Rocks - A Lesson in Inquiry

This activity is designed for students to use observation skills to discern subtle and not-so-subtle differences in rocks taken from different areas of the St. Croix Valley. Students will also use inquiry to formulate investigatory questions about rocks.

This unit is designed for first grade students as part of a FOSS science unit on Pebbles, Sand & Silt. It is designed to take four weeks to complete.

The students should have practice recording information in science notebooks prior to this lesson. The students should understand the difference between an investigatory question and a non-investigatory question prior to this lesson. The students have had previous experience using tape measures, rules, hand lenses, and balance scales. This lesson can be performed inside or outside but is certainly more controllable in a classroom situation.

Equipment needed

FOSS science kit and accompanying materials
hand lenses
balance scales
water and aquarium
rulers
tape measures

Prior to introduction of this lesson, the teacher has set up an aquarium with water and rocks from the FOSS kit, the St. Croix River, and rocks that the students have brought to class. The teacher also has set up two balance scales, four hand lenses, two rulers, and two tape measures. Student science notebooks are readily accessible.

The students have completed the vocabulary section of this FOSS unit. The students have also had experience with science journals and investigatory questions.

The students will gather at the rug. The teacher will first review the questions that the students have already formulated related to rocks. The teacher will review the use of the balance scale, tape measure, ruler, and hand lens.

The teacher will show the students the materials available at the science center. The teacher explains that four students at this center will be observing the rocks and recording their observations in their science notebooks through either words or drawings. The students, based upon their observations, write an investigatory question in their science notebook. Students will rotate through this center each day until all children have visited this center. After all students have visited this center, the teacher will re-write the questions the students wrote in their science notebooks on chart paper. As a class, the teacher will assist the students in separating the questions into investigatory questions and non-investigatory questions. The students will then decide which of the investigatory questions the class will further explore and make predictions for. The teacher will then provide the appropriate materials and resources for the class to experiment and form a hypothesis.

As closure, the class will meet and decide the following:

1. What was the question?
2. What prediction did we make?
3. Were we correct with our prediction?
4. What steps did we take to test our prediction?
5. If we had difficulty, why did that happen?
6. Can we form a hypothesis? If so, what is it?
7. If we cannot form a hypothesis, why not?
8. What other questions does our inquiry lead us to?

The inquiry and results will be communicated to parents/guardians in an attempt to involve the parents in further investigation, if possible.

The FOSS kit asks children to use observation skills to draw and write a sentence about a rock. This complements the FOSS kit by taking the students further into the inquiry process.

The teacher will use the student notebooks to assess whether the student is able to formulate investigatory questions.

MN State Standard I-B

Scientific Inquiry

The student will raise questions about the natural world, make careful observations, and seek answers.