Embark on an epic adventure to save the Mineral Kingdom from the Lava Monster! Armed with a mineral identification kit and an Explorer Guide, students travel to eight mineral family realms, uncovering clues and learning the secrets of the kingdom. This hands-on activity combines geology with storytelling, engaging students in identifying minerals and mastering their properties. The journey concludes with a comprehensive review guide to reinforce learning. Includes student and teacher editions for every part of the activity, making it perfect for middle school classrooms.
Accompanying Materials:
Scott Resource 2253 - Classification of Minerals - 50 Specimens
Mineral Test Kit: The Ultimate Tool for Mineral and Fossil Identification
Storyline: Mineral Kingdom (Teacher & Student Edition)
ZIP file containing 7 PDF files
(1 Teacher Setup, 1 Teacher Edition, 1 Student Edition, 1 Explorer Guide, 1 Review Teacher Edition, 1 Review Student Edition, 1 Science Outside Terms and Conditions)
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
MS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.
MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
HS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to illustrate how Earth's internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
HS-PS1-2: Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.Key Crosscutting Concepts:
● Patterns: Recognizing patterns in geological data (e.g., distribution of rock types, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) helps us understand the processes of the rock cycle and plate tectonics.
● Cause and Effect: Understanding how the movement of tectonic plates causes the formation of geological features and drives the rock cycle.
● Energy and Matter: Energy from Earth’s internal processes drives the movement of tectonic plates and the cycling of materials through the rock cycle.