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EARTH MATERIALS |
GOALS
The Earth Materials Module consists of four
sequential investigations dealing with observable characteristics
of solid materials from the earth—rocks and minerals.
The focus is on taking materials apart to find what they are
made of and putting materials together to better understand
their properties. The module introduces fundamental concepts
in earth science and takes advantage of the students' intrinsic
interest in the subject matter and in the physical world around
them.
FOSS EXPECTS STUDENTS TO
- Develop an interest in earth materials.
- Gain experiences with rocks and minerals.
- Understand the process of taking apart and putting together
to find out about materials.
- Use measuring tools to gather data about rocks.
- Collect and organize data about rocks.
- Observe, describe, and record properties of minerals.
- Organize minerals on the basis of the property of hardness.
- Investigate the effect of vinegar (acid) on a specific
mineral, calcite.
- Use evaporation to investigate rock composition.
- Learn that rocks are composed of minerals and that minerals
cannot be physically separated into other materials.
- Compare their activities to the work of a geologist.
- Acquire vocabulary used in earth science.
- Exercise language and math skills in the context of science.
- Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations
and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing,
and organizing.
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