What does each state have to offer?

Each state across the US has something different to offer.  Check out the following link.  Select 5 different states and tell me what they have to offer when it comes to mining.


US mining map

The Rock Cycle

What happens within the rock cycle.  Complete the following link to see if you know what goes on.


The Rock Cycle


How successful were you?  Give me a brief summary of what occurs within the rock cycle.

Rock Types, How are they formed?

We will be looking at the 3 different types of rocks and how they are formed.  Check out the following link and watch 3 short video clips on what must happen to create each different type of rock.  Report what you find out.


Rock Formation

Mineral List

Minerals

How do you use minerals?

What minerals do you use everyday?  What minerals are all around you that you didn't realize?  Go to the link below.  Chose one of the links: building a house, in the kitchen, around the home, etc.  List all of the materials which contain minerals.  What minerals are found in each of them.


Minerals around your house

Plate Tectonics and the Future

Click on the link below and look to the right to see pictures of the super continent Amasia.  This futuristic picture is what some Geologists believe that the Earth will look in the future.  The name Amasia is a combination of America and Asia.


Amasia

Now click on the next link to listen to what is believed will happen to the other continents and when will it happen.  Plate Tectonics is changing the Earth's surface.  What do you think will happen in the future? What do you think about the changes with India and Australia? Listen to the article.  Watch the video os the rise of and split of Pangea.  Join in the conversation.


New Supercontinent

Uses of Rocks and Minerals

Maybe you don't think about it but we use rocks and minerals everyday.  How do you use them.  Click on the link below to see just a few uses of rocks and mineral.


Uses of rocks and minerals

Now try to add at least three different ways that you use rocks and minerals in your daily life.  Lets see how long our list can get.

Moh's Scale

Hardness is one property used to identify minerals.  click on the link below to see the complete scale from 1 - 10. 


Hardness

How are minerals used?

Minerals are found in things you use everyday.  SOme things you may already know, but some of the mierals you use may suprise you.  Check out the following link:
Mineral Activity

Complete the following activities, Minerals are Everywhere and Mineral Mix-n-Match.
Make sure to select the 'play again with a new set of objects' choice at least 3 times for each activity.
Once you completed these activities post the names of some of the minerals you have learned as well as the uses for these minerals.

Identifying Minerals

Click on the link below and tell me what these words mean:  What are these terms use for?  What does a mineralogist do?
color
luster
streak
cleavage
specific gravity


How are minerals identified?

What Is An Element?

Click on the following link and use it to define the following terms:

element
dirt
crystals
crust


What is a Mineral?

Creating Earth Images

The first images of Earth from space came from Apollo 8 "Earth Rising"  If you have ever seen and iPhone then you have seen another famous image of Earth from space.  How do we get all the images of Earth?  What can they tell us?  How can they help us?  Do you think that we should continue our satellite study from space?  click on the link be low to watch the video and listen to what is said about collecting information from space.  Answer the questions and tell me what you think.


Creating Earth