LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Science — Grade 4

Goal 2: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the composition and uses of rocks and minerals.

Objective 2.02. Recognize that minerals have a definite chemical composition and structure, resulting in specific physical properties including:

  • Hardness.
  • Streak color.
  • Luster.
  • Magnetism.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Rocks really rock! A lesson on the classification of rocks
This lesson will help students classify various rocks according to specified criteria. It will also help students classify a given rock using selected mineral identification tests. Students will use a graphic organizer to display their findings.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)
By Grace Smith.
Minerals and math
Students will develop ways to create self-devised rules for classifying minerals and relate this information to scientific ways of classifying minerals according to their characteristics. They will then compile this information into a chart and convert parts of the chart into a line or bar graph.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Mathematics and Science)
By Courtney Richards.

Resources on the web

Salt: Up close and personal
In this Science NetLinks lesson, students will predict, observe, and explain the details of salt as they view it under a variety of magnifications. They will observe salt with the naked eye, and then under a hand lens, microscope, and the electron microscope... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science