Lessons

 Bellarmine Lesson Plan Template 

Context Rocks and minerals are a part of our everyday life. They have so many uses and it is important for students to understand how they impact many aspects of our lives. It is also important because we have so many different opportunities in our area for students to explore varying rocks and minerals that this subject area will surely be one of great interest and provides many opportunities for field trips.             Prior to this unit students will have had a basic introduction to rocks and minerals from previous grades. It is also important that they have had several lessons on using encyclopedias as well at the computer and internet. They also should have had some experience using the Moviemaker program and digital cameras. Before beginning this lesson students will have created a KWL chart, outlining what they know and want to know about rocks and minerals, research common uses of various rocks and minerals, created a chalk painting and written about how they believe rock and minerals may have been used hundreds of years ago, compare and contrast the three different types of rocks, and explore five different centers where they learned about different aspects of their chosen rocks/minerals.   

Learning Objective(s

)§         Students will research using books and the internet to collect information about various rocks and minerals and how they are used.

§         Students will work together with their group to answer questions and create a multimedia presentation about their findings.

 Connections Big Idea: Information, Communication and Productivity PrimaryStudents demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operations of technology systems. Students use technology to learn, to communicate, to increase productivity and become competent users of technology. Students manage and create effective oral, written and multimedia communication in a variety of forms and contexts. 

Academic Expectations

1.11 Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.

1.16 Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas.3.3 Students demonstrate the ability to be adaptable and flexible through appropriate tasks or projects.

6.1 Students connect knowledge and experiences from different subject areas.

6.3 Students expand their understanding of existing knowledge by making connections with new knowledge, skills and experiences. 

 Big Idea: Speaking, Listening, and ObservingSpeaking, listening and observing are fundamental processes which people use to express, explore and learn about ideas. The functions of speaking, listening and observing include gathering and sharing information, persuading others, expressing and understanding ideas, and selecting and critically analyzing messages. The contexts of these communication functions include one-to one conversations, small group discussions, large audiences and meetings, and interactions with media. 

Academic Expectations

1.2       Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.

1.3       Students make sense of the various messages they observe.

1.4       Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.

1.11     Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.

1.12     Students speak using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different purposes.    

 Standards Visit the KDE Website for quick access to the Academic Expectations, Program of Studies (Revised April 2006), and Core Content for Assessment (Version 4.1). The documents on the KDE web site makes it easier to copy and paste the standards you are addressing into your standards-based unit of study and lessons plans. The Combined Curriculum Documents will be useful to candidates as they seek to align their curriculum with both the Program of Studies and the Core Content. They can be downloaded from the Kentucky Department of Education website at: http://tinyurl.com/55dnb 

    Resources, Media and Technology

§         Computers with internet access

§         Computers with Moviemaker program

§         Access to digital cameras with video capability

§         http://www.rocksforkids.com/

§         http://www.kidskonnect.com/content/view/97/27/

§         http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/K_12.html  

Procedures

§         Tell students that we have been asked by some local geologists to help in their search of different rocks and minerals. We are going to become rock and mineral detectives! Our job is to collect clues about different rocks and minerals in our area and share with the community in the form of a multi-media presentation.

§         Give the students their task: Your group will research using books and the Internet to collect information about various rocks and minerals and how they are used. After collecting all of your information your group should come together to answer the following questions:

·         What are minerals?

·         What are the physical characteristics of your assigned mineral?

·         Where is your assigned mineral found as a natural resource?

·         How is your mineral used once it is mined from the earth?

·         What are the three different types of rocks and how are they formed?·

         What type of rock is your assigned mineral associated with?

Once you have collected all of your information, your group will put together a multimedia presentation. You will then be ready to share the discoveries from your detective work with the community.

§         Assign students to groups of three. Each person in the group will hold one of the following positions:         

   ·         Mineral Detective – this person will find out what a mineral is and the specific characteristics of your assigned mineral.           

 ·         Locater Detective – this person will find out where your assigned mineral is found in nature and how it is used once mined from the earth.           

 ·         Rock Detective – this person will find out what the three different types of rocks are and how they are used. 

§         Once they have decided who will complete each job, they will begin their detective work using the Internet and other resources that are found in the resources section.  Give students thirty to forty minutes to do their detective work.

§         When they have looked through all the information and decided what is the most important information that solves their detective work, they will then meet with their  groups.  Remind them that they are responsible for teaching and sharing  information to the other members of the group. They will have twenty minutes to share what they found while doing their detective work.

§         Day 2 of the less they will meet s a group, they will organize the information for a Moviemaker slideshow .  They will need to create at least one slide to answer each question.

 §         They will have the opportunity to use the cameras to create pieces for their slide shows if they would like. Give students 45 minutes to one hour to create their slideshows.

§         Once students have completed their slideshows they will be ready to present to the group what their detective work has found! 

Assessment Plan