Sixth Graders Study Rocks and Minerals

One of the goals for sixth grade science is to learn about the systems of the earth and the processes the earth goes through when it changes.  The students started the year by studying the characteristics of minerals and rocks and then using the characteristics to identify them.  

One of the characteristics that students tested for was whether the rock would react with carbon dioxide bubbles when an acid was poured over it. Students in the picture are shown experimenting with a rock sample from the Eureka Lake.  The carbon dioxide bubbles were used as evidence that the rock contained the mineral calcite.

Along with practicing typing skills in technology class, students are becoming more familiar with Microsoft Office.   Students created a flyer describing a book they read over the summer, in Microsoft Word.  They created an observation chart and pie graph using Microsoft Excel to show the fractions and percentages of different minerals found in granite. Using a template from Microsoft Word, students created brochures that featured some of the most interesting minerals they have read about.