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Rock, Mineral, and Rock Cycle Classroom Activities and Lesson Plans




Rock mineral and fossil kits Rock, Mineral and Fossil Kits
Get a rock, mineral or fossil kit to teach your students about earth materials and how to identify them. We offer ten different kits in various sizes.
rock pictures Photos of Common Rock Types
Photos of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that you can share via computer projection or assign as study.
DonorsChoose.org Small Grants for Science Teachers
A two-page proposal might win $200 to $600 in science supplies for your students. Thousands of teachers win these grants every year. DonorsChoose.org.

WaterproofPaper.com Free Graph Paper and Free Maps
Your students can get free printable graph paper, printable maps, printable calendars and more at WaterproofPaper.com, a website affiliated with Geology.com.

National Science Teachers Association
An organization providing resources, professional development, education conferences, and much more!

Associations for Science Teachers
NSTA's list of science teaching societies in U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Find professional development near you.

Mohs hardness scale and testing Mohs Hardness Scale and Testing
One of the most important tests for identifying mineral specimens is the Mohs Hardness Test. It compares the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by ten reference minerals known as the Mohs Hardness Scale.
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Acid test for carbonate minerals Acid Testing Rocks
To most geologists, the term "acid test" means placing a drop of dilute (5% to 10%) hydrochloric acid on a rock or mineral and watching for bubbles of carbon dioxide gas to be released.
Geologic Time Scale Geologic Time Scale
This printable geologic time scale is easy to understand and is not too complex. This time scale is a word document that can easily be customized for any earth and space science teacher's needs.
science class Geodes
This lesson plan demonstrates the formation of crystals in a geode through a classroom activity. This demonstration is a good way to introduce and expand the idea of crystals for elementary, secondary, middle school, and university level students.
Coal through a microscope Coal Through a Microscope
If you think that coal is a boring black rock, then you have never seen it through a transmitted light microscope. The microscope reveals coal's hidden beauty as well as its composition.
science class Sugar Cube Rock Cycle
This lesson plan lets students develop an understanding for the processes of the rock cycle through sugar cubes. This classroom activity can be used to demonstrate the rock cycle for elementary, secondary, middle school, and university level students.
science class Mining in Texas
This lesson plan is a good way to demonstrate the extraction of nonrenewable minerals. This classroom activity can be expanded for helping elementary, secondary, middle school, and university students understand this topic.
difficult to identify The Most Difficult Rocks to Identify
An experienced geologist admits that he is seriously challenged when students bring him rocks to identify. The article includes tips for dealing with student specimens that can't be identified with confidence.
DonorsChoose.org Small Grants for Science Teachers
A two-page proposal might win $200 to $600 in science supplies for your students. Thousands of teachers win these grants every year. DonorsChoose.org.

WaterproofPaper.com Free Graph Paper and Free Maps
Your students can get free printable graph paper, printable maps, printable calendars and more at WaterproofPaper.com, a website affiliated with Geology.com.

National Science Teachers Association
An organization providing resources, professional development, education conferences, and much more!

Associations for Science Teachers
NSTA's list of science teaching societies in U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Find professional development near you.



More Rocks
  Difficult Rocks
  Fossils
  Tumbled Stones
  Geodes
  The Rock Used to Make Beer
  Rock, Mineral and Fossil Collections.
  Flint, Chert, and Jasper
  Fluorescent Minerals

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Find Other Topics on Geology.com:


Rocks
Rocks: Galleries of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock photos with descriptions.
Minerals
Minerals: Information about ore minerals, gem materials and rock-forming minerals.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes: Articles about volcanoes, volcanic hazards and eruptions past and present.
Gemstones
Gemstones: Colorful images and articles about diamonds and colored stones.
General Geology
General Geology: Articles about geysers, maars, deltas, rifts, salt domes, water, and much more!
Geology Store
Geology Store: Hammers, field bags, hand lenses, maps, books, hardness picks, gold pans.
Earth Science Records
Earth Science Records: Highest mountain, deepest lake, biggest tsunami and more.
Diamond
Diamonds: Learn about the properties of diamond, its many uses, and diamond discoveries.