Identifying rocks and minerals – Artofit

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Rocks and Minerals - Graphic Organizer (Explore and Identify Rock Samples)

Teachers Pay Teachers FREEBIES

Allow your students to become scientists, researchers, and investigators with this 'Rocks and Minerals: A Sensory Exploration' graphic organizer! Allow students to browse samples during your science unit, or collect samples to bring into class for exploration. As your students closely examine two samples, encourage them to engage their senses to help them, as they aim to identify different rocks and minerals based on physical properties. Students will be encouraged to explore lustre, hardness, texture, shape, size, and colour in addition to the smell, feeling, and appearance of the samples they choose. *************************************************************************************************** Early Finishers? Have them try the additional "Write About It!" activity: "Now that you have explored your rocks and minerals in detail, and investigated the physical characteristics, it’s time to make a hypothesis! Based on your observations, identify what you believe your samples are, and WHY. You’ve done your research, so your hypothesis should be full of information, description, and details!" *************************************************************************************************** Learning Outcomes: This organizer facilitates learning outcomes in Science, in accordance to the Alberta, Grade 3 curriculum. This project guide is not limited to the Alberta Grade 3 curriculum, and can be adapted and used in a variety of grades, for a variety of purposes around rocks and minerals. *************************************************************************************************** See my other Rocks & Minerals: Weathering and Erosion Activity to supplement your learning in science! See my other Rocks & Minerals: The Crayon Rock Cycle to supplement your learning in science! (**NEW PRODUCT!!) **************************************************************************************************************** **Please REVIEW and leave FEEDBACK on this resource, to help me create the best products possible, and FOLLOW for lots of new content! YOU get credits to use towards purchases when your review this purchase!** Customer Tips: Click on the ★ above to follow my store
Best Rock and Mineral Identification App (Identify My Rock!)

B Rock Tumbling

I tested out the many rock and mineral apps that are out there and have compiled a list of the best apps for rock and mineral identification.
Geology Apps for Identifying and Learning About Rocks and Minerals

Rock identification

Do you have a rock hound in your family? These geology apps can help him recognize and learn about rocks and minerals.
Rock and Mineral Identifier App

Rock my world

In search of a Rock and Mineral Identifier? I have you covered! These apps can help you figure out rocks and minerals this school year.
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The Acid Test: Rock Experiments for Kids

classroom/behavior

Explore rocks and minerals with this fun rock testing experiment that uses vinegar & sedimentary rocks -- also known as the Acid Test for Rocks!
How to EASILY Identify Rocks and Minerals

Science education

How to EASILY Identify Rocks and Minerals: Have you ever found a rock and wondered what it was? Or maybe you have an old collection but can't remember what hidden treasures you actually have? Well, you're in luck. By doing a few simple tests you can discover how valuable those useless chu…
Teaching Rock Layers from Oldest to Youngest

Homeschool Adventures

Teaching rock layers from oldest to youngest? Let kids explore and identify types of rocks, investigate fossils, and have some fun!
Rock and Mineral Identifier App

Rocks and minerals

In search of a Rock and Mineral Identifier? I have you covered! These apps can help you figure out rocks and minerals this school year.
The Acid Test: Rock Experiments for Kids

Earth Science

Explore rocks and minerals with this fun rock testing experiment that uses vinegar & sedimentary rocks -- also known as the Acid Test for Rocks!
$Geode Bandits - PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS The following physical properties of minerals can be easily used to identify a mineral: 1.Color 2.Streak 3.Hardness 4.Cleavage or Fracture 5.Crystalline Structure 6.Diaphaneity or Amount of Transparency 7.Tenacity 8.Magnetism 9.Luster 10.Odor 11.Taste 12.Specific Gravity Below is a detailed description of each of these properties of minerals. Properties of Minerals- A Detailed Description Color Most minerals have a distinctive color that can be used for identification. In opaque minerals, the color tends to be more consistent, so learning the colors associated with these minerals can be very helpful in identification. Translucent to transparent minerals have a much more varied degree of color due to the presence of trace minerals. Therefore, color alone is not reliable as a single identifying characteristic. Streak Streak is the color of the mineral in powdered form. Streak shows the true color of the mineral. In large solid form, trace minerals can change the color appearance of a mineral by reflecting the light in a certain way. Trace minerals have little influence on the reflection of the small powdery particles of the streak. The streak of metallic minerals tends to appear dark because the small particles of the streak absorb the light hitting them. Non-metallic particles tend to reflect most of the light so they appear lighter in color or almost white. Because streak is a more accurate illustration of the mineral’s color, streak is a more reliable property of minerals than color for identification. Hardness Hardness is one of the better properties of minerals to use for identifying a mineral. Hardness is a measure of the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The Mohs scale is a set of 10 minerals whose hardness is known. The softest mineral, talc, has a Mohs scale rating of one. Diamond is the hardest mineral and has a rating of ten. Softer minerals can be scratched by harder minerals because the forces that hold the crystals together are weaker and can be broken by the harder mineral. The following is a listing of the minerals of the Mohs scale and their rating: 1.Talc 2.Gypsum 3.Calcite 4.Fluorite 5.Apatite 6.Orthoclase Feldspar 7.Quartz 8.Topaz 9.Corundum 10.Diamond Cleavage & Fracture Minerals tend to break along lines or smooth surfaces when hit sharply. Different minerals break in different ways showing different types of cleavage. Cleavage is defined using two sets of criteria. The first set of criteria describes how easily the cleavage is obtained. Cleavage is considered perfect if it is easily obtained and the cleavage planes are easily distinguished. It is considered good if the cleavage is produced with some difficulty but has obvious cleavage planes. Finally it is considered imperfect if cleavage is obtained with difficulty and some of the planes are difficult to distinguish. The second set of criteria is the direction of the cleavage surfaces. The names correspond to the shape formed by the cleavage surfaces: Cubic, rhombohedral, octahedral, dodecahedral, basal or prismatic. These criteria are defined specifically by the angles of the cleavage lines as indicated in the chart below: Cleavage Type Angles Cubic Cleaves in three directions @ 90o to one anotherRhombohedral Cleaves in three directions but not @ 90o to one anotherOctahedral Cleaves in four directionsDodecahedral Cleaves in six directionsBasal Cleaves in one directionPrismatic Cleaves in two directions Fracture describes the quality of the cleavage surface. Most minerals display either uneven or grainy fracture, conchoidal (curved, shell-like lines) fracture, or hackly (rough, jagged) fracture. Crystalline Structure Mineral crystals occur in various shapes and sizes. The particular shape is determined by the arrangement of the atoms, molecules or ions that make up the crystal and how they are joined. This is called the crystal lattice. There are degrees of crystalline structure, in which the fibers of the crystal become increasingly difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye or the use of a hand lens. Microcrystalline and cryptocrystalline structures can only be viewed using high magnification. If there is no crystalline structure, it is called amorphous. However, there are very few amorphous crystals and these are only observed under extremely high magnification. Transparency or Diaphaneity Diaphaneity is a mineral’s degree of transparency or ability to allow light to pass through it. The degree of transparency may also depend on the thickness of the mineral. Tenacity Tenacity is the characteristic that describes how the particles of a mineral hold together or resist separation. The chart below gives the list of terms used to describe tenacity and a description of each term. Magnetism Magnetism is the characteristic that allows a mineral to attract or repel other magnetic materials. It can be difficult to determine the differences between the various types of magnetism, but it is worth knowing that there are distinctions made. Luster Luster is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral reflects light. The luster of a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to observe the mineral surface. Luster of a mineral is described in the following terms: Metallic The mineral is opaque and reflects light as a metal would.Submettalic The mineral is opaque and dull. The mineral is dark colored.Nonmettalic The mineral does not reflect light like a metal. Nonmetallic minerals are described using modifiers that refer to commonly known qualities. Waxy The mineral looks like paraffin or wax.Vitreous The mineral looks like broken glass.Pearly The mineral appears iridescent, like a pearl.Silky The mineral looks fibrous, like silk.Greasy The mineral looks like oil on water.Resinous The mineral looks like hardened tree sap (resin).Adamantine The mineral looks brilliant, like a diamond. Odor Most minerals have no odor unless they are acted upon in one of the following ways: moistened, heated, breathed upon, or rubbed. Taste Only soluble minerals have a taste, but it is very important that minerals not be placed in the mouth or on the tongue. You should not test for this property in the classroom. Specific Gravity Specific Gravity of a mineral is a comparison or ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal amount of water. The weight of the equal amount of water is found by finding the difference between the weight of the mineral in air and the weight of the mineral in water. Knowing the properties of minerals will help you to identify minerals in the field$

Geode Bandits - PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS The following physical properties of minerals can be easily used to identify a mineral: 1.Color 2.Streak 3.Hardness 4.Cleavage or Fracture 5.Crystalline Structure 6.Diaphaneity or Amount of Transparency 7.Tenacity 8.Magnetism 9.Luster 10.Odor 11.Taste 12.Specific Gravity Below is a detailed description of each of these properties of minerals. Properties of Minerals- A Detailed Description Color Most minerals have a distinctive color that can be used for identification. In opaque minerals, the color tends to be more consistent, so learning the colors associated with these minerals can be very helpful in identification. Translucent to transparent minerals have a much more varied degree of color due to the presence of trace minerals. Therefore, color alone is not reliable as a single identifying characteristic. Streak Streak is the color of the mineral in powdered form. Streak shows the true color of the mineral. In large solid form, trace minerals can change the color appearance of a mineral by reflecting the light in a certain way. Trace minerals have little influence on the reflection of the small powdery particles of the streak. The streak of metallic minerals tends to appear dark because the small particles of the streak absorb the light hitting them. Non-metallic particles tend to reflect most of the light so they appear lighter in color or almost white. Because streak is a more accurate illustration of the mineral’s color, streak is a more reliable property of minerals than color for identification. Hardness Hardness is one of the better properties of minerals to use for identifying a mineral. Hardness is a measure of the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The Mohs scale is a set of 10 minerals whose hardness is known. The softest mineral, talc, has a Mohs scale rating of one. Diamond is the hardest mineral and has a rating of ten. Softer minerals can be scratched by harder minerals because the forces that hold the crystals together are weaker and can be broken by the harder mineral. The following is a listing of the minerals of the Mohs scale and their rating: 1.Talc 2.Gypsum 3.Calcite 4.Fluorite 5.Apatite 6.Orthoclase Feldspar 7.Quartz 8.Topaz 9.Corundum 10.Diamond Cleavage & Fracture Minerals tend to break along lines or smooth surfaces when hit sharply. Different minerals break in different ways showing different types of cleavage. Cleavage is defined using two sets of criteria. The first set of criteria describes how easily the cleavage is obtained. Cleavage is considered perfect if it is easily obtained and the cleavage planes are easily distinguished. It is considered good if the cleavage is produced with some difficulty but has obvious cleavage planes. Finally it is considered imperfect if cleavage is obtained with difficulty and some of the planes are difficult to distinguish. The second set of criteria is the direction of the cleavage surfaces. The names correspond to the shape formed by the cleavage surfaces: Cubic, rhombohedral, octahedral, dodecahedral, basal or prismatic. These criteria are defined specifically by the angles of the cleavage lines as indicated in the chart below: Cleavage Type Angles Cubic Cleaves in three directions @ 90o to one anotherRhombohedral Cleaves in three directions but not @ 90o to one anotherOctahedral Cleaves in four directionsDodecahedral Cleaves in six directionsBasal Cleaves in one directionPrismatic Cleaves in two directions Fracture describes the quality of the cleavage surface. Most minerals display either uneven or grainy fracture, conchoidal (curved, shell-like lines) fracture, or hackly (rough, jagged) fracture. Crystalline Structure Mineral crystals occur in various shapes and sizes. The particular shape is determined by the arrangement of the atoms, molecules or ions that make up the crystal and how they are joined. This is called the crystal lattice. There are degrees of crystalline structure, in which the fibers of the crystal become increasingly difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye or the use of a hand lens. Microcrystalline and cryptocrystalline structures can only be viewed using high magnification. If there is no crystalline structure, it is called amorphous. However, there are very few amorphous crystals and these are only observed under extremely high magnification. Transparency or Diaphaneity Diaphaneity is a mineral’s degree of transparency or ability to allow light to pass through it. The degree of transparency may also depend on the thickness of the mineral. Tenacity Tenacity is the characteristic that describes how the particles of a mineral hold together or resist separation. The chart below gives the list of terms used to describe tenacity and a description of each term. Magnetism Magnetism is the characteristic that allows a mineral to attract or repel other magnetic materials. It can be difficult to determine the differences between the various types of magnetism, but it is worth knowing that there are distinctions made. Luster Luster is the property of minerals that indicates how much the surface of a mineral reflects light. The luster of a mineral is affected by the brilliance of the light used to observe the mineral surface. Luster of a mineral is described in the following terms: Metallic The mineral is opaque and reflects light as a metal would.Submettalic The mineral is opaque and dull. The mineral is dark colored.Nonmettalic The mineral does not reflect light like a metal. Nonmetallic minerals are described using modifiers that refer to commonly known qualities. Waxy The mineral looks like paraffin or wax.Vitreous The mineral looks like broken glass.Pearly The mineral appears iridescent, like a pearl.Silky The mineral looks fibrous, like silk.Greasy The mineral looks like oil on water.Resinous The mineral looks like hardened tree sap (resin).Adamantine The mineral looks brilliant, like a diamond. Odor Most minerals have no odor unless they are acted upon in one of the following ways: moistened, heated, breathed upon, or rubbed. Taste Only soluble minerals have a taste, but it is very important that minerals not be placed in the mouth or on the tongue. You should not test for this property in the classroom. Specific Gravity Specific Gravity of a mineral is a comparison or ratio of the weight of the mineral to the weight of an equal amount of water. The weight of the equal amount of water is found by finding the difference between the weight of the mineral in air and the weight of the mineral in water. Knowing the properties of minerals will help you to identify minerals in the field

Rock minerals

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MINERALS The following physical properties of minerals can be easily used to identify a mineral: 1.Color 2.Streak 3.Hardness 4.Cleavage or Fracture 5.Crystalline Structure...
How to EASILY Identify Rocks and Minerals

Rock & minerals

How to EASILY Identify Rocks and Minerals: Have you ever found a rock and wondered what it was? Or maybe you have an old collection but can't remember what hidden treasures you actually have? Well, you're in luck. By doing a few simple tests you can discover how valuable those useless chu…
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Rocks and Minerals (DK Nature Guide)

Rocks

The new DK Nature Guides form a comprehensive, accessible, and informative series of illustrated reference books that tackle key natural history subjects in DK's uniquely visual style. Produced in collaboration with expert consultants at the Smithsonian Institution, each guide is expertly written and will give you knowledge of the natural world at your fingertips.From blue schist to blue granite, malachite to meteorites, and taconite to travertine, Nature Guide Rocks and Minerals is packed full of stunning images that reveal intricate details and unique characteristics of each rock and mineral.Using close-up photographs of every specimen and profiles containing examples from all over the world, Nature Guide Rocks and Minerals brings revealing key facets and details perfect for quick identification.
Characteristics of the Most Common and Significant Black Minerals

Minerals, rocks, crystals

Rare black minerals vary in color, luster, grain, and hardness. Learn where to look for these uncommon geological finds and how to differentiate them.
Rocking Testing Experiments for Kids

science

Full instructions on rock testing with kids including how to put together your own rock testing kit and a step-by-step guide to follow on how to test different rocks.
Rocks & Minerals Investigation Booklet with Differentiated Reading Passages

Science Centers

I guarantee that you're getting a lot of bang for your buck with this tabbed booklet! These earth science topics have never been easier to teach because this tabbed booklet completely explores rocks and minerals for you. Your students might think rocks are boring, but they aren't! This product covers: ✓ Terms such as sediment, magma, minerals, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic ✓ What the three types of rocks are ✓ How to identify the types of rocks and minerals ✓ Why these are important ✓ Describing rocks ✓ Identifying minerals in rocks With This Product You'll Get: ✓ Review of important vocabulary ✓ Differentiated reading comprehension sheets (LL and HL sheets) ✓ Text-dependent questions that focus on reading skills ✓ Science lab investigation - students observe rocks and answer critical thinking questions ✓ Critical thinking and writing prompt ✓ Teacher and student directions ✓ A Google Slides version so that you can have your students complete it digitally if you prefer! ✓ Tabbed booklet printables- 2 to a page and a larger version 1 per page ✓ Color and B/W printable versions ✓ Answer keys .… and so much more! How You Can Use This Product: ✓ As a supplement to an already established program ✓ Science centers or literacy centers ✓ An introduction lesson ✓ Teacher demonstrations ✓ Whole group, small group, partners, or individual work ✓ An integration lesson ✓ Warm-up activities
Identify Rocks With Kids

Rock identification

My kids are big rock collectors so we are learning to identify rocks this year. They are bringing rocks home from places all the time. They also find a lot in our yard to collect.
Webelos Earth Rocks! Adventure for 2024

cubscouts

The Webelos Earth Rocks! Adventure is a hands-on journey into geology. Cub Scouts explore different types of rocks, learn how to safely break them, and understand the processes that form minerals and crystals. They make their own mineral test kits and use them to test hardness with the Mohs scale. The adventure also includes growing…
Create Your Own Rock Lab - Rock Investigation for Kids

Science Class ideas

Create your own rock lab, children can learn how to identify rocks including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Easy rock investigation
Waldorf Sample Lesson: Sixth Grade Rocks and Minerals

Waldorf

I thought it might be nice to share a little snapshot of a sample lesson with you. If you've never used my curriculum guides before, this is what you get.
Mineral Study - A simple template for kids to record mineral characteristics

Products

A simple template, great for kids doing a rocks/minerals unit, to record mineral characteristics when they are working to try and identify rocks/minerals.
Identify Rocks With Kids

Rock collecting

My kids are big rock collectors so we are learning to identify rocks this year. They are bringing rocks home from places all the time. They also find a lot in our yard to collect.
Adventure Keen AP37739 Rock Collecting for Kids

Products

With this book you will experience the excitement of finding collecting and identifying rocks and minerals A how to section details on what to look for where to look and what to bring as well as safety considerations With rock collecting guidelines that the whole family will learn from and enjoy this fun guide is engaging and informative With plenty of kid appeal as it starts children on the path toward becoming successful rock collectors Specifications . Weight 0 4 lbs
Rocks and Minerals: Scratch Test

Homeschool Life

Rocks and Minerals Unit Study: 2 Simple Scratch Test investigations you can do to learn about rock hardness and various kinds of rocks.
Rocks & Minerals of the Pacific Coast

Products

Tabbed booklet organized by rocks/minerals and then by general appearance for quick identification.
Rock Introduction and Investigation - Activity - Center

Products

Rock Introduction and Investigation - Activity - Center NOTE: This activity is available in the Rock 3 Pack Bundle - See link below. Rock Introduction is a teacher directed or individual activity to learn about the 3 types of rock; Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic. 3 types of rocks are introduced and students then complete fill in paragraph using word bank. Rock Investigations is a teacher directed or individual activity for students to use rock characteristics to identify rocks. Great teacher directed, individual, center, or class activity. Rock Activity I and II Rock 3 Pack Bundle Link Improvements or suggestions always welcomed!
Rock and Mineral Identifier App

Make it jewelry

In search of a Rock and Mineral Identifier? I have you covered! These apps can help you figure out rocks and minerals this school year.
Feldspar vs. Quartz: What’s the Difference? 5 Crucial Signs

Facts about Rocks & Minerals

Geology is a fascinating and complex field of study, and rocks and minerals are only a part of it. When rockhounding, you may come across ...
YOOPERLITE Rocks: Best Guide

Crafts- wood & stone

MAP | Exploring Yooperlite Rocks: Your Ultimate What and Where Guide to Michigan's Luminescent Gems of Soladite (with Map)
Study of Rocks for Kids

Homeschool

Pinay Homeschooler is a blog that shares homeschool and afterschool activity of kids from babies to elementary level.
Identifying Rocks

Rocks and minerals identifying

ROCK IDENTIFICATION KEYS Mineral Identification Links that we used to identify minerals: The Rock Key Table of Contents and Information- Rock Key: A Dichotomous Key- ROCK ID- Follow the arrows and …
Earth Science Resources

WOW! ideas

A list of little to no-prep, hands-on activities allowing students to experiment and learn Earth Science without relying on a textbook.
Create Your Own Rock Lab - Rock Investigation for Kids

GS Pixie

Create your own rock lab, children can learn how to identify rocks including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Easy rock investigation
Lake Superior Agates Educational I.D Poster Lake Superior Agates of Every Kind on One Poster Help Identify Your Lsagate Finds - Etsy

Nội dung đã lưu

Introducing the Lake Superior Agates Educational I.D Poster - the ultimate guide to identifying every type of Lake Superior Agate in one comprehensive and visually stunning poster! Proudly display this poster in your home, workplace, or classroom and uncover the magic of Minnesota's state gemstone, the LSAgates. With glacial activity dating back 100,000+ years, Minnesota is home to various glacial deposits that are rich in Lake Superior Agates. This map represents the entire state of Minnesota and the glacial deposits exposed at the surface, making it a valuable resource for locating areas of the state that are ideal for LSA hunting. The Lake Superior Agates Educational I.D Poster is available in both printed and canvas formats, with multiple sizes to choose from. The printed posters are professionally printed on 200GSM paper to ensure a high-quality finish, while the canvas option features patented design construction with six-color inkjet printing for a rich and vibrant print. Use this poster to identify and appreciate the intricate beauty of every type of Lake Superior Agate found in Minnesota. The poster offers vivid images and descriptions of each agate, making it an ideal tool for rock enthusiasts, students, and those who want to enhance their understanding of geology and natural history. Whether you're an avid rockhound or simply interested in the beauty of nature, the Lake Superior Agates Educational I.D Poster is a must-have for any collection. Get yours today and enjoy the magic of Minnesota's LSAgates in your home or classroom!
Granite Rocks : What Is Granite Rock And How Is It Formed?

Quick Saves

Granite is a common type of granular and phaneritic felsic intrusive igneous rock. Granites, depending on their mineralogy, can be predomin
Waldorf Rocks and Minerals Curriculum Guide - Now Available

schooling

This thorough guide gives you the outline and framework you need to teach the block, activities and a list of recommended resources to check out.
How To Start Rock Collecting? Complete Guide for Beginners

Rock hunting

Rock collecting, also known as rockhounding, can be anything from those initial moments of curiosity to a full-blown passion for Earth's treasures. More than two ...
Identifying the Rocks of Lake Michigan (Geode, Septarian, Agate, and More)

Waterside

Fascinating facts and photos featuring the most common beach stones found along Lake Michigan shorelines, as well as several unusual kinds; includes various types of basalt, septarian, limestone, granite, gabbro, diorite, gneiss, schist, sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, geodes, chalcedony and agate.
Lake Superior Agates

Rocks and minerals

Identify Agates and Imposters! Tabbed booklet with photos and info that help readers become better agate hunters. Author Bio: For author Jim Magnuson, rockhounding is not only a hobby, but it’s also a serious and rewarding avocation that helps him connect with nature. He has been an avid hunter and student of various gems, minerals, and fossils since his childhood, when he first began to hunt for stones in his native state of Illinois. These experiences taught Jim the importance of persistence and the willingness to follow the road less traveled in order to find unique or rare kinds of rocks. Jim also enjoys sharing his passion through writing, both creatively and from a practically oriented process perspective. Because of Jim’s in-depth knowledge, he is frequently called upon to present to groups such as rock and mineral clubs, geological societies, and educational institutions that focus on outdoor and environmental interests. In addition to Jim’s passion for prospecting and hunting, he also likes to perform various lapidary arts with the stones that he finds, and he has a small business making and selling custom-polished stones and jewelry pieces. Finally, Jim enjoys creating photographic illustrations that are up close and personal for prospecting, hunting, and lapidary work. Jim was a photographer for his high school and college newspapers and yearbooks, where he focused on student activities that created perspectives on campus life. This experience has helped Jim capture unique and compelling photographic images for modern-day gem and mineral prospecting.