Investigative Earth Science Lessons (K-2)

1.     Rocks, Rocks, Everywhere – 2^nd Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/rocks-rocks-everywhere/

·      Pros

o   Introduces 3 different types of rocks to students and helps them to differentiate between the 3 types.

o   Lesson is hands-on and students get to work with the 3 different types of rocks.

·      Cons

o   Great additional activity for creating an actual rock, but takes two days.

o   Students paint the different rocks – is there meaning behind painting the rocks? Could that part of the lesson be changed?

2.     Our Solar System: Turning Around – 2^nd Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/turning-around/

·      Pros

o   Interactive modeling helps students to visualize the parts of the solar system and the motion of the planets.

o   Independent work is age-appropriate and helps students to remember the parts of the solar system.

·      Cons

o   Might be too much information to give students in one lesson – we do not want to bombard students with information.

o   Another independent work activity might work better in the lesson.

3.     The Earth’s Water Cycle – K/1^st Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/the-water-cycle/

·      Pros

o   Age-appropriate activities, explanations, and modeling that help students to understand the water cycle.

o   Students can learn the water cycle by singing the Water Cycle Song!

·      Cons

o   Water cycle diagram might be confusing for students.

o   The Water Cycle Song has the lyrics but does not have a voice singing the lyrics – perhaps choose another video with someone singing to help with modeling.

What is a rock?

A rock is a solid object that is made from pieces of the earth. You decide if something is a rock based on its composition and its origin. Rocks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and compositions. After careful consideration of the options on the probe, I believe that all of the options are rocks. At first, I ruled out the man-made objects, but then second-guessed that decision: despite being man-made, these objects still originate from pieces of the earth. I was also quick to rule out objects that were not round or circular, but then decided that a rock does not have to be round or circular to be a rock. My reasoning points to my original definition of a rock -- it originates from pieces of the earth and can be a variety of compositions, sizes, and shapes.