Jaclyn Turner

Observation 6
March 14, 2016
Grade: 3rd
Lesson: Scratch test, testing for hardness
Time: 50 minutes
Standards:
Strand 1 PO 3. Conduct simple investigations (e.g., related to plant life
cycles, changing the pitch of a sound, properties of
rocks) in life, physical, and Earth and space sciences.
Strand 1 PO 5. Record data in an organized and appropriate format
(e.g., t-chart, table, list, written log).
Strand 6 PO 3. Classify rocks based on the following physical
properties:
color
texture
Objective:
Students will
Students will
Students will
hardness.
Students will

be able to identify minerals based on hardness.

be able to list minerals in order of hardness.
be able to use appropriate tools to identify mineral
be able to record information on a chart.

Materials Needed:
Per Group- 4 paper Clips
4 Pennies
1 tray with minerals
2 ceramic tiles
2 pieces of chalk
Hand lenses
Earth Science Notebooks
Beginning (5 minutes):
We will begin the lesson by discussing mineral identification. I will ask
the students to identify the quarts by telling them that quartz is white.
Students should all hold up different minerals, because white is not
specific enough to identify a mineral. The property of white is shared
by 3 out of the 4 minerals.
I will then introduce the scratch test.
I will demonstrate, then students will practice the technique on
pretend earth materials.
- Students will scratch the tile and the chalk with the paper clip.
Then they will wipe away any dust with their fingers and examine the

marks to
determine if it is truly scratched (if there is a permanent
mark).
We will then discuss the chalk and tile results.
- which is harder, chalk or tile?
- which tool is harder the paperclip or penny? (paperclip is harder
than penny)
Middle (35 minutes):
Doing the scratch test
Students will begin the scratch test investigation by first identifying
quartz. I will give them another clue: Quartz is the hardest mineral on
earth.
- students will be given 5 minutes to identify the quartz using the
scratch
test. I will suggest that since it is the hardest mineral that
they start with the
hardest tool.
- each group will share their results then record the information
on the chart
on page 9. Quartz is mineral 2.
Students will then identify gypsum. I will give them the clue: Gypsum
is the softest of the four minerals.
- students will be given 5 minutes to identify gypsum
- each group will share their results and then record the
information on the
chart on page 9. Gypsum is mineral 3.
Students will then identify calcite and fluorite. I will give them the clue:
Fluorite is harder than calcite.
- Students will have 5 minutes to use their tools to identify the
last two minerals.
- each group will hold up the mineral that they identified to be
calcite
(mineral 1). Then they will hold up the mineral fluorite
(mineral 4).
- the students will complete the chart on page 9 with the last two
minerals.
End (10 minutes):
Students will tally the number of tools that scratched each mineral,
then list the minerals in order by hardness on the bottom of page 9. I
will call on a student to give the order from softest to hardest and ask
students to agree or disagree with thumbs up/thumbs down and to
explain why they agree or disagree.