including:

  • Hardness.
  • Streak color.
  • Luster.
  • Magnetism.

2.03 Explain how rocks are composed of minerals.

2.04 Show that different rocks have different properties.

2.05 Discuss and communicate the uses of rocks and minerals.

2.06 Classify rocks and rock-forming minerals using student-made rules.

2.07 Identify and discuss different rocks and minerals in North Carolina including their role in geologic formations and distinguishing geologic regions.

Glossary

  • Classify- to sort into groups based on similarities and differences
  • Crystals- minerals whose atoms are arranged in a repeating pattern such as sugar, copper sulfate, and quartz
  • Density- how much mass is in a certain volume of matter
  • Geodes- rock formations or cavities with internal crystal formations
  • Igneous Rocks- rocks formed by a cooling process, such as hot lava from a volcano
  • Magnetism- the force around a magnet
  • Metamorphic Rocks- rocks that were once either igneous or sedimentary rocks that have undergone change due to heat
  • Minerals- naturally occurring, inorganic material (they are not alive nor do they come from living things), made up of one or more elements (such as silicone, oxygen, iron). Combinations of minerals make up rocks
  • Moh's Hardness Scale- a standard scale for measuring a mineral's resistance to abrasion
  • Quartz- the most abundant mineral on earth
  • Rocks- combinations of one or more minerals that make up the solid part of Earth
  • Sedimentary Rocks- rocks formed by a layering of material that settles

Video

Mineral Identification
http://www.brainpop.com//science/theearthsystem/mineralidentification/

Types of Rocks
http://www.brainpop.com//science/theearthsystem/typesofrocks/

Rock Cycle
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/rockcycle/

Erosion
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/erosion/

Soil
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/soil/

Earth’s Structure
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/earthsstructure/

Weathering
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/weathering/

Crystals
http://www.brainpop.com//science/theearthsystem/crystals/

Mountains
http://www.brainpop.com//science/theearthsystem/mountains/

Rivers
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/rivers/

Carbon Cycle
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/carboncycle/

Activities

Lab Form - Blank 

Acid Test (2.01, 2.02, 2.04, 2.06)
Crystals In Rocks (2.03)
Like A Blue Streak (2.02)
How Hard Is Your Rock (2.02)
North Carolina Rocks (2.07)
Magnetism (2.01, 2.02, 2.04, 2.06)
Rock Classification (2.01, 2.05, 2.06)
What Are Crystals (2.03)

Literature Connections

Rocks in His Head By Carol Otis
A young man has a lifelong love of rock collecting that eventually
leads him to work at a science museum. 2.06

Rocks and Minerals By Jenny Karpelenia
Presents an introduction to geology, the study of Earth and its features,
describing various minerals, crystals, and rocks, and including discussion
of rock recycling, mining, and the uses of rocks and minerals.
2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.05

Sedimentary Rocks By Jenny Karpelenia
Presents a study of sedimentary rocks and discusses how they are formed,
the different types of sedimentary rocks, the chemicals that are found in rocks and more. 2.02

The Stone-Faced Boy By Paula Fox
Presents a study of geodes and how each geode is different and how geodes are formed.
2.03, 2.04

And Still the Turtle Watched By Sheila MacGill
The story illustrates how an outcropping of rock witnesses habitat changes over time. 2.07

Technology Connections

This interactive game allows students to view properties of different rocks and soils.
http://bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/rocks_soils.shtml

This site offers an interactive game to help students recognize different rocks.
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/name.html

This is a great site for interactive quizes and information about rocks.
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/games.html

The Earth Floor
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsys.html

Minerals in your house
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/uses/uses.html

Sammy Soil Downloadable Coloring Book
http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/edresources/ssoil.html

Interactive rock collection. Identify rock characteristics.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types2.html

A Diamonds Deep History
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/fun/diamonds_flash.html

Rocks and Minerals (slide show)
http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html

Layers of the Grand Canyon
http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm

Rocks and Minerals vocabulary
http://www.quia.com/jg/321374.html

Plate Tectonics
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/plates1.html

Rock Cycles & Water Cycles
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/cycles.html

All About Rocks
http://www.quia.com/rr/118855.html

Rocks (battleship game)
http://www.quia.com/ba/40617.html

Who Wants to be a Rock Millionaire
http://www.quia.com/rr/67382.html

Rocks and Minerals Jeopardy Game
http://www.quia.com/cb/66439.html

Our Earth (rock cycles, plate tectonics, weathering, etc)
http://www.quia.com/cz/87433.html?AP_rand=33525163

All About Rocks
http://www.quia.com/rr/118855.html

Minerals (hangman game)
http://www.quia.com/rr/118855.html

Scientific Method and Minerals
http://www.quia.com/rr/264722.html

Dig into Geology
http://www.quia.com/jg/65531.html

Questions

Test Results

(Under Construction)