Geology Club Meeting #2
Minerals

These are the actual class notes Kathy used for her geology club meeting # 2.

Begin meeting by asking if students made Magic Tree and/or rock candy. Have them open journal to the observation pages so they can share their entries if they have them.
Collect journals and have “helpers” add new pages to back of journal “clipped section”. In front pocket insert the Monthly Calendar information and fossilicious.com coupon/advertisement.
Ask the students if they know what a mineral is…connect this to work done with crystals at the last geology club meeting. (mineral is a non-living object with a crystalline structure although this structure isn’t always identifiable)…ask them again what shape salt and sugar were when they viewed them at the last meeting
Give each student a piece of pyrite (this will eventually be theirs to keep). Ask them to look at it and see what shapes can be seen (cubes should be seen). Pyrite is a mineral due to this crystalline structure.
- Pass out the two worksheets titled “Identifying Minerals Using Their Common Properties” as well as the rock collection boxes. Tell students that these are theirs to keep but that they should be brought back to the next geology club meeting.
- Show them the pieces within the identification kit (already inside the collection box) and explain what each one is for. Have the students go through these tests with you for the pyrite sample. Write answers on board as you go and then match these to what is on the worksheet to verify that this really is pyrite. Have them then sit the pyrite sample in the empty box on the paper to the right of the description on the paper)… tell students that this process of identification is explained in their journal for them to share with their parents.
- Give the students the quartz point and do the same (students may keep).
- Give the students the kyanite and do the same (students may keep).
- Give the students the calcite and do the same (students may keep).
Have each student put their four samples (above) into their rock box. “Helper may wish to go around with a permanent marker and label each section in the box with a number for referencing the samples. Explain the purpose of the box and numbering system. Re-distribute the journals and show the students the pages that refer to the activity just completed.
Begin a discussion with students about common uses for minerals. Be sure to discuss the common uses for the minerals just given to them. Point out the Home Activity that may be completed for the next meeting and distribute the bags for this activity.
If time permits, give each student another sample from the mineral kits that belong to St. James. STUDENTS MAY NOT KEEP THESE SAMPLES. Have them test the mineral and determine which mineral it is on the worksheets in front of them.
Dismiss

Geology Club Parent/student helpers:

As kids eat snack, you can go around and insert new set of journal pages….or you can collect the journals later in the meeting (after kids have shared their entries from last meeting) and do it then.
After kids finish snack, remind them to clean up their space. Snack should be out of the way by 3:15 PM (meeting needs to start by 3:20 PM the latest)….some kids may need to use the restroom so we need to ask right away and get this taken care of quickly. We may need someone to go down to the bathroom with them just to keep them moving quickly through this process.
During the meeting we will need lots of help passing out materials as some of them are labeled with names.
During the mineral identification activity, students may need guidance with the different test processes. Kelly or I will try to show this to you just before the meeting starts but just in case we don’t have time, we will go through the identification of pyrite as a whole class activity so follow along with your daughter and her materials to quickly learn the process. It is pretty straight-forward.
When the geology club meeting ends, we will need some help getting girls/boys to their pick-up location but you can leave once we get them to this location and I will wait with the kids there.

Back to Start A Geology Club-Geology Activities

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