I work at the best school in the county, a little gem by the ocean. While that might seem glorious to most, it's not always that way for our students. Our school is a Title 1 school, and many of our students need additional assistance with clothing, school supplies, and food. With that said, our students are also the most eager to succeed and they don't let obstacles stand in their way!
Our fifth-grade students are nothing short of phenomenal!
Our elementary school departmentalizes in 5th grade, and that means I see all of the fifth graders every day for science. They love hands-on experiences because those experiences give them opportunities to succeed. If we can set them up for success, they will do their best to meet our expectations. It's my hope that we can give them the tools they need to be triumphant in the classroom and beyond.
My Project
Living in Florida is great, but it can be pretty tough when it comes to learning about rocks. Our students don't have the opportunity to see some of the greatest rock formations, like the Grand Canyon, so it's up to us to bring science to them.
During our rock unit and review, students start off with a field trip by mining for minerals.
They can sort and trade their minerals with one another. Students learn how to classify their minerals, first by their own groupings, and then by properties in which scientists classify them: streak color, cleavage, luster, color, and hardness.
Students will use the rocks from this project for a classification game. Once they're familiar with rock properties, they get the unlabeled box of rocks from the kits, as well as descriptions of certain properties of each rock that will help them identify the rocks. This is always an engaging way for students to sample different rocks while learning about their properties.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Schuld and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.