January+9th

[|Gr. 1 TEKS Introduction]
 * __TEKS Science Concepts__**


 * 1.7 Earth and space. The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water that can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems. The student is expected to: **

1.7A Observe, compare, describe, and sort components of soil by size, texture, and color.

1.7B Identify and describe a variety of natural sources of water, including streams, lakes, and oceans.


 * 1.7C Gather evidence of how rocks, soil, and water help to make useful products. **

Give each student a plastic Ziploc baggie and take a tour around the school grounds on a "Rock Hunt." Have students collect 3 to 4 rocks that are different and put into their baggie. Return to the classroom and have students use magnifying lenses to observe their rocks. Have them sketch and record the characterisitcs of each rock in their Science Journal on their journal recording sheet:. (Sent to print services for team) Have students share in pairs and then choose few students to share their sketches and characteristic labels on the document camera. Be sure to point out good adjectives and words students used like "smooth, bumpy, texture, etc." On each table, have a charactistic listed (ex: shiny, rough, heavy, smooth, light, etc.) Students will sort their collection of rocks from yesterday among these characterisitcs. Discuss whole group while on a "Rock Safari" or gallery walk. Then, whole group, make a graph of the collections on chart paper or butcher paper. Discuss which one had the most? Which one had the least? Introduce the vocbulary "Resources" and how we can use natural resources to make products. Review the rock collection we sorted and graphed. Ask students to brainstorm what products they think we can make from these rocks and why. Discuss how we will be doing a lab to explore products that are made from rocks. The lab is intended for "stations" for the students to rotate through. To give students enough time to really explore, you may want to have this lab over 2 days during Science.
 * Day One: **
 * Day Two: **
 * Day Three/Four: **

Lab:

Household items made from rocks:

 * =====Baby powder=====
 * =====Pencil=====
 * =====Magnets=====
 * =====Counter top sample=====
 * =====Glass=====
 * =====Chalk=====
 * =====Rock samples including talc, graphite, hematite, granite, quartz, and limestone=====
 * Optional recording sheet for Science Journal: [|What Products are made from Rocks.doc]

Preparation

 * 1) Gather the items and rock samples (a rock kit can be used here containing the listed rocks) for each student group. You can also choose to set up stations for groups to visit each set of items and rotate through the stations.

Background for Teacher
Rocks are useful in many everyday products. Talc can be used to produce baby powder, graphite is used to put the center in a pencil, hematite is a magnetic rock and can be used to make magnets, graphite is used when building certain countertops, quartz is useful in glass making, and limestone is used to make chalk. Encourage students to touch each item and look at its color and properties to match each item with its constituent material.

Procedure

 * 1) Have the students handle the everyday items, and describe their use.
 * 2) Now introduce the idea that rocks have helped make these items.
 * 3) Have students match the items with the rock they think helps make up each everyday item.
 * 4) Students can then answer the questions in the ‘Show What You Know’ portion of the activity after discussing the items and rocks with their group. [[image:http://roundrockisd.stemscopes.com/system/slides/images/13535/normal/1.7AC_DP_Slide4.png?1321403359 width="288" height="216" caption="1.7ac_dp_slide1"]]

5. After reviewing responses lead into the Reflection questions.




 * Extra Activity: **
 * Have students use the writing paper to sketch and write about a product they would make using rocks. **
 * [|This Rocks! Worksheet[1.pdf]] **