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South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Mighty Minerals-We Use Them Everyday (Grade 3)

Master Teacher

Brenda L. Lyles

Time Allotment

Two 60-minute classes

Overview

Everything we use on Earth that is not made of plants or animals is made of minerals. These minerals are our natural resources. They are mined so that we can have all of the products we are accustomed to using. We mine many different minerals from Earth, which provides us with almost every product we use. We should be aware of what products they provide us with and use our mineral resources wisely. Many products exist in limited supply on and under the Earth's surface, so it's important that we realize what they are and how they are produced.

Subject Area

Science

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Understand the importance of knowing about rocks and minerals.
• Understand the way in which many products are produced from rocks and minerals.
• Understand how we obtain many of the rocks and minerals we use.
• Identify some of the rocks and minerals we use or see everyday.

South Carolina Curriculum Standards

(From the South Carolina Science Curriculum Standards, Grade 3, available online at www.myscscshools.com )

EARTH SCIENCE iii

Properties of Earth Materials

g. Observe and describe the unique physical characteristics of a variety of rock types.

h. Give examples of how humans obtain and use earth materials as resources. (P, T)

Media Components

Video:

Uses of Rocks and Minerals

Synopsis: The rocks and minerals that form within the Earth are used to make many important materials. Witness how rocks are mined, processed, and then constructed into glass. Learn about the two types of mining. Learn how important minerals are in the production of things we use every day.

Download the following segments of Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Introduction" (01:10), " What is a Rock? What is a Mineral" (01:30), " Building Materials and Glass" (06:04), " Transportation" (01:02), " Gemstones" (00:44), " History of Rocks and Minerals" (00:57), " How Rocks and Minerals are Taken from Earth" (00:35), " Rocks that Don't Need to be Processed" (00:44), " Rocks and Minerals that Have to be Combined to be Used" (00:41), " Mining" (00:44), and " Review" (01:21)

To access these video segments, log on to your account at ETV's StreamlineSC . In the search by keyword box, type "Uses of Rocks and Minerals." Download each separate video clip to your computer desktop and preview them. The individual clip times vary.

(Note to Teacher: If you don't have an account with StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist about signing up for your own account.)

Web Sites:

http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/games.html This site is provided by the Mineral Society of America, it has activities for all ages. The activity to use for this lesson is, "Minerals in Your House."

Materials

• Uses of Rocks and Minerals Video Worksheet
• Minerals in Your House Internet Site Worksheet
• Uses of Minerals Word Search
• Writing paper, pen or pencils

Equipment

• Projector
• Computer
• Computer Lab with Internet

Software

Internet

Prep for Teachers

• Download and preview the video segments from StreamlineSC .
• Prior to teaching the lesson, bookmark the Web Site on each computer in your classroom.
• Connect a computer to a projector for whole class viewing of the video clips.
• Print handouts for each student: Originals attached.
• •  Uses of Rocks and Minerals Video Worksheet
• •  Minerals in Your House Worksheet
• •  Uses of Minerals Word Search
• When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction , a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Use the computer and projector for class viewing. Before viewing the video segments, tell the class that minerals are very important in every thing we use. The video will show us how we get minerals through mining, how we use minerals, and some products that contain minerals.

Step 2 : As a Focus for Media Interaction , instruct students to complete the video worksheets as they view each video segment.

Learning Activities

Step 1 : Uses of Rocks and Minerals Video Worksheet . View the video segments in the following sequence. Allow students time to answer the questions on the worksheet.

Step 2: Cue the video segment Uses of Rocks and Minerals: "Introduction."

Before viewing give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "When viewing this segment answer the questions, "What is a geologist? Where are the children transported to? " View the segment. Then, briefly discuss with students the information in the segment.

Step 3: Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "What is a Rock? What is a Mineral?" give the students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "How many ingredients does a mineral have? What are rocks made of ? How many minerals make up granite rocks? What does a quartz crystal look like? Is it a rock or a mineral?" View the segment.

Step 4: Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Building Materials and Glass," give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "In this segment, answer these questions, "In what part of the earth are rocks and minerals found? Which two everyday things are mentioned as being made from minerals? What are sand, limestone and gravel used in?" View the video segment.

Step 5: Prior to viewing : Uses of Rocks and Minerals : " Transportation," - Give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "During this segment, answer these questions: What do we use asphalt and aggregate to make that is very important to all of us? What type of mineral is used to make steel? What are some of the things we use steel for?" View the video. Repeat segment if students could not complete the sheet in one viewing.

Step 6: - Prior to viewing: Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Gemstones," give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "In this segment, the video discusses minerals that are highly valued. They are called 'gemstones.' Answer these questions on your worksheet as you watch this segment. What gemstone can we find inside limestone rocks? Do we usually find Aquamarine gemstones inside rocks?"

Step 7: Prior to viewing : Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "History of Rocks and Minerals," give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "As you watch this segment, answer these questions: Rocks were used to make what two kinds of tools? What are a mortar and pestle used for? What kind of stone was used to build the Great Pyramids?" View the video.

Step 8 : Prior to viewing: Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "How Rocks and Minerals are Taken from Earth," give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, "In what layer of the earth are minerals found? Some mines have tunnels, what is another word for a mining tunnel? Where the deepest is mine in the whole world? How deep is this mine? What mineral do they mine in the world's deepest mine?"

Step 9: Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Rocks that Don't Need to be Processed," give students a Focus for Media Interaction by saying, "Answer these questions as you watch this segment. What three processes are done to stones so that we can use them? What stone is used to make statues? Name one way we use granite? What do we make with soapstone?"

Step 10: Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Rocks and Minerals that Have to be Combined to be Used," give students a Focus for Media Interaction saying, "For this segment, answer these questions. What are three products that we produce by combining rocks and minerals with other substances? What everyday tool do we get when we combine graphite and clay, and encase the substance in wood?"

Step 11 : Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Mining," give students a Focus for Media Interaction . Say, " As you view this segment answer the following question on the video worksheet. We all can recycle to help preserve the earth's minerals. Name three things we can recycle?"

Step 12 : Prior to viewing Uses of Rocks and Minerals : "Review," give students a Focus for Media Interaction by saying, "This is the final segment of the video. Look over your video worksheet. Answer any questions that you might have omitted while you view this segment.

Step 13 : After viewing the video, allow students time to complete the video worksheets. Check for understanding by discussing the questions and responses with the class.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Distribute the activity worksheet, entitled "Minerals in Your House."

Step 2: Have students log on to the following Web site (or log the computer on for them) : http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/games.html the Mineral Games Web Page will appear . Students should click 'Minerals in Your House,' link. Students will then be instructed to click the Bedroom, Bathroom, Living Room and Kitchen buttons to see what minerals are used in the everyday products in their home. Have students answer the worksheet as they explore the Minerals in Your House Web site.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Social Studies: Use a large world map to have students map where minerals are mined in the world. Information can be found in encyclopedias and on the Internet as sites such as the following:

www.mapsofworld.com/world-mineral-map.htm

Make a small picture to represent each mineral on the map. Tell students allow students to look at the MINERAL MAP OF THE WORLD from the Web site. Let them compare the maps and place the minerals in a corresponding place on the large world map. This activity will teach mineral locations, continent locations and some country locations.

Community Connections

• Take a field trip to a local cement plant to learn about mineral use in construction.

Student Materials

For each student a copy of the following:

• Uses of Rocks and Minerals Video Worksheet
• Minerals in Your House Internet Site Worksheet
• Origin of Minerals Crossword Puzzle
• Writing paper, pen or pencils, crayons
• Activity Sheet 1: Uses of Rocks and Minerals Video Worksheet
• Activity Sheet 2: Minerals in Your House
• Activity Sheet 3: Uses of Minerals Word Search
• Uses of Minerals Word Search Solution