Earth Materials

Earth Science: Earth Materials

Learning Strand: Earth Science: Earth Materials

Learning Standards: Students will
  • give a simple explanation of what a mineral is and give some examples.
  • identify the physical properties of minerals (hardness, color, luster, cleavage and streak) and explain how minerals can be tested for these different physical properties.
  • identify the three categories of rocks (metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary) based on how they are formed, and explain the natural and physical processes that create these rocks.
  • explain and give examples of the ways in which soil is formed (the weathering of rock by water and wind and from the decomposition of plant and animal remains).
  • recognize and discuss the different properties of soil, including color, texture (size of particles), the ability to retain water, and the ability to support the growth of plants.
  • give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

Rocks and Mineral Links
Soil Links
Volcanoes
Earthquakes

 

 

Rocks and Minerals

Rock Hounds
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/index2.html
- grade appropriate site that has wonderful information and great graphics and animations.

Brainpop - Rock Cycle
http://www.brainpop.com/science/theearthsystem/rockcycle/
 - animated video clip that nicely explains the rock cycle. This video clip is free for now, but many available on this site are not free.

This Planet Really Rocks
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/index.html
 - a website created for Thinkquest Junior.

Express Link Up - Rocks
 http://elu.digitalbrain.com/dbmaterial/web/learning objects/ls/Year 3 Science Rocks/home/
 - includes pretest, online lessons, and whiteboard lessons that include animated clips.

Rock Quiz
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/RocksandMinerals/RockQuiz.html
- This rock quiz can be printed out and given to students.

Elementary Themes-Rocks
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/rock.htm
 - put together by a fifth grade teacher. This site has the following categories: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, earthquakes, rock cycle, and the rock identifier. It also contains teacher resources which contain information and experiments.

Rocks for Kids
 http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/TableofContents.html
- covers such things as: how rocks and minerals are formed, identification of rocks and minerals, uses of rocks and minerals, photos, etc.

Rocks and Minerals
http://www.casdn.neu.edu/~geology/department/staff/colgan/iceland/rocks.htm#mineral
- contains links to the most common rocks and minerals. It links to pictures and information.

The Rock Cycle
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rock.html
- kid-oriented page filled with information and great graphics on the rock cycle.

Rocks and Minerals Slide Show
 http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html
 - contains different slideshows with pictures and information for kids. Great pictures of rocks and minerals to help kids identify samples. Compiled by Volcano World.

Rocks and Minerals
 http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/rocks/rocks.html
 - The Franklin Institute page on rocks and minerals.

Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils
http://www.stf.sk.ca/teaching_res/library/teach_mat_centre/tmc/e10625/e10625.htm
- a unit developed by fourth grade teachers.

 

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Soil

Ask the Answer Worm - S. K. Worm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture answers questions about soil. Great site for kids.

Nitty Gritty Soil Facts: The Dirt on Dirt - contains information on humus, gravel, sand, silt and clay. It also links to an experiment.

The Dirt on Soil: What's really going on under the ground - by Discovery School. This site has students exploring the layers of soil. It includes a field guide with wonderful information. There's also a soil safari where you can become micro-size and journey underground. Flash is needed for this program.

Careful Earthworms Underfoot - Soil scientist Dr. Dennis Linden talks about earthworms in a kid friendly manner.

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Volcanoes

Earthforce - from the Franklin Institute Online. Explains the plates and forces pushing and pulling on the earth's crust, core or water.

USGS Earth Science - discusses where and why volcanoes erupt and how volcanoes grow. Contains links to many wonderful sites.

Fallout: Eye on the Volcano - a National Geographic website that gives very descriptive information, not as user friendly as other sites.

Nova Online, Vesuvius - Covers such things as can we predict volcanoes and planning for disaster.

Savage Earth - a wonderful website that contains quite a bit of information about the earth's crust, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

Natural Disasters Project - This project was done by grade 7 students. It contains information about the different types of volcanoes such as shield, strato and cinder volcanoes. It also contains some good links to other websites.

Volcano World - a wonderful kid friendly website that contains information about current volcanoes, Mt. St. Helens. It contains a section where you can ask a volcanologist questions.

Volcanoes, Can We Predict Volcanic Eruptions? - This site contains information about melting rocks, our dynamic earth, judging hazards, forecasting and coping with risk.

Volcanoes in the United States - contains a great deal of information about volcanoes in the United States.

USGS Cascades Volcanoe Observatory - contains information about volcanoes, and frequently asked questions. You can visit certain regions to find out more informatiion about the volcanoes located there.

USGS Volcano Watch - a weekly newsletter written by scientists at the U. S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Volcano Live - contains information about live volcanoes including volcano cams, and photos.

Sleeping Giants - a site by Riverdeep - explores the Cascade Mountain Range in the Northwest. It talks about dormant, active and extinct volcanoes.

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Earthquakes

Great Quakes - This site contains good information about vulnerable cities, quake technology. It also contains a media gallery.

Constructing Earthquake-Proof Buildings - This site delves into the construction of earthquake-proof buildings. Listed are some experiments that advanced students could explore.

Soils and Earthquakes - This site delves into the different soil properties can effect seismic waves.