What are Minerals?
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Objectives:
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The students will learn about minerals.
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The students will be able to explain how minerals are the building blocks of rocks.
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The students will learn about birthstones.
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The students will be able to name each month’s birthstone.
Questions that encompasses the objective:
Think about minerals. How many different types of minerals do you think there are?
Prepare the Learner: Activating Prior Knowledge.
How will students prior knowledge be activated?
Warm up by asking students:
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What do you know about minerals?
Common Core State Standards:
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 B
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.4
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 B
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4
Materials and Free Resources to Download for this Lesson:
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“Rocks & Minerals” Science Journals (Student Copy)
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Highlighters (one per student)
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Pages 22; 26-28
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“Looking at Birthstones”
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“Rocks & Minerals” Science Journals (pages 26-28)
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Website page by Perry's Jewelry: "Birthstone Facts and Legends"
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Computers/Tablets
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Pens/Pencils
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Input:
What is the most important content in this lesson?
To reach this lesson’s objective, students need to understand:
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Minerals are the buildings blocks of rocks.
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Minerals are natural and not manmade.
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Each month has a designated birthstone.
How will the learning of this content be facilitated?
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Before the lesson begins, have the students fill out the “What I Know About Minerals” worksheet.
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The teacher will begin class by showing the students the video “What is a Mineral” by Monkey See (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DSzlxeNCBk). The video is about two minutes long and talks about the different types of minerals. After the video, the teacher should begin a conversation about the content.
**An extension to this activity/ a good way to introduce the topic would be to have several different minerals to show and pass around**
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Next, the teacher will begin presenting the information on Minerals. If it is possible, project each page of the teacher’s copy of the “Rocks & Minerals” Science Journal worksheet onto the board using a projector or put into a PowerPoint document and project. The teacher’s copy of the journal has certain words/phrases that are bolded red and highlighted. It is important the teacher explain to the students those words/phrases are to be highlighted in their (students) journal. For this lesson, the teacher should review these pages:
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26: Minerals
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27-28: Looking at Birthstones (In-Class Activity)
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After the information has been presented, the students should break into pairs. The teacher should instruct the students to go to page 27 in their journals. On that page is a website that the students will go to. Each group will go onto the website and read about the different birthstones. Once the students have completed reading the website, they will complete the crossword puzzle on page 28. Allow the students about 15 minutes to work before convening and discussing the activity.
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After the activity, introduce the game “Guess the Birthstone”. The teacher should show the “Guess the Birthstone” PowerPoint to the class. The teacher will show the slide and read the “clues”; the students need to guess the name of the birthstone.
Closure
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After the activities are over, the students should reconvene and the teacher should discuss the class. The teacher should review the vocabulary words with the students and also discuss any topics from the “What I Know About Minerals” worksheet.
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They should then fill in the “What I Learned About Minerals” worksheet.
Time/Application
3-5 minutes
Guided Introduction
Review the class/ agenda with the students:
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Have the students fill out the “What I Know About Minerals” worksheet.
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Introductory Video: “What is a Mineral?” by Monkey See
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Discussion: “Minerals”
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Activity: “Looking at Birthstones”
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Activity: “Guess the Birthstone” PowerPoint
10 minutes
Introductory Activity: Video: “What is a Mineral?”
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Show the video: “What is a Mineral?” by Monkey See
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After the video is over, discuss the content with the students.
10 Minutes
Discussion: Minerals
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Instruct the students to open to page 22 in their science journals.
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Project each page of the science journal onto the board either through a projector or PowerPoint presentation.
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The teacher copy has bolded red and highlighted words. The students will highlight those words in their science journal.
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Begin presenting the information. The pages that will be presented include: pages 22; 26-28.
15 Minutes
Activity: “Looking at Birthstones”
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Have the students break into pairs and go to page 27 in their journals.
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On that page is a website that the students will go to. Each group will go onto the website and read about the different birthstones.
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Once the students have completed reading the website, they will complete the crossword puzzle on page 28.
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Allow the students about 15 minutes to work before convening and discussing the activity.
10 Minutes
Activity: “Guess the Birthstone”
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Introduce the game “Guess the Birthstone”.
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Show the “Guess the Birthstone” PowerPoint to the class. Show the slide and read the “clues”; the students need to guess the name of the birthstone.
Closure/Assessment
10 minutes
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After the activities are over, the students should reconvene and the teacher should discuss the class. The teacher should review the vocabulary words with the students and also discuss any topics from the “What I Know About Minerals” worksheet.
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They should then fill in the “What I Learned About Minerals” worksheet.
Individualized Instruction/Scaffolding
English Language Learners will be supported in this lesson through data-based heterogeneous grouping, verbal and written repetition of new vocabulary words, and multiple representation of vocabulary words through printed images and video.
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