Igneous rock, metamorphic rock, minerals, crystals. It's hard to keep all of those straight. We need samples to examine and compare. All of these words come to life with an example to test and magnify.
My sixth grade class is very diverse.
Some are immigrants others are first generation children and some have had families in the US for generations. They come from the Philippines, Vietnam, Peru, China, Mexico and around the corner. They are all avid learners who are excited to start science experiments. Many are from homes who can not provide everything that's needed at school, especially not the specialty items. I have a future brain surgeon, engineer, auto mechanic, car designer, and video game maker just to give some examples. We want to learn about the world around us. We want to use the scientific methods we've read about. We want to know EVERYTHING!
My Project
These rock samples would go far in helping my students to recognize the different types of rock. The game will help solidify the rock cycle in their minds. We learn so much more when we're having fun. In the end it's what we do that helps us learn, not just what we read. Science is an exciting subject if we conduct experiments to see what happens in real life.
These resources will enrich their science experience.
For those who may not be all that interested in science the experiments and actual samples provide a concrete path to a more interesting and dynamic experience.
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