Rock types The rock cycle Identifying rocks Rock Samples Scavenger hunts Experiments Quizzes and games Units of work

Different Types Characteristics and of Rocks

Science Trek - Rock Groups. Click on to the link on the Pandora web site. Find out about the three rock groups. By clicking the link at the bottom of the page you can also 'meet a geologist'. The link 'dating a rock' is an interactive that demonstrates how scientists use radioactivity to date rocks. The 'minerals down under' link takes you to a website that provides links to information about gold, copper, silver, mineral sands and iron.
http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/67721/20070206-0000/www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/scitrek/

Rocks. Find out what rocks are made of, where they came from and what the three different types of rocks are.
http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/docs/parks/rxmin/rock.html

Rocks. Find out what rocks are made of, where they come from and what the three different kinds of rocks there are.
http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/rxmin/rock.html

Rock types. An interactive guide
http://www.open2.net/sciencetechnologynature/worldaroundus/geologytooklit/

Mind-Boggling Learning Activities. Learn about the different kinds of rocks and try the activities afterwards.
http://www.rogersgroupinc.com/ourcommunities/rockology/types.htm

Rocks and minerals. Click on to the various buttons to find out everything that you might want to know about rocks and minerals. The information is easy to read! Start with General Information. You might want to do the Quiz when you have finished reading to see how much you have learnt!
http://alex.edfac.usyd.edu.au/BLP/websites/Hibba/

Types of rocks: Rocks are not all the same. (Part 1 of a Learning Object) Find out about rock types and see examples.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types.html

Start your rock collection. (Part 2 of a Learning Object) Click on a rock in the landscape, learn about it and add it to your collection
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types2.html

Identify rock types. (Part 3 of a Learning Object) See if you can recognize rock characteristics and types. You have 6 minutes to complete this activity.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types3.html

The Stupid Page of Rocks - Find out about the three kinds of rocks with the help of pictures.
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1080/

Rocks and soils - Provides a link to the characteristics of rocks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/revision_bites/rocks_soils.shtml

The rock cycle. Rocky's journey around the rock cycle and test yourself afterwards!
http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/rocks/cycle/index.htm

WickED Science Stuff: The Rock Cycle. Play this game to learn about the three types of rock that make up Earth's rock cycle.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/wick_ed/science/rock.php

Fast FAQS About Rocks and Fossils. Watch three animations to learn how rocks were formed.
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/faq1.html

The rock cycle. An animation including photos and descriptions
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module05swf.swf

The Rock Cycle. Find out about the rock cycle and the three kinds of rocks.
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/rkcycle/rkcycleindex.html

The Rock Cycle. Learn about the rock cycle with the help of a diagram.
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rock.html

The rock cycle. Scroll down and click on the 'Enter the rock cycle' button
http://www.open2.net/geologytoolkit/rockcycle_embedded.html

How rocks and minerals are formed. More to explore
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/howrocks.html

The rock cycle. A drag and drop activity
http://www.kscience.co.uk/animations/rock_cycle.htm

Discover How Rocks Are Formed! View animations that will show you how the three different kinds of rocks are formed. To see examples of each type of rock, follow the links at the bottom of each page.
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/create/index.html

Rock Expert Activity. View these rocks and read how they were made. After looking at these pages, take the quiz to test if you're rock smart by seeing if you can remember which rocks are sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous!
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/expert/index.html

The rock cycle - Covers different types of rock, how they are made and how they can be worn away
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science/chemistry/rock_cycle_intro.shtml

What type of rock do I have?
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/k12/rkcycle/typeofrock.html

Rocks E-sheet. Take a look at the rock slide show and see how many rocks you can identify.
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/ebook/rocks2/rock_index.html

Compare and describe rocks - Look at three different rocks, compare and describe them and find out some interesting facts about each one.
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/online_field_journal/cp/cprk/cprkmain.html

Field Journals - Use the rock field journal and go on a rock hunt!
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/online_field_journal/fj/fjrk/fjrkmain.html

What rock is that? To find out, try this online rock analyser
http://www.open2.net/sciencetechnologynature/worldaroundus/geologytoolkit/whatrock

What Type of Rock do I Have? Learn how to tell the three different kinds of rocks apart.
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/rkcycle/typeofrock.html

Fast FAQS About Rocks and Fossils. Learn about Moh's hardness scale and click on to each of the rocks to learn more about them..
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/faq3.html

Earth's Rocks and Soil. Learn about how to tell different kinds of rocks apart
http://www.mhschool.com/science/2000/student/5/review/

Mineral Properties. You can find out more about minerals by clicking buttons and reading the answers.
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/properties/minpropindex.html

All About Crystals. Find out about crystal symmetry, crystal form and more on this webpage
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/crystals/crystal.html

Identification of minerals. More to explore
http://www.rocksforkids.com/RFK/identification.html

The Albert Chapman Mineral Collection. See highlights of the collection and search the database.
http://www.amonline.net.au/chapman/index.htm

The Rocks and Minerals Slide Show. See pictures of minerals and igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html

The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom - See pictures of every mineral or gemstone you ever wanted to know about.
http://www.minerals.net/

Gallery of Mineral Photographs. View four pages of beautiful mineral photographs. Click on individual specimens to enlarge them.
http://www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com/jhbnyc/bestgall.htm

Rocks and Minerals Scavenger Hunt. This page needs to be printed
http://www.whps.org/school/websterhill/library/scavenger%20hunts/

Student Tasks. Explore the websites to answer the questions in each section
http://www.tlt.ab.ca/projects/Div1/Grade3/rocks/task.html

BBC - Schools Science Clips - Rocks and soils. An interactive activity in which students can test a variety of rocks in terms of their properties
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/rocks_soils.shtml

The rock cycle: Experiments. Check out the diagram of the rock cycle. Click on each number to open up a new experiment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/rockcycle.shtml

Quizzes and Games 

Science - Materials Rocks and Soils
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/tests/rocks_soils.shtml

Dig into Geology Matching Game. Try this matching game to test your knowledge about rocks.
http://www.quia.com/mc/86.html

Metamorphism! Use your mouse to twist and turn the picture of the rock.
http://www.uky.edu/ArtsSciences/Geology/webdogs/javagems/metamorph/

Dig into Geology Concentration Game. Try this concentration game to see if you can uncover matching pairs of cards.
http://www.quia.com/cc/86.html

Rock Expert Quiz. Try this quiz to see how much you know about rocks.
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/quiz/index.html

Mine Games: Sedimentary , My Dear Watson. Test your skills and see how many answers you get right.
http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/games/true-false/index.html

Mine Games: Knowledge Nuggets. See if you can pick the right answer.
http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/games/trivia/index.html

Dig into Geology Word Search Activity. See if you can find all the "rock" words.
http://www.quia.com/ws/86.html

Mine Games: Mining for Minerals.  A challenging word search activity. Words can be found horizontally, vertically, diagonally, frontwards or backwards
http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/minerals/games/search/index.html

Minerals in your House. Click on the buttons to check.
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/uses/uses.html

Rocks and soils. A complete unit of work that includes a pre-test and online lessons that utilise Learning Objects as a means of facilitating the understanding of content.
http://celebrate.digitalbrain.com/celebrate/web/demo_objects/

Rocks. Includes interactive activities to introduces students to rocks as an everyday material. It covers the formation of metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks, the properties of these rocks, key vocabulary and the use of stone as a building material. Teachers' notes, background information and worksheets accompany this resource.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/rocks/eng/Introduction/Default.htm

Rocks and soils - Online lesson plan. Check out animated activity, worksheet and quiz.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/teachersresources/ages7_8/

Scientific Literacy - Rocks & Minerals. A great lesson idea for teaching students 'procedures' the text type used when making things or carrying out activities. Procedures are especially useful in a scientific context as they are the text type employed when carrying out and writing up experiments.
http://www.amonline.net.au/teachers_resources/literacy/rocks_minerals.htm

Teaching suggestions - Rocks & minerals. In this activity students make crystal columns using commonly available household equipment
http://www.amonline.net.au/teachers_resources/teaching/rocks_minerals.htm

Exploring Rocks and Minerals with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. A printable word document.
http://www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/

Rock lessons. K-6 activities
http://www.nswmin.com.au/education/staffroom/lessons_and_units_of_work/primary_lessons2/

© 2004-2008 Jackie Miers Teacher Librarian South Australia Page Last Updated - September 2008