Lesson Plan Template for College of Education

Lesson Title: Name that Mineral!

Subject: Science
State Standard: 3.E.4.: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the composition of Earth and
the processes that shape features of Earths surface.
Indicator: 3.E.4A.1.: Analyze and interpret data from observations and measurements to describe and
compare different Earth materials (including rocks, minerals, and soil) and classify each type of material
based on its distinct physical properties.
Learning Objective(s): The students will be able to describe a mineral and identify the properties by
performing tests on the minerals and recording data.
Essential Questions or problem(s): What are minerals and what are the 5 ways we use to identify them?
Activities/Procedures:
Have expectations and consequences displayed on the board.
o You do not talk when the teacher is speaking.
o Hands and feet to yourself.
o Be responsible with the materials.
o This is a privilege, not a right.
All students enter and sit on the floor facing the right wall.
One teacher will set introductory expectations.
Teachers will hook the students with a skit introducing minerals (2 minutes).
o Minerals- non-living earth materials that cannot be broken down any further. They are the
ingredients of rocks.
Then teachers will explain the 5 ways you can identify minerals, using a song to help.
o Minerals arent hard to identify, you just need to know the test and try, Its luster, streak,
and hardness, right? Then theres color, texture, oh my!
Transition into mineral testing stations.
State expectations for stations; these will be displayed on the board.
Count off students by threes and the go to the station with their number and teachers will further
divide them.
In stations, teachers will assign each pair to a rock and give each student a mineral identification
chart and explain the components.
o Early Finishers- draw the rock
Accommodations:
Auditory: Instruction will be verbal and a song will be used to help remember properties of minerals.
Visual: Important points will be written on the board and students will see the minerals and properties.
Kinesthetic: Student will be able to directly interact with minerals and perform tests.
Resource: Students will be in pairs and will have a teacher to help in any way. They will be filling out a
chart to help organize information in 1-2 words.
ESL: Students will be in smaller groups which will allow direct interaction with the teacher to help with
any understanding.
Gifted: Some concepts in the lesson are abstract and will allow gifted students to stretch their thinking.

How will other areas of the curriculum be integrated?: Arts will be integrated through drama and
music.
Closure:
Restate the essential questions and allow students to name ways to identify minerals. Then sing
the song to help remember their properties.
Materials:
Station numbers
Mineral investigation chart
Minerals with name cards
o Pyrite
o Quartz
o Muscovite
o Kaolin
o Kyanite
One nail for teacher
Scratch plate
Paper Towels
Colored Pencils
Questioning:
Remembering: List the properties we use to identify minerals.
Applying: Use the tests to identify the properties of the minerals.
Analyzing: Distinguish between minerals according to their properties.
Assessment:
Students will be formatively assessed on their understanding of minerals and properties used to
identify them by the chart filled out while testing. Additionally, the teacher will listen to their
discussion and note comprehension or misconceptions.

SKIT:
Person 1: Digging in backyard. Look I found a rock!
Person 2: With book and magnifying glass. Thats definitely not a rock; thats a mineral.
Person 1: Whats a mineral?
Person 2: A mineral is a non-living earth material that cannot be broken down any further. They
are the ingredients of rocks.
Person 3: Comes in with mixing bowl. Did someone say ingredients?
Person 2: Yes, we were saying that minerals are the ingredients for rocks.
Person 3: So like I used ingredients to make a cake!
Person 1: I dont get it.
Person 2: Like the ingredients for a cake make up the cake, minerals make up rocks.
Person 1: So, minerals arent rocks by themselves, they make up the rocks.
Person 2 and 3: Thats right!