Colorado Springs District 11 Schools

Hands-On Science


Earth Materials
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Contents


Introduction

The Earth Materials unit is a Full Option Science Systems (FOSS) kit created by the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley. It is published by Delta Education.

The Earth Materials unit consists of four sequential activities dealing with observable characteristics of solid materials from the earth - rocks and minerals. The focus is on taking materials apart to find what they are made of and putting materials together to better understand their properties.


Kit Topics

Activity 1: Mock Rocks

Part 1: Mock Rock Properties

Part 2: Take the Rocks Apart

Part 3: Settled Vials

Part 4: Salt Crystals

Activity 2: Scratch Test

Part 1: Observing Properties

Part 2: The Scratch Test

Activity 3: Calcite Quest

Part 1: Calcite Detectives

Part 2: Second-day Observations

Part 3: More Evidence

Activity 4: Take It for Granite

Part 1: Sorting Rocks and Minerals

Part 2: Observing Properties

Part 3: Minerals in Granite


Objectives

Students are expected to:


Themes and Concepts

Activity 1: Mock Rocks

Themes:

Concepts:

Activity 2: Scratch Test

Themes:

Concepts:

Activity 3: Calcite Quest

Themes:

Concepts:

Activity 4: Take It for Granite

Themes:

Concepts:


District Standards

The Earth Materials kit meets the following Sate/District Standards:

Standard 1: Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations. (1.a., 1.b., 1.c., 1.d.)

Standard 2: Physical Science: Students know and understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy. (2.1.a., 2.1.b., 2.1.c., 2.3.b., 2.3.c.)

Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of earth and other objects in space. (4.1.a.)

Standard 5: Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity and how they affect the world. (5.a.)

Standard 6: Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understand common connections among scientific disciplines. (6.a., 6.b., 6.c., 6.e.)


Assessment

The Earth Materials kit contains a set of assessments which can be used to monitor learning during or at the end of the module. The set contains (1) a Hands-on Assessment that uses materials from the module to assess performance and learning; (2) a Pictorial Assessment that requires the students to apply what was learned and communicate understanding; (3) a Reflective Questions Assessment that requires the student to reflect upon the content, recall information, and use knowledge in a way that is different from the way the information was presented in the activities. Using the assessments to monitor students over the course of the instruction will provide a record of individual progress as well as the overall progress of the class.


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