Tim+Cooper

Teaching a unit on rock and minerals can go one of two ways: 1) Engaging and fascinating 2) Dull and disconnected. As I discovered with my 7th graders this year, my rocks and minerals unit was one of the units where they felt comfortable with the foundational knowledge of what the different types of rocks and minerals are and their characteristics, how different types of rocks form, and how rocks and minerals change.

To make this unit much more meaningful and engaging for my 7th graders in the fall, my project will be centered around Canarsie Cemetery, which is located four blocks away from my school. The unit/project will be divided into three sequential parts that take students outside of the classroom:


 * Part 1:** The American Museum of Natural History conducts walking investigations focusing on the geology of specific parts of NYC. This walking investigation will serve to introduce students to identifying the various rock types and geological features in the real world, especially in Brooklyn.


 * Part 2:** Students will be taken to Canarsie Cemetery to begin a field study investigating what types of rock make up the tombstones in the cemetery and if there is a pattern/trend, investigating examples of chemical and mechanical weathering and which types of tombstones are more affected by these processes, and creating a topographic map of the cemetery to investigate if there is a correlation between tombstone elevation and amount/type of weathering. Students will also collect data on which direction the tombstones face and investigate if there is a correlation between tombstone direction and the type/amount of weathering present on applicable tombstones.
 * I)** Part 2 will be conducted over multiple visits to give students a chance to collect appropriate data and conduct their investigations without feeling too pressured time-wise.


 * Part 3:** The unit will conclude with students organizing the data and conclusions from the cemetery investigation into a posterboard presentation that follows the "Exit Project" format with which many of us are familiar. To enhance the experience for the students, local community members ranging from the cemetery manager, a local stonecarver, other science teachers in the school, etc. will attend a Pre-Science Fair to interact with the students and their projects.

Classroom instruction will fit in between trips to the cemetery to introduce students to pertinent concepts, techniques, and content needed to successfully complete the investigation at the cemetery.


 * Project Materials: Below are the materials, lesson plans, logistical information, rationale, project goals, and other pertinent materials needed to implement and adapt this project. If there are any questions, please feel free to email me at tcooper@is68.org

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 * PowerPoint Lessons**: Refer to the "Table of Contents" in the project packet above for the order in which to teach these lessons.