Rocks

This is another open post - I'll write about the ideas I have, and anyone else can add to the post.

First of all we'll be getting the "Box of Rocks" from museum of natural history. What's in it? Find out here.
Half of the resources go to the big group the first week, the other half to the small group, then we swap stuff for the second week.

There are some great ideas here that I learned about at a conference. The Utah Teachers portion has lesson plans, and the other portions of the site also have links I haven't looked at.

When I chose this I was hoping the kids would have opportunities to look at rocks in a new way - something that they already love. Kids can examine them through magnifying glasses, sort them, compare them, count them, talk about their uses, talk about where they come from . . . those are my ideas in general, but if you would like specific activities for each of those, I can list more. I have heard ideas from several different people, so please, put your links, ideas, and resources in this post.

Hold the presses, I just found a science experiments book in my garage. It includes lesson plans on classifying rocks, comparing rock hardness, doing the rock streak test, rock reactions with vinegar, rocks conducting electricity (you probably want to do that with small kids), and others. I think any of them would be fun if done on their level. Let me know if you want to use it. (The book is called Hands-On Earth Science Activities by Marvin N. Tolman)