Rocks Trail Teachers’ Guidance Notes
Rocks Trail: Teachers’ Guidance Notes Essential Information about the Rocks Trail What you need to know and do before your visit
Lesson Plan Brief overview of the day’s activities
Rocks Trail: Location Activity Guide Observations, activities and learning objectives for the Trail
Rocks Trail: Location Map Trail Stops, underground tour and coach park locations
Glossary Definitions of terms used on the Trail
Stop by Stop Guide Copies of all of the activities cards found at each Trail Stop
Rocks Trail Worksheet Double-sided worksheet for you to photocopy for your class
National Coal Mining Museum for England Trust Ltd. Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, WF4 4RH Tel: 01924 848806 Fax: 01924 840694 www.ncm.org.uk Registered in England and Wales as a limited company by guarantee no. 1702426 VAT no. 457 5483 14 Reg. Charity 517325 Reg. Office Caphouse Colliery
Essential information about the Rocks Trail Before your visit, please:
Read the Risk Assessment advice in the Education Pack and add your own comments after your preliminary visit. Photocopy all the necessary information for the supervising adults that you bring with you, and worksheets for your students. Bring clipboards and pencils for your students.
How the trail works:
The rocks trail is a self-directed trail. When you arrive on site, seven boxes will have been set out at various locations (see Rocks Trail Locations sheet). You should guide the students to each box, and encourage them to look at the activities card and the rocks in the box. The students have a worksheet to fill in (enclosed), which should have been photocopied by you before visiting. Questions for students are marked by a light-bulb symbol on the cards. They will often involve asking the students to make observations at and around the Trail Stop. Sometimes, students will need to make inferences based on what they see and what they know.
Aim: Children should recognise that rocks are found underneath the surface of the earth, and that there are different sorts of rock with different properties. Teaching Objective Children will be encouraged to observe the occurrence of rocks in the natural and built environment through an underground tour and buildings trail. Children will be introduced to the properties of rocks and how these relate to their uses. Children will begin to test rocks for properties. Children will begin to use appropriate vocabulary.
Learning Objectives To know that rocks are found underground. To be able to identify the manner in which rocks are used in buildings. To be able to give reasons for suitability or unsuitability of different rocks as building materials. To be able to conduct basic fair tests into the properties of the rocks. To know the meaning of the following words: slate; marble; clay; granite; sand; rock; pebble; texture; permeable; impermeable
National Curriculum Links: KS1, Sc3, 1a, b and d; KS2, Sc1 2c – m; KS2, Sc3, 1a and 1d;
QCA Links: Science Unit 3d, rocks and soils; Plus some links to Science 1c, 2d
Lesson plan Subject Key Stage Aim Location
QCA Unit 3d, Rocks and Soils Key Stage 2 To develop an understanding that rocks occur naturally beneath the surface of the earth, and can be used in different ways by people. Caphouse Colliery at the National Coal Mining Museum for England: 1. Underground & 2. On the surface.
Activity
Objective
Underground Tour
Rocks Trail
To know that rocks are found underground.
To be able to identify the way that different rocks are used in the built environment.
Teacher Activity A miner will lead this session, but at least two adults from the school to supervise each group of 17 children underground. Emphasise the existence of rock under the ground whilst the Mining Guide explains the history of coal mining. Adult supervisors to help children find trail stops and complete activities. Help children work in pairs or small groups. Supervise the handling of rocks and resources at trail stops. Aid children’s observation of rocks in the environment through interpretation of photographs at each stop.
*
Pupil Activity
Observe rocks underground.
Resources
Cap lamps and batteries Sturdy shoes, warm clothes*
Find trail boxes. Observe and identify the use of rocks in buildings using trail-stop resources (photographs and questions). Handle and observe rocks. Answer questions to complete worksheets.
No contraband items (includes electrical items, batteries, tobacco, cigarette lighters etc.) to be taken underground.
Maps and other plans Plastic containers at trail stops containing rocks and laminated photographs Worksheets
Rocks Trail: Location Activity Guide Stop
1
Location
Conveyor Gantry Support
Type of Rock Concrete, breezeblock, brick
Observe with your group… The red brick, the breezeblocks and the concrete, which are not rocks or stones, but modern and man-made The close-up texture of concrete That not all the buildings are made from man-made materials
2
Control Room
Slate, sandstone
That the roof is made from a natural material (slate)
Help your group to… (worksheet activities) Draw the close-up of concrete. Use appropriate words to describe the differences between bricks and breezeblocks.
Use appropriate words to describe the slate sample.
3
4
Stables
Lancashire Boilers
Be able to recognise that modern building materials are often man-made (concrete, breezeblocks and bricks). Know the meaning of the words CONCRETE, BRICK and MAN-MADE. Be able to recognise that some building materials are natural (sandstone, slate).
Draw the shape of the roof tiles.
Know the meaning of the words SANDSTONE, BRICK, PEBBLE, SLATE and NATURAL.
The shape of the granite cobbles
Draw the granite cobbles.
How hard the granite cobbles are compared to the sandstone walls
Decide why granite is used in this way.
Be able to recognise that sandstone is natural whilst breezeblocks and bricks are man-made. To know that bricks and breezeblocks are usually used in modern buildings.
The differences between roofing materials
Granite, sandstone
Learning Objectives
The erosion of the sandstone wall
Use appropriate words to describe the sandstone sample.
Sandstone Sandstone and its properties
Consider why the steps are worn.
Know the meaning of the words COBBLE and GRANITE. Know that rock can wear away. To know that wear can happen because of the way the rock is used and because of the weather. Be able to recognise the occurrence of hardwearing rock in the built environment, and to be able to recognise where rock used in buildings has worn away. Use the word WEATHERING.
You may photocopy these pages to give to all your group leaders.
The colour and texture and shape of the sandstone blocks and walls
5
Winding Engine House
Sandstone, limestone
Compare the steps to the Winding Engine House with the older steps to the boilers - which are the most worn? Look at the shape of sandstone brick compared to red brick. The similarities and differences between the two sedimentary rock samples, sandstone and chalk The hard granite cobbles are used in the newer parts of the Museum, because it is very hard wearing.
6
Cobbles outside Learning Curve
Granite
7
Locomotive tracks
Sandstone, limestone
The similarities and differences between the igneous granite samples and the sedimentary sandstone The sandstone and limestone in the gravel on the locomotive tracks There is so much sandstone used onsite because it is easy to find in Wakefield – granite has to be transported from another location.
Be able to recall that natural rock produces building material of an irregular shape. Draw the shape of the sandstone bricks. Understand why sandstone is used in so many buildings locally.
Know that brick and breeze-blocks are usually more modern than sandstone. Know that rock used in buildings is often that found locally. Sandstone is easy to find in Wakefield, and granite has to be transported from another location.
Draw the cobbles. Think about the differences between the cobbles here and at the stables, consider the different uses.
Use appropriate words to describe the sandstone and the limestone.
Know that granite is hard and often used for paving. It wears, but over a very long time.
Know that sandstone is found locally (underground) at the colliery.
You may photocopy these pages to give to all your group leaders.
Rocks Trail: Key: Rocks Trail Stop Location Coach Park Main Entrance Entrance to Underground Tour Please refer to the main map supplied with the Education Pack for further details relating to the other buildings and areas on site.
Location Map
Glossary This glossary is intended to clarify some of the key words used in this booklet and on the trail. Underlined words can be found elsewhere in the glossary. Brick A man-made building material usually made by forming clay into regular rectangular blocks and baking.
Clay A fine-grained material which can be moulded when wet and which hardens when dry. In geological terminology ‘clay’ is a sedimentary material with grains of a diameter of 0.002 millimetres or less.
Cobble A small hard paving stone with a curved top. In geological terminology a ‘cobble’ is a rounded rock fragment with a diameter between 64 and 256 millimetres.
Erosion A term used to describe the natural wearing away and transportation of material on the earth’s surface. Weathering is a part of this process.
Granite An igneous rock containing a minimum of 80% quartz, which forms naturally from magma beneath the earth’s surface.
Impermeable Used to describe rocks which do not allow water to penetrate their surface or be absorbed into them.
Man-Made Used to describe anything made by people at any point in history. Marble A metamorphic rock formed naturally underground at high temperatures from limestone. Natural Used to describe anything which is made or happens without any influence from people. Pebble A naturally occurring small, rounded, smooth stone. In geological terminology a ‘pebble’ is a rounded rock fragment with a diameter between 4 and 64 millimetres.
Permeable Used to describe rocks which do allow water to penetrate through their surface and travel through them.
Rock A hard, naturally occurring material made up of minerals. Rocks can be sedimentary
(formed from deposits of eroded rock/plant matter); igneous (formed from molten rock which hardens underground or on the surface as lava); or metamorphic (formed deep underground from rock that has been heated to high temperatures).
Sand Small loose grains of rock. In geological terminology ‘sand’ is a sedimentary material with a particle size between 0.06and 2 millimetres.
Sandstone A sedimentary rock made up of particles of sand. Slate A fine-grained metamorphic rock that can easily be split into layers. Stone Rock, or a small piece of rock. Texture The physical appearance or character of a rock, includes grain size and shape. Weathering The physical, chemical and biological processes which break down rocks at their surface, and contribute to erosion.
You may photocopy this page to give to all your group leaders.
Trail Stop 1 The Conveyor Take a look around you. From this point you should be able to see several different buildings and structures. What materials have been used in the buildings around you? How many different materials can you find?
Conveyor Gantry Support
Concrete is another man made building material. Concrete supports the conveyor gantry.
Notice the red brick of the Control Room and Lamp Room. This red brick is a modern, man made building material.
Control Room
Concrete is modern and made from a mixture of sand, cement, and limestone (or similar) pebbles. Look closely: the pebbles can be seen in the texture of the concrete.
Coal Screening Plant
Breezeblocks are another modern building material. Breezeblocks have been used to build the Coal Screening Plant. How are the breezeblocks and the bricks different? Think about colour, texture, shape and size.
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Trail Stop 2 The Control Room Not all building materials are man-made though. If you look across the yard to the Winding Engine House, you can see that it is made from stone. Stone is a natural building material. The walls are made from sandstone. There is a sample in the box.
Winding Engine House
Notice the colour and texture of the sandstone. Notice the shape of the sandstone blocks. Control Room
Winding Engine House Look at the roof of the Control Room. The tiles are made from a natural stone called slate. How is this different to the brick or sandstone? Think about colour, texture, shape and size. Look at the roofs on the other buildings. What is the same, what is different?
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Trail Stop 3 The Stables Notice the cobbles on the ground in the stables. The speckled cobbles are made from granite. Why do you think the cobbles look worn away here? Look at the building materials used in the Stables. How many can you see? What does this tell you about how the Stable Block was built? Brick wall of Boiler House
Compare the shapes of the building stones with the shapes of the bricks and breezeblocks. Which are regular shapes and which are irregular shapes? Sandstone in Stables
Breezeblock s
Brick and breezeblocks are very regular shapes. Sandstone blocks are very irregular. Sandstone is natural and has been roughly shaped or ‘dressed’ into blocks. Often it has begun to wear away.
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Trail Stop 4 The Lancashire Boilers Notice the weathering of the sandstone along the wall. Steps to Boilers
Notice the way the steps have worn away What do you think has made the wall look weathered? Why do you think the steps are worn away here?
Sandstone wall Look at the wall behind the boilers. Compare the way it looks to the photograph above. This picture is of the same building, but taken from the other side, next to the road. Why do you think one wall is more weathered than the other? What might have caused the weathering to be greater on the wall nearer the road?
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Trail Stop 5 The Winding Engine House Notice the dry stone walling. Natural building material is often irregular in shape. Dry Stone Walling
Look at the wall that the red wheel is leaning against. This is the lamp room exit. The sandstone is highly weathered. It is possible to touch the wall and feel the sandstone crumble away.
Why do you think so much sandstone has been used at the colliery?
Winding Engine House
Sandstone is a rock that is found locally. Other natural building materials like granite and limestone have to be transported from other places.
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Trail Stop Stop 6 7 Trail The Visitor Locomotive Tracks The Centre
The Visitor Centre was opened in 2002, and is the Museum’s newest building.
Warning! Do not climb over, or reach through the barrier!
How can you different tell from looking Notice the gravel on the tracks of the locomotive. How many types of rock around that this building is new? do you think there are? Notice the granite cobbles at because the Learning The gravel is made from sandstone and limestone. Sandstone has been used it is easy Curve. to find locally. Have these cobbles worn away like those at the Stables? The cobbles in the Stables are only twenty years older, and granite is a very hard stone, but the way that they are used could affect how fast they are worn away.
Notice the regular modern bricks of the Visitor Centre. This building is very different from the Winding Engine House and Lancashire Boilers because it is Learning Curve much newer. Why do you think gravel has been used in this way, at the end of the railway track?
** These cards are found in the boxes at each Trail Stop **
Name Date
Rocks Trail Worksheet Can you identify the rock samples on the trail and their properties? Stop 1
Look at the sample of concrete in the box. Use the magnifying glasses to have a close look. Draw what you can see.
As you can see, man-made materials come in many shapes and sizes. Breezeblocks are smoother
rougher
bigger
smaller
than bricks. Stop 2
Can you find the slate sample? Is it:
hard
crumbly
soft
smooth
Draw the shape of the roof tiles here:
rough
Slate makes a good roof tile because it splits easily into thin sheets. Stop 3
Look at the granite sample. Draw a place in the stables where granite is used.
Why do you think granite is used to make roads and steps? Because it is:
Stop 4
strong
crumbly
hardwearing
permeable (lets water through)
Look at the sandstone sample. Choose words to describe it: crumbly
rough
smooth
permeable
worn
Can you see something made of sandstone which has worn away (weathered)?
What do you think has made this sandstone wear away?
Stop 5
Look again at the sandstone sample. Can you see sandstone on a wall near you?
Why do you think so many buildings here are made out of sandstone? Because
Draw the shape of the bricks.
Are they regular or irregular? Stop 6
Look at the granite sample. It is used in the cobbles. Draw the cobbles.
Compare this drawing to the one you made at trail stop 2. What are the differences?
Think about the different uses of the cobbles in the stables and those at the visitor centre! Stop 7
Look at the sandstone and limestone sample. Choose a word which best describes each rock sample and complete the sentence. crumbly
permeable
weathered
soft
impermeable
light
hard
Sandstone is Limestone is
Well done! Why not go and see if you can investigate the different rocks which are used around your home or school?