CLIL Didactic Unit Sciences: Minerals and Rocks
Sara Toboso MartĂnez
SESSION 1: The Rock Cycle. Source: https://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/diagram.html The concept of the Rock Cycle will be introduced in the classroom. The aim is that students know the main types of rock, how they related to each other and how changes to rocks happen in a recurring sequence. A useful way to illustrate that is to use a diagram so that students can see and understand how the Rocks Cycle works.
Tha main idea is that rocks are continually changin from one type to another and back again, as forces inside the earth bring them to the surface. In the surface, rocks are weathered, eroded or even compacted, but forces of the earth also bring them down, where they are heated, pressed, and melted. Therefore, the elements that make up rocks are never created or destroyed, instead they are constantly being recycled. The rock cycle help to see that the earth is like a giant rock recycling machine. To complete the explanation of the Rocks Cycle students will watche the following video: http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/rocks-minerals-landforms/rock-cycle.htm? eml=SSO/aff/20140501/Skimlinks/banner/CJ/affiliate/////11837433/&cj_linkd=11837433&cj_webi d=3662453&cj_sid=skim725X175Xcfa70388891efb0f72e775fe5a64ad95&cj_affid=2617611&cj_a
ffname=Skimlinks This video explains in a very easy way what the Rocks cycle concept is, the type of rocks and the main processes of how rocks change from one type to another.
After watching the video, students will complete the following worksheet: Exercise 1: See if you can put your knowledge of rock types and geoligic processes together to map out the rock cycle. 1. When rocks are affected by weathering and erosion, they change into which of the following? A) Lava. B) Magma. C) Sediment. 2. When sediment is compacted and cemented, it changes into which of the following? A) Igneous rock. B) Metamorphic rock. C) Sedimentary rock. 3. When heat and pressure are applied to a sedimentary rock, it changes into which of the following? A) Igneous rock. B) Metamorphic rock. C) Sediment. 4. When melting of a metamorphic rock occurs, it changes into which of the following? A) Igenous rock. B) Magma. C) Sediment. 5. When magma is cooled, it changes into which of the following?
A) Igneous rock. B) Metamorphic rock. C) Sedimentary rock.
5
4 Volcanic eruption
3
1
2
SESSION 2: Minerals. What are minerals?
Toothpaste, buildings, glasses, computers, and cars, are a few of the many things that cannot be made without minerals. Minerals are defined as solid, inorganic (were never alive), naturally occurring substances with a definite chemical formula and general structure. Some minerals are radioactive (uraophane), while others are magnetic (magnetite). Some minerals, such as gold and silver, are made up entirely of one element, but most are formed from two or more elements. Certain minerals, such as fluorite (calcium fluoride), glow with a vibrant luminescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. Feldspar (a potassium aluminium silicate) and Quartz (silicon dioxide) are the most abudant minerals found in the Earth's crust. Graphite, which is used in pencils, is another common mineral. Other minerals, like diamonds, are very rare and valuable. Diamonds are the hardest natural substances found on Earth. Identification of minerals. Borax Colour: white Luster: vitreous. Transparency: transparent to translucent. Hardness: 2 – 2.5 Specific Gravity: approx. 1.7 (very light) Other Characteristics: a sweet alkaline taste.
Copper: Colour: copper coloured with some green. Luster: metallic. Transparency: opaque. Hardness: 2.5 – 3 Specific Gravity: 8.9 + (above average for metallic) Other Characteristics: ductile, malleable. Feldspar: Group of minerals that have similar characteristics due to a similar structure. All feldspar have low symmetry, being only monoclinic, 2/m, to triclinic, bar1. Luster: dull to rarely vitreous. Hardness: around 6. Specific Gravity: around 2.55 to 2.76.
Graphite: Colour: black silver. Luster: metallic to dull. Transparency: crystals are opaque. Hardness: 1 – 2. Specific Gravity: 2.2 (below average). Other Characteristics: mineral can leave black marks on hands and paper, weakly conducts electricity.
Fluorite: Colour: extremely variable and many times can be an intense purple, blue, green, or yellow; also colourless, reddish, orange, pink, white and brown. A single crystal can be multi-coloured. Luster: vitreous.
Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent. Hardness: 4. Specific Gravity: 3.1 + Other Characteristics: Often fluorescent blue or more rarely green, white, red or violet. Hematite: Colour: stell or silver gray to black in some forms and red to brown in earthy forms. Luster: metallic or dull. Transparency: Crystals are opaque. Hardness: 5 – 6. Specific Gravity: 5.3 (slightly above average for metallic minerals). Quartz: Colour: is as variable as the spectrum, but clear quartz is white or cloudy (milk quartz). Purple (Amethyst), pink (Rose Quartz), gray or brown to black (Smoky Quartz) are also common. Luster: glassy to vitreous as crystals. Transparency: Crystals are transparent to translucent. Hardness: 7. Specific Gravity: 2.65 or less. Other Characteristics: Striations on prism faces run perperdincular to Caxis. Sulfur: Colour: strong yellow. Can also be reddish or greenish yellow with impurities. Luster: vitreous to more often resinous or earthy in massive forms. Transparency: transparent to translucent. Hardness: 2.
Specific Gravity: 2-0 – 2.1. Other Characteristics: odor, poor heat and conductivity. Talc: Colour: green, gray and white to almost silver. Luster: dull to pearly or greasy. Transparency: crystals are translucent and masses are opaque. Hardness: 1 (can leave mark on paper) Specific Gravity: 2.7 – 2.8. Other Characteristics: has a soapy feel to touch. The teacher will introdce the list of minerals. It will be good to bring to the classroom samples of each mineral above, so that students can observe them closely and can touch them to verify the properties that have been introduced by the teacher. Activities: You can find many different types of minerals in your house! Look at the objects and identify which minerals make up each object. Minerals Quartz
Copper
Graphite
Bedroom Objects
Hematite Mineral
Pencil Mirror Desk Lamp
Minerals Feldspar
Fluorite Bathroom Objects Toothpaste Make-up
Borax
Talc Minerals
Toilet Cleaner Toilet Minerals Quartz
Graphite
Sulfur
Living Room Objects
Hematite Minerals
Chair Fireplace Telephone Computer Minerals Copper Kitchen Objects
Quartz Minerals
Refrigerator Glass Source: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2015/EGU2015-2709-3.pdf. SESSION 3: Evaluation. To evaluate the contents learnt during this Clil didactic unit, students will have to answer the following quiz from the website: http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/rocksminerals-landforms/rock-cycle.htm? eml=SSO/aff/20140501/Skimlinks/banner/CJ/affiliate/////11837433/&cj_linkd=11837433&cj_webi d=3662453&cj_sid=skim725X175Xcfa70388891efb0f72e775fe5a64ad95&cj_affid=2617611&cj_a ffname=Skimlinks In additon, they will have to make a little research about of the minerals of the didactic unit. Besides, they have to create a power point presentation with the information that they gather from the research that will serve as a supportive material of an oral presentation.
QUIZ 1. What is the rock cycle? A) The Earth's process of changing one type of rock into another type of rock. B) The path that magma follows when it changes into lava or igneous rock. C) Any process that an object on the Earth goes through, whether plant or mineral. D) Any type of rock formation that is circular or triangular in shape. 2. How is the rock cycle like recycling? A) It depends on humans to do most of the work. B) It takes place on the planet Earth. C) It transforms existing material into new material. D) It requires weather and factories for completion. 3. What helps to change rocks into other types of rocks? A) Heat. B) Erosion. C) Pressure. D) all of the above. 4. Which kind of rock would you most likely find near a volcano? A) Imestone. B) Pumice. C) Marble. D) Sandstone. 5. Which process is necessary for creating igneous rock? A) The mixing of rock with dust and rain. B) The erosion of sediment from cliff sides. C) The pressure of many layers of rock. D) The cooling of melted rock or magma. 6. When rock experiences a great deal of pressure and heat, which kind of rock forms? A) Igneous. B) Sedimentary. C) Metamorphic. D) All of the above. 7. Layered rock, such as limestone, is an example of what kind of rock? A) Melted rock. B) Sedimentary rock.
C) Igneous rock. D) Metamorphic rock.