Friday, March 18, 2011

Minerals

WATCH.

























DO.

1. Read about the minerals and their properties on the slideshow.

2. Take the test, give your teacher the score.

3. Print out the worksheet.

4. Go to MSA's Rockn' Internet Site.

5. Identify the rocks in your collection according to their 5 properties.
   a) color
   b) streak
   c) luster
   d) hardness
   e) cleavage

6. When you are finished, turn it in.


PLAY.

Area and Perimeter

WATCH.






DO.

Design your house and calculate the area and the perimeter.

1. Go to http://www.smallblueprinter.com/sbp.html and design your house.
Be sure to include the following in your design:
- 1 bedroom
- 1 bathroom
- 1 living room
- 1 dining room
- 1 kitchen
- 1 car park

2. PRINT your design.

3. Then, on an extra piece of paper calculate the area for the following:
    a) bedroom and bathroom
    b) dining room and living room
    c) kitchen
    d) car park

3. When you are done, turn in your paper to your teacher.


PLAY.



Monday, March 7, 2011

Rocks

WATCH.














READ.

Types of Rocks

Rocks are not all the same!

The three main types, or classes, of rock are sedimentarymetamorphic, andigneous and the differences among them have to do with how they are formed.

Sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks are formed from particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments of material. Together, all these particles are called sediment. Gradually, the sediment accumulates in layers and over a long period of time hardens into rock. Generally, sedimentary rock is fairly soft and may break apart or crumble easily. You can often see sand, pebbles, or stones in the rock, and it is usually the only type that contains fossils.

Examples of this rock type include conglomerate and limestone.

Metamorphic
Metamorphic rocks are formed under the surface of the earth from the metamorphosis (change) that occurs due to intense heat and pressure (squeezing). The rocks that result from these processes often have ribbonlike layers and may have shiny crystals, formed by minerals growing slowly over time, on their surface.

Examples of this rock type include gneiss and marble.

Igneous
Igneous rocks are formed when magma (molten rock deep within the earth) cools and hardens. Sometimes the magma cools inside the earth, and other times it erupts onto the surface from volcanoes (in this case, it is called lava). When lava cools very quickly, no crystals form and the rock looks shiny and glasslike. Sometimes gas bubbles are trapped in the rock during the cooling process, leaving tiny holes and spaces in the rock.

Examples of this rock type include basalt and obsidian.

What To Look For:

Here's a chart of some of the key characteristics that can help you identify the rocks within these three main classes.
Crystals
Small, flat surfaces that are shiny or sparkly, like tiny mirrors.
Fossils
Imprints of leaves, shells, insects, or other items in the rock.
Gas bubbles
"Holes," like Swiss cheese, in the rock.
Glassy surface
A shiny and smooth surface, like colored glass.
Ribbonlike layers
Straight or wavy stripes of different colors in the rock.
Sand or pebbles
Individual stones, pebbles, or sand grains visible in the rock.
Rock with crystalsRock with fossilsRock with gas bubblesRock with glassy surfaceRock with ribbonlike layersRock with pebbles


Explore the diagram by rolling your mouse over the names of the rock types and clicking on the images.

Complete the Cycle
See if you can name the different parts of the rock cycle.







DO.

Pretend your pet rock has been lost and you are creating flyers to put up around your neighborhood.


Think about how you would describe your rock to others.


1. Save a photo of your rock to the desktop.

2. Go to piZap and upload your photo.


2. Build your Pet Rock by dragging decorations to it.

3. When you are done, click on "SAVE & SHARE".
Download the photo to your desktop.

4. Open PAGES.

5. On the TEMPLATE CHOOSER, choose FLYER.

6. Add a photo of your rock by dragging and dropping it to the photo space.
(You may use INSTANT ALPHA to turn your rock into a sticker.)

7. Describe your rock.
- What type of rock is it?
- What does it look like?
- Where or how was it formed?
- How is your rock special and different from other rocks?
(If you need help getting started, click here)

8. Add your name and Grade/Group to the cut outs so that people can contact you if they find your rock.

9. Print.


PLAY.







Weathering and Erosion

WATCH.












DO.

Create a poster to share your knowledge using PAGES.




1. Open the PAGES.

2. On the TEMPLATE CHOOSER, choose POSTER

3. Write 2 or 3 paragraphs to share what you know about erosion.


4. Add photos that show the three types of erosion: glacial (or ice), water and wind.

5. Use SHAPES and TEXTBOXES to create labels under the photos.

6. When you are finished, PRINT.


LEARN MORE.







PLAY.









Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Soil

WATCH






DO

1. Watch the Slide Show!

2. Take the test
When you finish, show it to your teacher so she can record your score.


3. Do the WebQuest.

PLAY