-The different groups of rocks (Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic)-We wrote a description of each one. Also did a test where we put 4 different looking rocks in a cup of warm vinegar to see if it would fizz. That is one way scientists can classify rocks--by it's reaction to acid.
-The layers of the earth-drew a diagram of it and brought out the globe to show them how the innermost layer is all the way in the center of the circle (globe).
-Talked about what Geology and Geologists are.
-Gems-Went to Dan Nicholas park to gem mine. Brought them home and identified each one.
Scrubbed them real clean with soap and water and toothbrushes...
Will's gems...
Luke's gems...
Kendall's gems...
Supposed to be in sunlight, but it was a cloudy week...
You can see a few crystals on the bottom rock...
Luke's gems...
Kendall's gems...
-Crystals-Tried to grow crystals, but it didn't work great. I don't think our salt had fully dissolved and that was the problem. Crystals were supposed to grow all on these rocks, but they just grew in a few spots. We had dyed it red to make it pretty, but the ones that actually grew stayed white.
Supposed to be in sunlight, but it was a cloudy week...
You can see a few crystals on the bottom rock...
It was a random assortment of things to study, and I hope they got something out of it. They enjoyed the gem mining and loved identifying them most of all.
I think next year I am going to get a science book. We can still do fun experiments and stuff, but I feel like I'm just piecing this together and there are a lot of holes. My hope is that even if they are not retaining all the info I give them, that they are at least developing a love of learning. If they are super interested in rocks when they get older, they will know how to go about learning more about them!
I think next year I am going to get a science book. We can still do fun experiments and stuff, but I feel like I'm just piecing this together and there are a lot of holes. My hope is that even if they are not retaining all the info I give them, that they are at least developing a love of learning. If they are super interested in rocks when they get older, they will know how to go about learning more about them!
Books we used (some we didn't really use much, but just looked at pictures and I got some info out of)
-Guide to Minerals by A.C Bishop
-Geology, Earth Science by Tim Clifford
-Sand and Soil, Earth's Building Blocks, by Beth Gurney
-Extreme Rocks and Minerals by Smithsonian (web-linked)
-Rocks and Fossils by Chris Pellant (Kingfisher Young Knowledge book)
-Igneous Rocks (Geology Rocks!) by Rebecca Faulkner
-Sedimentary Rocks (Geology Rocks!) by Rebecca Faulkner
-Cool Rocks *** by Tracy Kompelien
-Rocks and Fossils, A Visual Guide, by Robert R. Coenraads
-and of course our trusty First Encyclopedia of Our World (Usborne)
-More Mudpies to Magnets experiment book pages 89 and 86
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