Earth Science Education – summer in-service for
teachers – July 6-10, 2009
TITLE: Rocks
and Minerals of
BRIEF
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This Earth science course teaches concepts of minerals and rocks
stressing processes of the rock cycle. Participants gain confidence and competence
on how to respond to the formidable “what is this rock?” in ways that encourage
observation and inquiry for students of diverse abilities. The course is taught
outside using local places as outdoor classrooms.
SYLLABUS: Rocks and Minerals of
GOALS:
Teachers will go outside with (a) confidence and (b) deeper understanding of
rocks and minerals and use their schoolyards and school environs as well as
their indoor classrooms to teach Earth science, specifically the science of rocks
and minerals.
OBJECTIVES:
·
The Overarching Objective is quality teaching:
this course will deepen teachers’ content knowledge and provide them with
instructional strategies to inspire students to learn more about Earth materials.
·
Knowledge: Know how to observe a rock and how to
distinguish minerals and rocks.
·
Comprehension: Understand the rock cycle.
·
Analysis: Compare and classify rocks.
APPROACH:
This course approaches rocks and minerals as materials recycled by Earth’s rock
cycle. On the first day, participants are introduced to concepts including
rocks, minerals, bedrock and sediment. On the second day, participants are
introduced to the rock cycle. The third day is a field trip to Bingham Copper
Mine. On the fourth day, participants tell stories of rocks they have
collected. The story is the rock cycle. The fifth day reviews course content
and includes links to literacy.
PROJECTED
OUTCOMES: After this course, have increased confidence and competence to go
outside and recognize products and processes of the rock cycle. They should
almost look forward to responding to the often-dreaded question, “what is this
rock” in ways that encourage inquiry.
BRIEF
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This Earth science course teaches concepts of minerals and rocks
stressing processes of the rock cycle. Participants gain confidence and competence
on how to respond to the formidable “What is this rock?” in ways that encourage
observation and inquiry for students of diverse abilities. The course is taught
outside using local places as outdoor classrooms.
CONTENT:
(a) properties of minerals; properties of rocks; the four processes of the rock
cycle (sedimentation, lithification, metamorphism, and melting/crystallization)
and the rock products of the rock cycle (sediments, sedimentary bedrock,
metamorphic bedrock, and igneous bedrock); (b) ways, appropriate to grade, to link
literacy and Earth science concepts.
REQUIREMENTS:
Participants must attend all five sessions. The course assumes an hour of homework
for every class contact hour. Daily homework reading assignments are discussed
in class. The final project is to write the story of a rock from Little
Cottonwood Canyon. The story is for classroom use as content literacy
appropriate to grade. The Earth science content of the story is the rock cycle.
GRADING:
The grade for the course is 80% based on the content-literacy project and 20%
based on the teachers’ specific ideas of how to use their schoolyards and neighborhoods
as outdoor classrooms to teach rocks and minerals.
NOTE:
Participants (current teachers) who complete the course receive approximately
$50 of text materials and classroom supplies AND a high-powered hand lens.
These materials are donated by Earth Science Education, Kennecott Utah Copper,
and the Wheeler Foundation.
INSTRUCTOR:
Genevieve Atwood, Ph.D., former State Geologist of Utah; and, presently, Chief
Education Officer, Earth Science Education, and Adjunct Assistant Professor,
Department of Geography, University of Utah.
TARGET
AUDIENCE: K-12 especially 4th (basic properties of rocks; erosion
and weathering), 3rd (characteristics of non-living things), K-4
(literacy).
DATES, TIMES AND LOCATIONS:
|
DATE: |
TIME |
PLACE |
ADDRESS |
|
Monday, July 6 |
|
|
3475 West 9000 South |
|
Tuesday, July 7 |
|
|
Mouth of Little |
|
Wednesday, July 8 |
|
FIELD TRIP to Bingham
Copper Mine leaves from |
bus leaves from 5445 New |
|
Thursday, July 9 |
|
|
840 North 300 West |
|
Friday, July 10 |
|
|
3131 East 4500 South |
NUMBER OF CLOCK HOURS OF
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION: 15.5 hours = 1 credit hour.
CLASS LIMIT: 30
REGISTRATION – THREE options, for information go to http://www.earthscienceeducation.org
… CACTUS, SUU; WSU masters. P.L.A.N.
SPECIAL SUPPORT from
Kennecott Utah Copper: Participants receive approximately $50 of text materials
and classroom supplies.
Rocks
and Minerals of
OUTLINE
OF CLASS SESSIONS
Session
1: Introduction to rocks, minerals, bedrock, and sediment.
·
Distinguish bedrock from unconsolidated
materials (sediments)
·
Understand the homogeneous nature of minerals
and the heterogeneous nature of rocks
·
Observe and classify sediments versus bedrock
·
Classify tombstones by bedrock type
(metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary bedrock)
·
Identify minerals in tombstones: quartz,
feldspar, mica, calcite, and little dark minerals.
·
Discuss cemeteries as opportunities for outdoor
learning.
Session
2: Introduction to the rock cycle.
·
Recognize bedrock and sediments in the field
·
Sediments of Little
·
Igneous bedrock of Little Cottonwood Canyon
·
Metamorphic bedrock of Little Cottonwood Canyon
·
Sedimentary processes: weathering, erosion, transport
and deposition
·
Agents of erosion and deposition: wind, water,
glacial ice, ground failure, and humans
·
The rock cycle, a systems approach
Session
3 FIELD TRIP to Bingham Copper Mine.
·
Review bedrock versus sediment; and bedrock
types
·
Recognize the modern and historic importance of
mining and minerals
·
Discuss how and why mining affects the
environment
·
Discuss the relevance of rocks and minerals to
our daily lives
·
Discuss natural resources, specifically rocks
and minerals, of
·
Discus fossils and
·
Discuss the interdependence of science,
technology and society
·
Discuss careers and hobbies in earth science
Session
4: Role model ways to respond to “what is this rock”.
·
Practice how to tell the story of a rock as the
story of the rock cycle
·
Distinguish observations from interpretation
·
Observe characteristics of rocks collected from
Little Cottonwood Creek
·
Interpret the rock’s history
·
Tell the history of the rock as the story of
materials recycled by Earth’s rock cycle
Session
5: The rock cycle as a story
·
Play games designed to teach concepts of rocks,
minerals, and the rock cycle.
·
Link rocks and minerals to literacy appropriate
to grade
·
Share information about books with rocks or
minerals or about rocks and minerals, such as, Robinson Crusoe and Everyone
Needs a Rock
·
Discuss ways to teach intended learning outcomes
using the rock cycle
INSTRUCTIONAL
STRATEGIES INCLUDE:
Collaborative learning (e.g.
cemetery exercise); Writing to learn (homework literacy project); Progressive
development of skills (from observation and description to process-oriented
classifications); Role modeling inquiry (e.g. session of “why” questions);
Assessment (e.g. participant evaluation of their own understanding); Learner
centered, knowledge centered, and assessment centered exercises.
Based on research including but not
limited to: National Research Council, 2000, How People Learn, Chapter 6, The design of learning environments;
National Research Council, 2000, Inquiry
and the National Science Education Standards; Center for Earth and Space
Science Education, 2002, Revolution in
Earth and Space Science Education, blueprint for change; and Harris, M.T.
2002, Developing geoscience student-learning centered courses, vol 50, Journal of Geoscience Education, p
515-523. Outdoor classroom activities attempt to incorporate concepts of Last
Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv, 2006.
Resume of the Presenter: GENEVIEVE ATWOOD
– on file