Sometimes play is serious business. Here is an example where meaningful play equals authentic learning.
Calling all rock sleuths!
Seventeen rocks have been found
in the hold of the S. S. Seabury
but their names have been lost at sea!
But there is no need to fear! The Navigators and Gemstones have been studying rocks and are eager to use their new geology skills and tools to tell us what they are!
First of all, what does it look like?
What is its color, sheen, texture?
Does it have layers?
Does it have crystals?
What shape are the crystals?
Does it float?
What is its hardness on the Mohs Hardness test?
How does it respond to the streak test?
Is it magnetic?
We fill out our charts and the detective work begins
but we're not sure on all of them.
We're given some more clues and we really have to do some deductive thinking based on our findings.
And voila! You did it!
YOU ROCK, ROCK DETECTIVES!
You're thinking like geologists and
you've solved the problem of the missing rock names!
Teacher checklist:
- students learn how to identify rocks X
- students use higher level thinking skills X
- students embrace science X
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