Have students try these activities to expand their knowledge and interest in Geology.
Language Arts
Have students come up with as many expressions as they can that include the word “rock” or “stone,” such as “solid as a rock” or “like a rolling stone.” Students should write the expressions on the board and discuss what each expression means. Each student should then select one phrase to illustrate.
Geography, Science
Several “rock stars” are featured in Ayers and Other Famous Rocks: Mount Rushmore; Ayer’s Rock; the Blarney Stone; Kabba; the Rosetta Stone; and Carlsbad Caverns. Have students mark each stone’s location on a world map. Create a chart on the board and write the “rock stars” along the side. Ask students to come up with several questions they would like to find out about the rocks and write these questions along the top of the chart. Questions may include “What type of rock is it made of?” and “How big is the rock?” Then put students in groups. Ask each group to research the answers to the questions and fill in the class chart. Ask students questions based on the information in the chart.
Language Arts
Bring in several rocks of various sizes, textures, and compositions. Have students contribute descriptive words and phrases about the rocks. Students can then write a poem about a rock or stone. The poems may focus on what the rock looks like, where it has been, how it is used, or another aspect of the rock.
Math
In Earth, a Planet of Rock students learn how many miles wide Earth’s crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core are. Have students research how many feet are in a mile and how to convert miles to feet. Students can then figure out how many feet wide the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core of Earth are.
Geography
Students can play “Name That Plate.” In the game, one student says the name of a country, and the class then refers to Ayers and Other Famous Rocks to figure out the name of the plate in which the country is found. For example, if a student names “Chile,” the class would respond “South American plate.”
Social Studies, Science
Encourage students to find out the type of rock that makes up your school, or a local building or statue. Students may also want to research they type of rock that was used to build famous buildings and statues around the world, such as the pyramids, the Parthenon, and the Lincoln Memorial.
Geology Games and Activities | Kids Discover
