Download RM_LE_1_Properties Rocks Mineral Slides

BIG IDEA:
Rocks and minerals have
properties that can be: observed,
tested, described, identified and
recorded.
o
o
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What does the object look like?
Where have you seen it before?
What is it used for?
What do you think it is?
Mr. Maxwell brought in a bag of 24 rocks and minerals
which he thought you might find interesting from his
summer vacation. He would really like to know what type of
earth materials he found, but his friend who is a geologist
at Lewis Clark State College has been very busy and unable
to look at the collection. The geologist said that if we could
describe the properties of each material, he could assist us
with more information on how to properly identify them.
The geologist also loaned our principal some hand lenses so
we can take a closer look at each of the materials. Mr.
Maxwell would like to have this information by the end of
the week so he can give it to his geologist friend at the
football game on Friday.
What
What
When
What
did the principal bring for us to study?
does he want us to know?
does the principal need this information?
is the problem in this investigation?
How can we…
How would you describe an object?

What kinds of words are used to describe an object?

When you describe an object, what are some
characteristics, or properties, of that object that
you might name?
I will pick an object in the classroom and describe some
properties of that object. You will try and guess what
object I’m describing.

Word Wall: Property
A characteristic of a material, something that you can
observe, such as shape, color, temperature and smell.
Now that you have a Focus Question written in
your notebook you will have to discuss with your
group how you plan to solve it.
I have here an example of the rocks and minerals
you will work with. Think of the characteristics
you could use to describe their properties.
Prediction Starters:
I think that if we_____________, then we could
________________ because______________.
Discuss with your group how to design a data
organizing table to record the list of
properties for each of the rocks and minerals.
Keep in mind the total number of minerals we
have to check. I want you to think of a title
for this table. Be ready to share your ideas
with the class.
Rock and Mineral Properties
Specimen #
Color
Shape
Texture
Odor
Other
Many of you have recognized that some of the specimens look the
same throughout, while others look like mixtures of different
materials. Your collection contains many different earth
materials, some of which are rocks and some are minerals.
Word Wall: Mineral
A nonliving, solid substance found in nature; it is
not made by humans. A mineral has the same
chemical make-up and structure no matter where it
is found.
Word Wall: Rock
A naturally occurring solid material that
usually contains a mixture of different
minerals and other materials.
Word Wall: Fossil
Fossils contain evidence of an organism that lived a long
time ago and was preserved in rock.
How do we know that rocks and minerals
have distinct properties?