What Mineral Is this?

Transcription

1 What Mineral Is this? and What Do We Do with It? Tuesday, June 19, :30-11:45 AM (1 hr, 15 min) MAGGIE UPTON ECONOMIC AND EXPLORATION GEOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, DULUTH

2 Grade Level: Elementary This lesson plan encourages students to investigate mineral identification and use by introducing what a geologist does, and how they use different tools to complete their jobs successfully. How minerals are used in the student s everyday life is learned through discussion and a matching activity. Mineral identification by understanding their properties is explored through observation and worksheet completion. Students will work with peers to discover different minerals. This lesson plan can be easily adjusted to different elementary age groups by including different age appropriate activities at various levels of difficulty. Teaching participants will receive the lesson plan outline, worksheet, mineral matching cards, suggested materials list, and references for further reading.

3 Workshop Outline 10:30 10:45 (15 min): What is a mineral, and a rock? Mineral Properties 3 Rock Types 10:45 11:00 (15 min): Mineral and item matching 11:00 11:20 (20 min): Mineral ID properties 11:20 11:45 (25 min): Teaching Exercises What is a Geologist? Mineral Use Matching Mineral ID and Matching Mineral ID Flow Chart

4 MINERALS and ROCKS MINERAL PROPERTIES ROCK TYPES

5 What is a mineral?! 5 essential criteria: 1. Naturally occurring 2. Inorganic 3. Solid 4. Defined chemical composition 5. Ordered internal structure! NOT minerals:! Chalk, coal, oil, natural gas Jim the geode is having a great day! Brass (Cu-Zn), bronze (Cu-Sn), steel (Fe-C)

6 What is a rock?! Rocks are composed of minerals! Kids explanation: minerals are the puzzle pieces that create the whole puzzle, which is the rock.! Natural substance! Aggregate of minerals! Made of more than 1 mineral! Solid material

7 3 Rock Types: IGNEOUS Heat Extrusive Cools on surface Cools fast Small crystals Intrusive Cools underground Cools slower Larger crystals METAMORPHIC Heat + Pressure Water Low to high grade Tectonic Events Applies to Other meta. Igneous Sedimentary SEDIMENTARY Results from erosion, transportation of: Igneous Metamorphic Sedimentary Weathering: rock is dissolved/broken apart Erosion: the transportation of rock material

8 MINERAL and ITEM MATCHING MINERAL USES CHEMICAL FORMULAS

9 MINERAL USES Galena PbS Feldspar KAlSi 3 O 8 Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 Batteries Alloys Tile/Ceramics Glassmaking Copper Wire

10 MINERAL USES Talc Mg 3 Si 4 O 10 (OH) 2 Bauxite (not a mineral) Various; Al(OH) 3 Gypsum CaSO 4 2H 2 O Baby Powder Makeup Aluminum Foil Cans/Utensils Drywall Cement Hardener

11 MINERAL USES Magnetite Fe 3 O 4 Sphalerite ZnS Fluorite CaF 2 Steel Alloy Alloy/Galvanizing Batteries Toothpaste Flux

12 MINERAL USES Halite NaCl Quartz SiO 2 Muscovite KAl 2 (AlSi 3 O 10 )(F,OH) 2 Salt Food Cure Glass Fracking Proppant Makeup Paint

13 MINERAL IDENTIFICATION COLOR LUSTER HARDNESS STREAK HABIT CLEAVAGE FRACTURE ODOR

14 MINERAL ID HARDNESS: Mohs scale 1 talc 2 gypsum 2 ½ fingernail 3 calcite, penny 4 fluorite 5 apatite 5+ steel nail 5 ½ glass plate 6 orthoclase/feldspar 6 ½ masonry drill bit 7 quartz 8 topaz 9 corundum 10 diamond

15 MINERAL ID LUSTER! Metallic! Non-metallic! Dull/Earthy! Vitreous (like glass)! Adamantine (like a gem)! Resinous/waxy STREAK! Streak corner of mineral across a ceramic (non polished) plate and observe color of streak/debris left

16 MINERAL ID HABIT! Prismatic! Bladed/acicular! Dendritic! Druzy! Botryoidal! Micaceous CLEAVAGE! The way a mineral breaks along predetermined planes of weakness in its crystal structure (ex:)! Sheets! cubes! Radiating

17 MINERAL ID FRACTURE! The texture and shape of the surface of a mineral after it is broken! Conchoidal SPECIFIC GRAVITY! Relative heft/weight versus size of sample! Compare with other minerals of equal, lesser, greater size! Cubic

18 MINERAL ID COLOR! Least reliable ID property! Minerals can have various colors (ex: quartz)! Use in coordination with all other methods of ID Example: Quartz! Purple: amethyst! Orange: citrine! Grey: smoky! Banded: agate! Pink: rose

19 MINERAL ID OTHER PROPERTIES! Magnetism! Feel! UV reactive (F, W )! Optical properties (calcite)! Acid ( dil. HCl) Reaction SMELL / TASTE! Odor! Rotten eggs! Salty! Taste! Salty! Dull/earthy

20 TEACHING EXERCISES GEOLOGIST JOBS MINERAL USES MINERAL MATCHING MINERAL ID

21 Job Description: Geologist Discuss with your class what a geologist is does, and possible different jobs in the field of geology (some ex.):! Volcanology! Economic Geology! Glaciology! Hydrogeology! Field Geologist Discuss what tools a geologists needs to do their job:! Geophysicist Backpack! Geochemist Hand lens! Geologic Engineer map! Colored Pencils! Field Notebook

22 Mineral Use Exercises! Have students observe and match the mineral samples with the every day items! Read item labels and match with labeled mineral chemical formulas! Beginner-level presentation and research skills (HW/Project)! have each student research and present about a mineral and its uses:! Uses, where found, what minerals the element/metal comes from, show and tell style, economic value of the mineral/metal

23 Mineral ID and Matching Activity This is a personal observation to collaboration/teamwork exercise:! After discussing mineral properties and how they are used to ID minerals:! 2 students get the same minerals! Separately, all students describe their own mineral on the worksheet using their own observations (would be helpful to provide terminology sheets as reminders)! Then students collaborate with each other to see whose minerals match! As a team, they go to the mineral ID cards and compare their observations with the mineral ID card descriptions and take the card to you to confirm that it is correct

24 Mineral Identification For a more advanced lab activity:! Have students use a mineral ID flow chart to identify numbered mineral samples (not labeled with name)! Tests detailed observational skills! Tests ability to read and understand charts! Tests mineral properties understanding

25 Educational Websites/Sources! American Geoscience s Institue (AGI) - Free (+shipping) Teachers Earth Science Kits! GSA: Geological Society of America! home.aspx?hkey=9f95ce8d-06a3-4ffe-9e78-93d2d6076ea0! Carlton NAGT Teach the Earth collaborative site! Minnesota Geology Survey! Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) in Duluth!

26 QUESTIONS? Special Thanks to Latisha Brengman Professor: Earth History, Geobiology, Geochemistry University of Minnesota, Duluth For Helping me create this lesson plan for UMD s Swenson College of Science and Engineering, which is now used in local elementary schools