Earth Structures: Properties of Minerals

In Science, today we learned that minerals are natural, nonliving solid crystals that make up rocks.  For the next week, we'll be studying properties of minerals.  By the end of our study, fourth grade scientists should be able to identify the physical properties of common earth-forming minerals, including hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak color, and recognize the role of minerals in the formation of rocks.

 

 Quartz

Vocabulary:

• mineral
• earth-forming
• hardness
• luster
• metallic
• streak 
• color
• cleavage
• formation
• rocks
• hand lens
• streak plate

Resources:

• Florida Interactive Science (textbook) Chapter 3 Lesson 2 What are minerals? p. 102-107
• Science Interactive Journal

Assessment Date:

• January 28

Go Above & Beyond:

• What minerals are native to Florida?
• How are these minerals used?   
• Share what you discovered in your research by January 28 and earn Chief Cash for always doing your best!