Objectives

• Students will compare rocks and pictures by color, shape, and texture.
• Students will make a decision about the closest match of the type of rock.
• Students will label their rock according to their match decision.
• Students will write down a list of similarities and differences between their rock and the rock in the picture that matches most closely.
• Students will draw a picture of their rock and the rock or mineral that most closely matches it from a rock identification book.
• Students will present their rock and the one that most closely represents it to the class, describing a few similarities and differences between them.

Anticipatory Set

Materials

• Rock and mineral collection
• Rock and mineral identification book
• 3" x 5" index cards
• Geology Journal and pencil

Procedure

1. Model for the children how to begin to identify a rock or mineral.
2. Choose a rock to identify.
3. Flip through the rock identification book/s to find a rock/s that is similar to yours. Decide which most closely matches yours, the one that has the most characteristics similar to yours.
4. Write down the name of the rock or mineral that most closely matches on an index card.
5. Write at least 3 similarities and three differences between your rock and the rock or mineral that most closely matches in your geology journal.
6. Draw a picture of your rock and the rock or mineral that most closely matches your rock.
7. Each students will present their rock and the one that most closely matches it, describing some similarities and differences between them.

Evaluation

1. Are the students making logical and accurate comparisons? Do they help finding defining characteristics to look for?
2. Can the students make decisions between many pictures that may have at least one characteristic in common with their rock? Can they choose the rock or mineral that most closely matches their rock?
3. Can the students label their match to their rock accurately?
4. Can the students accurately describe and write down at least three similarities and differences between their rock and the rock or mineral they found in the book in list form?
5. Can the students draw pictures showing the similarities and differences between the two?
6. Can the student describe these similarities and differences in speaking out loud to the class?