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Going on a Rock Walk!

October 21, 2014

Dalton and his partner found glass made with the mineral quartz.

Bricks made from sedimentary rocks.

Keyera shows more glass with quartz.

Dane and his partner found the planter boxes in the Eagle's nest to be made of rock.

Baylee and her partner found the cement sidewalk to be made from rocks.

Brian and his partner thought the metal pipes contained some kind of rocks or minerals.

Glass on the basketball backboard and possibly the metal rim contain minerals.

Blake and his partner looked at the many rocks in the landscaping.

Many of the students took pictures of the memorial rock in the landscaping and they believe it is made from granite which we studied in our science books.

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The third graders set out on a rock walk during a beautifal fall afternoon!  They were assigned to take pictures with a partner using iPads.  The pictures had to be of rocks/minerals or things they believed were made from rocks or minerals.  We read and discussed different uses for rocks and minerals in our everyday lives before heading out.  The third graders learned that people use rocks and minerals in many ways that they didn't even realize.  We learned that rocks and minerals are used to make shingles, windows, and walls on buildings and houses.  People also use rocks in the landscaping around their houses or buildings.  Rocks are used to make the cement on our streets and sidewalks.  We discovered that rocks are used for playgrounds and parking lots or driveways.  The third graders looked at the Mohs Scale which tells the hardness of minerals.  They learned that diamonds are the hardest mineral and talc is a very soft mineral.  Mt. Rushmore is even made of rock!  The students have become really interested in rocks and minerals this quarter which has led to a LARGE rock collection in our classroom!  They had lots of fun learning about rocks and minerals. Check out the pictures taken by the third graders on their rock walk!