ROCKS and MINERALS

            The informative Rocks and Minerals kit has an added bonus of abundant raw specimens for students to examine.  The written material provides learning situations for all primary and middle school grades.  Basic geology and the rock cycle are the foundations of this learning kit.

Contents include:
Three specimen boxes that contain unpolished samples of representative igneous, sedimentary/chemical sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.  Samples include: quartz monzonite, gneiss, sandstone, porphyry, marble, shale, quartz, feldspar, muscovite, calcite, chalcedony, gypsum, hornblende biotite, hematite, and pyrite.
Ideal Geological Collection with teaching manual and about 30 specimens.  These specimens fit inside a 3-dimensional slice of the earth’s crust, in a layer where the mineral would normally be found or formed.  The rock cycle can be pictured by correct placement of the specimens.
Transparencies, 12, full color, geological topics; teaching guide (see below)
Rock cycle teaching transparencies

Books include (n.b. most books are illustrated):
Primarily Earth Aims Activities Grades K-3.  The book has many geology-related activities designed to appeal to this grade range.  Hydrology and atmosphere are also covered.  National standards are listed and teaching tips abound.
Geology, Milliken Publishing, with 12 full-color transparencies (see above) and matching teaching units with reproducible worksheets and assessments.  Written for grades 4/5-9, the book discusses Earth’s interior; minerals & their identification; formation of igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic rocks; folded & block mountains; volcanoes; cave formation; erosion; and weathering.
Stories in Stone, grades 4-9, Teacher’s Guide. Skills: observe, compare, identify properties, classify, hypothesize, perform investigations, draw conclusions, infer.  Math strands included.
Earth Science Curriculum Activities Kit, grades 6-12.  Earth science-related activities (126) include laboratory experiments, worksheets, and puzzles to master 12 major earth science topics from matter to astronomy.

LEARNING STYLES ADDRESSED by ROCKS and MINERALS INCLUDE:

Visual-spatial – The kit contains the visual features of rocks and minerals, the Geological Collection, full-color, in-depth transparencies.
Verbal-linguistic – Shared orally or in written format, background information provides much detail. 
Physical-kinesthetic – The opportunity for tactile learners to physically explore the specimens will increase their learning capacity.
Logical-mathematical – These learners will be fascinated with the geologic time figures. 
Interpersonal – Students will find many things to discuss and share.  The activities are appropriate for group work.   
Solitary-intrapersonal – The intrapersonal learner can learn by reading or solitary projects work.

CALIFORNIA CONTENT STANDARDS of ROCKS and MINERALS