Jaclyn Turner

Observation #3
Date: February 8, 2016
Lesson: Science, Mock Rock Investigation pt. 1
Grade: 3
Time: 1 hour
Standards:
PO 2. Describe the different types of rocks and how they are formed
PO 3. Classify rocks based on the following physical properties: color,
texture
Objective:
Students will be able to record observations of a mock rock.
Students will be able to compare properties of the mock rock to the
properties of real rocks.
Students will be able to use measuring tools to gather data about mock
rocks.
Materials:
Mock Rocks
2 Scales
Mass cubes
5 hand lenses
5 meter tapes
Earth Materials Notebook
Beginning (10 minutes):
Introduce geology- I will tell students that they are going to be
geologists and that Geologist study rocks. I will tell them that rocks are
among the materials that make up Earth, and the study of the
materials that make up earth is called geology.
I will then introduce the idea of rock properties and we will talk about
the properties that a geologist might use to describe rocks (words that
reflect texture, color, shape, size, weight, smell, etc.). The ideas will be
written on the board.
I will introduce the mock rock activity by showing students the mock
rocks and explaining the activity they will be doing.
Students will be challenges to observe the mock rocks and
write down their observations with the best detail as
possible so that when the rocks change in the next lesson,
they will have a good reference to how they had changed.
Students will be observing their mock rocks in small groups
of 4 or 5. There will be 6 different observation stations and
each group will be designated to their first station, and

then the groups will switch stations with the timer goes off
(every 6 minutes).
Stations: draw your mock rock station, magnified
mock rock station, weigh your mock rock, measure your
mock rock, record your observations.
I will then walk around to each of the stations, introduce the materials
at the stations and set clear expectations.
Middle (40 minutes):
Students will carry out the observations and fill in their earth materials
notebook at each station. They will switch stations at the timer moving
in a clockwise rotation.
I will be walking around observing students as they do their work.
Closing/Assessment (5 minutes):
Students will return to their desk and we will have a class discussion,
comparing students observations. I will give students time to think
about the properties of the mock rock that they observed and call on a
few students to share their observations. I will ask those students to
describe how looking through the hand lenses helped them see more
detail, what details did they see better. I will ask other reflective
questions about the investigation.
Students will be designated to clean up the station that they were last
at. They will then begin getting ready for dismissal.