Observing,Comparing and Classifying Rocks

This activity is designed for students to work in small groups and to observe and describe their rocks. Children will be given time to talk together and compare how their rocks are alike and different. As a group, we will work together to decide upon categories rocks could be placed in such as; color, size and texture. Vocabulary words to be reviewed are observe, compare and classify and rocks. The major concept of this lesson is to observe, compare and classify rocks.

This activity is prepared for first grade with approximately 20 students in the class. This activity could be completed within other institutions and groups such as: Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, 4-H Clubs and private schools. This activity can be considered a lab with guided inquiry instruction. Approximately 30 minutes will be needed to complete this classroom lab. No special equipment is necessary. Students should have prior experiences with sorting materials in a number of ways before doing this activity. This activity takes some organization and planning but can be used in other settings.

Materials Needed:
1. Plan ahead and have enough rocks for 4 groups of 5 children in each group. Each group will have the same kind of rocks
2. Hand lenses could be used to observe the rocks. Place enough hand lenses at each group so each child can have their own to use.
3. KWL Chart will be needed so that the teacher can write on the chart as students tell what they know about rocks.
4. Classroom big book from the Macmillian/Mcgraw-Hill Earth Science for grade 1, pages 170-171
The lesson will begin by students sitting in front of the Big Book. The teacher and the students will read the title of the page and will read the look and wonder question. From this the teacher will place the KWL chart in front of the group and will ask the students to tell what they know about a rock or rocks. The teacher will record their responses under K on the chart. Guided questions will be used as needed to help students get started. Next the teacher will ask the students what they would like to learn about rocks. The teacher will record their responses under the W on the KWL Chart. Again guided discussion will be used as need to get student responses. The Big Book will be used as a visual to help students with their responses and answers.
Students will be instructed to look at the Big Book page 170 and to observe the rocks and think about how they could sort or classify the rocks. If students don't respond I might suggest we sort or classify the rocks by color. As a group we will think of a color we could sort. Students will take turns coming up to the rock and pointing at a rock that could meet that sorting rule.
I will then ask if there is another way we could classify or sort our rocks. If no response I might suggest size. We will discuss what that means and how we could sort the rocks. Students will take turns coming up to the book and pointing to the rocks that could meet that sorting rule.
Next I will tell the students that we will be doing this activity with real rocks in groups at their tables.
I will show the hand lenses and tell what it is and demonstrate how to use it with a rock.
Students will return to their tables. The teacher will pass out the hand lenses and tubs of rocks for each table.
The teacher will ask how we could classify the rocks and will hopefully get a sorting rule and will tell the students the rule for sorting the rocks. Everyone will help at the table. Starting with color may be the most easiest. We will continue sorting rocks, with the teacher always asking for a classifying rule, followed by everyone agreeing and then working together at their tables to sort their rocks. The teacher will use guided inquiry to make sure students have the opportunities to sort by color, shape, size and texture. As the students are sorting the teacher will walk around the room helping those groups who need redirection and support.
In closing, students will be asked to come up to the front of the room. The KWL Chart will be placed in front of them. The teacher will ask the question "What did you learn today about rocks?" Student responses will be recorded on the KWL Chart. The teacher will provide guided inquiry to help students. Next I will ask the students how they could do this activity at home. I will encourage them to do so.
This activity has been modified from the Macmillian/Mcgraw-Hill Teachers manuel, Earth Science page 170-171

It is best to gather enough rocks so that each child can examine one rock each time there is a new sorting rule. Try to vary the size, color, shape and composition of the rocks.

To determine if students have achieved the learning goals for this activity they will complete a Activity Lab Sheet. On this sheet they will independently:
1. Observe 2 rocks and record the colors, shape, and size of the rocks
2. Next they will draw a picture of each rock and will write a word to describe each rock.
3. Lastly the students will answer the question "How are the rocks different?"
This activity lab can be found in the Macmillian/McGraw-Hill
Teacher's manual on page 171.

This lesson meets the academic science standard in the Earth and Space Science Strand. The Substrand is 1. Earth Structure and Processes. This standard is about earth materials which include solid rocks,sand ,soil and water. These materials have different observable physical properties that make them useful. The code for this strand is 1.3.1.3.1. The benchmark is to group or classify rocks in terms of color, shape and size.