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GRADE 4 curriculum
EARTH AND SPACE SYSTEMS - ROCKS, MINERALS
& EROSION
INTRODUCTION
Rock. There’s not much about that word to stimulate any kind
of mystery. We use the phrase, “As solid as a rock”
when we wish to describe the immobility of an object. But, is this
phrase really accurate? Looking at rock leads one to believe that
it is stable - yet, over time, it is subject to dramatic change.
Not only does it crumble, but it metamorphoses as well. It can change
from one colour to another, from one look to another. Wind, water
and ice have the power to change a seemingly “solid as a rock”
landscape from a mountain to a hill. Humans have unwittingly aided
the forces of nature - to some extent with tragic results. Further,
how can rocks possibly be related to the beauties that sparkle and
shine on our hands? Through this unit, students will be introduced
to the basic of geology, erosion and the ever-appealing world of
fossils.
STUDENT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
Rocks: Students will locate and photo, sketch,
imprint or take a mould of a fossil found at the Collingwood Scenic
Caves. They will then conduct a field investigation to determine
the environment in which the fossil lived, the geologic period of
the fossil and the rock and determine which principles of geology
apply.
Erosion: When walking along the Scenic Caves path,
students will identify, document and map evidence of glaciation.
Soils: Make guided observations about the soil
surrounding the scarp face at the Scenic Caves ie. What evidence
of life in the soil can they observe?
Your curriculum package includes lesson plans, work sheets and
information necessary to cover each unit. Please Click
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