Geology Rocks - Module

 

Lesson Plan

Lesson Goals

Essential Questions

• What were some of the challenges that the sailors faced?'
• What was the importance of the Great Lakes on shipping in the 1840s-1900s?

Enduring Understandings

• The problems and solutions of sailing through history.
• The role of the Great Lakes in shipping goods, people, and materials.
• Geographical and geological details of the Great Lakes and identify them identify the lakes by name.

Objectives

• Explain how all the Great Lakes are connected and why that matters for shipping between the lakes and from the ocean.
  • Students should be able to recognize the physical challenges of sailing on the Great Lakes such as waterfalls, canals, etc.
• Identify 3 challenges the early sailors faced while transporting cargo of copper, people, and supplies. (Fog, blizzards, gales, collisions, sandbars, rocky shores, fire, smoke, and explosions on board)
• Name the 5 Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario) and several shipping ports.
• Explain why the Great Lakes are so important for shipping.

Lesson Planning

Instructional Time

•  30 minutes to 1 hour

*Individual activities can be completed in one sitting or across multiple days, at instructor's pace

Recommended Materials

• Computers
• Paper
• Glue sticks
• Scissors
• Colored pencils/markers/crayons
• Gym/outdoor space

*Note: Materials depend on chosen activities

Learning Standards/Assessment

Learning Standards

Michigan K-12 English Language Arts Standards

W 4.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
W 4.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Michigan K-12 Speaking and Listening Standards

SL 4.1 - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Michigan K-12 Language Standards

L 4.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L 4.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards

4 – H3.0.1 - Use primary and secondary sources to explain how migration and immigration affected and continue to affect the growth of Michigan.
4 – H3.0.1 - Use historical inquiry questions to investigate the development of Michigan’s major economic activities from statehood to present.

Michigan K-12 Geography Standards

4 – G4.0.3 - Describe some of the movements of resources, goods, people, and information to, from, or within the United States, and explain the reasons for the movements.

Assessments

Students will explain to partners why the Great Lakes are so important to shipping, the names of the Great Lakes, and dangers of sailing on the lakes.
 

 

Our landscapes and the rocks and minerals beneath our feet influence our culture and society.

NPS

Background

Copper is a vital resource that has been used by people for millenia. The Keweenaw National Historical Park celebrates the relationship of people to the land through the story of the copper mines and the Copper Country's residents.
This module explores geology of the Keweenaw National Historical Park and its relationship to the rock cycle.

• Learn about Keweenaw National Historical Park
• Find out more about the geology of the Keweenaw and how to read the landscape:
  • Keweenaw National Historical Park Geology - A geologic timeline of the Keweenaw peninsula's formation.
  • Keweenaw Mining History - Learn how copper resources have been used for millenia
  • MTU's Keweenaw Geoheritage Website - Go in depth with geoheritage: This website features detailed information on geology of the Keweenaw.
  • National Park Service Geology Website - Learn the story of our nation through its geology.

Geoheritage

Geologic heritage or "Geoheritage" is a term to describe a site or area of geologic importance. The Geological Society of America classifies geoheritage sites in three ways.

• Scientifically: A site with geologic features, distinct minerals or rock types and unique fossils
• Culturally: Sites where geology has played a role in historical events
• Aesthetically: Landscapes of visual significance and inspire a sense of wonder

The Keweenaw Peninsula features each of these geoheritage examples. Exploring the park can help students connect to the science of geology, the study of history and the value of natural environments.

The geologic history of the Keweenaw Peninsula teaches us how the Earth has changed since its formation.

 

This example of the rock cycle is just one tool for visualization. Describe in detail the different parts of the rock cycle and encourage students to design their own!

NPS

The Rock Cycle

In this lesson the rock cycle will be the foundation for understanding the geology of the Keweenaw.
The rock cycle shows us how heat, pressure and erosion can alter rocks and even change the chemical elements within the minerals. There are three main types of rocks, but many combinations of materials that make rocks unique wherever you go.

1. Volcanic or igneous rocks like basalt are the result of cooled lava. These rocks are found in the Portage Lake Volcanics – massive lava flows that form the spine of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
2. Sedimentary rocks like sandstone form through processes of erosion and pressure. Jacobsville Sandstone is an important sedimentary rock that was a very important building material in the Keweenaw. You can find sandstone along the Keweenaw fault line.
3. Metamorphic rocks like marble and slate form when igneous or sedimentary rocks are heated deep in Earth's crust. Many of the igneous and sedimentary rocks of the Keweenaw have metamorphic varieties.

All of these rock types exist in the Keweenaw Peninsula, making it an excellent place to explore geology. The geologic history of the Keweenaw Peninsula teaches us how the Earth has changed since its formation. Understanding how the rocks of the Keweenaw have shaped the landscape can help us better understand why people have lived here for thousands of years.

 

Activities

Introduction Video (Activity #1- Introduction Video)

Activity Objective: Gain an understanding of what geoheritage is, why it's important, and understand the rock cycle.

First, have the class watch the introductory video. This will introduce the themes of geoheritage and the rock cycle.
After the video, have a discussion with the students or have them break into groups to discuss geoheritage, geology and the rock cycle.
Questions to pose to the class:

1. What are the three types of rocks?
2. How are the three types of rocks different?
3. What kinds of changes happen to rocks?
4. What do we use rocks for?

 

Fill in the Blank Rock Cycle (Activity #2-Rock Cycle)

Activity Objective: Learn the rock cycle and the way different types of rocks are formed.

1. Have students work individually or in pairs.

2. Students can use scissors and glue or pencils to fill in the word boxes on the sheet. All the words will be used once.

 

Geologic Comic (Activity #3-The Geologic Comic)

Activity Objectives: Learn about how rocks and rock formations formed by using art to illustrate the events that happened billions of years ago.

1. Pass out comic templates to students,
2. Instruct students to draw and color a picture, or words, in each box that correspond to the following:

• Volcanos
• Weathering
• Glaciers
• Glaciers Melt
• Present Day

Questions for students:

• How long do you think it took for all the steps in the comic to happen?
• What forces of the rock cycle are taking place in the panels?
• Where would we find the three main rock types forming?

 

Do the Rock Cycle!

Activity Objective: Strengthen students understanding of rock cycle stages through movement.

In this activity students will be tasked with designing a dance move(s) based on the process of the rock cycle.
Find an instrumental song that will make your students want to move!
Divide students into groups (dance crews) and assign them a rock type or force from the rock cycle. Have each group demonstrate their move(s) to the rest of the class. (Alternatively design the dance moves yourself and teach them to your students). Put all of the dance moves together in the sequence of the rock cycle.

 

Rock Cycle Freeze and Melt Tag

Activity Objective: Learn about the rock cycle interactively through movement.

1. The game starts with lava moving around freely. The "cooling" students try to tag the "lava" students and turn them into rock. When a "lava" student is tagged by a "cooling" student they freeze.
2. The "heating" student runs around and tags the frozen students who are rocks and turns them back into lava.
3. Allow the game to proceed, if time allows switch the "cooling" and "heating" taggers.
4. After the game is over, have students turn and talk with a partner about the following, or similar questions:
5. Depending on the size of the group select a few students to be "cooling" and one student to be "heating." Hand out printed identifiers to the tagging students. Everyone else is "magma/lava."
   • What happens when a rock heats up really hot? (Melts and becomes magma.)
   • Why did people have to freeze when they were tagged by "cooling" students? Think about the rock cycle. (When magma/lava cools it turns into a rock.)

 

Extension Activity

Depth of Time Activity

Activity Objectives: Students gain understanding of geologic time through scale representations.

The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. This is a very long time and hard to visualize. Get the class moving and thinking like a geologist with this self made scale model of the Earth's timeline.

1. Have the class stand up and stretch out their arms horizontally. Their wingspan represents the whole length of time since Earth was formed: 4.5 billion years.
2. The distance from fingertip to elbow is 1 billion years.
3. One million years ago to now is represented by just the white part at the very tip of the fingernail.
4. A tiny speck of dust on the tip of the fingernail is the last 1,000 years.
5. Humans have been around for around 4 million years, which is not even half of the length of a fingernail.
6. Rocks have been around for the length of your wingspan!

 

Additional Student Learning Opportunities

Field Trip – Visit A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum of Michigan Tech
Learn more at: A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum