Let’s rock!
Source: Natural Leaders Environmental games and activities (NTS/SNH)/Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve education resources.
OBJECTIVE
This activity would link with a visit to a geological site or discussion of how Scotland’s landscape is shaped by its underlying geology. The game helps to develop memory, using the sense of touch to differentiate between different types of rock.
Did you know?
All our evidence about the Earth's geological past comes from studying rocks and the fossils and minerals they contain. Although professional geologists have devised many technologically advanced ways of observing and measuring the properties of rocks, simply looking closely at a rock specimen is still one of the best ways of gathering information about its origins and about the processes that created it. Even young pupils (and their teachers!) can learn a surprising amount by examining rock specimens and using 'common sense' to answer some of the questions that spring to their minds.
Don’t worry about trying to name rocks. It is much more valuable for pupils to learn how to describe a rock and perhaps recognise features that may shed light on its origin.
Before the activity
You will need:
- a selection of stones of different shapes, colours, textures and weights, in a basket or box. Blindfolds.
- The student notes ‘Learning how to describe rocks’ would be useful:
- http://www.knockan-crag.co.uk/downloads/Rock%20identification%20-%20describing.pdf
The activity
Ask the children to pick a rock from the box. Sit them in a large circle (using ‘sticky elbows’ so they are touching). Give them a short time to get to know their rock – looking and feeling, so that they get to know its distinctive features – eg angularity, shape, texture.
Get them to blindfold themselves/partner. The rocks are passed round the circle until each person is sure they have got their rock and holds on to it.
Take off the blindfolds – are they right?
Ask the children to make rock families, and sort themselves into groups of similar rocks.
These can be illustrated as a geological Venn diagram on the ground using chalk to group similar rocks.
Suggested follow-up
Consider making a geo-garden in your school grounds, from the rocks that shape the landscape around you.
Downloads
Exploring the BBC Education website: Essential Guide to Rocks - www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks
Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve education page provides teaching resources to support visits to this North Highland site and useful for links to aid understanding of geological processes more widely. http://www.knockan-crag.co.uk/
Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth home page http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/