Our MITTEN Unit Rocks and Minerals

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Our MITTEN Unit- Rocks and Minerals

• By Cathy Auler and
• Cassandra Golembiewski

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Our Environment

• 25 students 1 rabbit.
• 12 boys, 13 girls
• 5 who live in nearby districts, 20 who live in
  Wyandotte
• 5 students total who receive special services
  outside of the classroom

• New computer lab with 31 Dell computers
• 4 iMacs in the classroom
• Access to digital cameras/video recorders and LCD
  projectors
• TV/VCR in classroom

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STaR Chart Findings

• Hardware High Tech
• Connectivity Low Tech
• Content Mid Tech
• Professional Development Low Tech
• Integration and Use Low Tech  
• Overall- Mid Tech

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Overview- Why Rocks and Minerals?

• Part of the 5th grade and middle school Science
  Curriculum
• Very interactive and engaging
• Lends to technology, as well as multiple
  disciplines

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Lesson 1- The Rock Cycle

• Students will view a Power Point presentation on
  the Michigan Rock Cycle
• Using Kidspirations, they will then create their
  own rock cycle diagram
• Diagrams will include pictures representing the
  rocks and processes of the cycle
• Will be used as a tool for study

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Lesson 2- Rock Webquest

• Teams of 2 will explore teacher-created webquest
  regarding rocks and the rock cycle.
• A fact-finding data sheet will be completed as
  they continue through the webquest
• This is Part 1 of the Webquest

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Lesson 4- Webquest Cont.

• Based on Human Interactions with minerals
• Research of 2 specific minerals per group
• How they can be used and where they can be found

• Local natural resources
• Description of those natural resources in
  Michigan and Wyandotte

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Lesson 3- Pet Rock Journals

• Lesson that is popular each year
• Students will type a daily journal in Microsoft
  Word
• Digital Pictures will be taken of the rocks
• Information learned throughout the unit will be
  used in creating the entries
• Descriptions using all the properties
• Final paragraph will be typed up about their rock

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Lesson 5- Mineral Book

• Using research from the Webquest, each student
  will make a page in our book
• KidPix will be used to create this page
• Specific items such as physical properties will
  be included
• Where it is found and how it is used by humans

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The End