4th Grade

Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 6: Minerals and Rocks
Lesson 1: What are minerals?

mineral

A mineral is a natural, nonliving, solid

crystal that makes up rocks.

All over the world,

each mineral has the
same chemical
makeup. Scientist have
identified more than
3,000 minerals.

Oral Response Task

Restate the definition of a mineral.

crystal

A crystal is a three-dimensional shape

with flat surfaces.

To identify a mineral,
scientists tests its
properties, which
include color, luster,
hardness, cleavage,
and crystal shape.

Oral Response Task

Describe a crystal.

luster

Luster is the property of a mineral that

describes how it reflects light.

A glassy luster is shiny.

A metallic luster looks
like polished metal. A
soft shine can be
described as a waxy,
silky, or pearly luster.

Oral Response Task

Explain the meaning of luster.

hardness

Hardness is a measure of how easily a

mineral can be scratched.

Diamond is the
hardest mineral. It
has a hardness of
10.

Oral Response Task

Describe hardness.

streak

Streak is the color of the powder that a

mineral leaves when it is scratched
across a special plate.

Sometimes the streak is

a different color than
the mineral itself. For
example, hematite can
be silver or red but its
streak is always red.

Oral Response Task

Evaluate why different minerals have
different streaks.

cleavage

Cleavage is property of minerals that

break along smooth, flat surfaces.

Some minerals do not

have any cleavage.
Quartz often breaks
into pieces with smooth
surfaces that look like
the inside of a seashell.

Oral Response Task

Identify and describe the cleavage of a
rock.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 6: Minerals and Rocks
Lesson 2: How are minerals and ores sorted?

ore

Ore is a rock rich in valuable minerals

that can be removed from Earths crust.

Ore deposits are not

common everywhere in
Earths crust. People
use many different
methods to find them.

Oral Response Task

Restate the definition of ore.

copper

Copper is a soft metal that is a good

conductor and is easy to shape, often to
make wire.

Copper is a shiny metal

that is easy to shape and
to make into wire and
pipes.

Oral Response Task

Describe copper.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 6: Minerals and Rocks
Lesson 3: How are rocks classified?

igneous

Igneous describes a type of rock that

forms from molten rock.

Igneous rocks for from

molten rocks called
magma. They can form
above or below earths
surface. Usually they
are hard and they dont
have layers but they
often have crystals that
interlock.

Oral Response Task

Explain igneous rocks.

lava

Lava is hot, molten rock that reaches

Earths surface.

As the lava cools,

mineral crystals form.
However, when lava
cools quickly, there is
not time for the crystals
to form.

Oral Response Task

Describe lava.

magma

Magma is hot, molten rock that forms

deep underground.

As magma raises
slowly, it might melt
some of the surrounding
rock. The magma slowly
cools and crystals of
minerals form in the
rock.

Oral Response Task

Distinguish between magma and lava.

sedimentary

Sedimentary describes a type of rock

that forms when layers of sediments settle
on top of one another and harden.

Sedimentary rocks are

made up of soil, shells,
bits of rock, and the
remain of dead plant
and animal matter.

Oral Response Task

Describe sedimentary rocks.

layering

Layering occurs when pressure on

sediment that settles on top of older
layers, creating newer layers.

Layers of rock at Earths

surface are usually
younger than the layers
below them. This fact
helps scientists who
study the ages of rocks
as well as those who
study things that have
loved on Earth.

Oral Response Task

Explain the process of layering.

metamorphic

Metamorphic describes a type of rock

formed when heat and pressure change
the properties of rock.

Metamorphic rocks
can form from
sedimentary rocks,
igneous rocks, and
even other
metamorphic rocks.

Oral Response Task

Describe metamorphic rocks.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 6: Minerals and Rocks
Lesson 4: How do rocks change?

rock cycle

The rock cycle is the process that

recycles rock into new types of rock.

Rocks are always

changing from one form
into another in a process
called the rock cycle.

Oral Response Task

Examine the parts of the rock cycle.

ash

Ash is finely pulverized lava thrown out

by a volcano in eruption.

Ash from volcanoes

forms layers of
sediment.

Oral Response Task

Describe ash.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 7: Our Changing Earth
Lesson 1: How does Earths surface slowly change?

landforms

Landforms are natural features of

Earth.

Some landforms take

shape quickly, but
others take over a long
time. A mountain may
take millions of years
to form, but rocks
rolling down its side
can change the
mountain in a hurry.

Oral Response Task

List the different types of Earths
landforms.

weathering

Weathering is the process that breaks

down rocks in Earths crust into small
pieces.

Before landforms can

change, the rocks that
form them must first
break apart.
Weathering is the
process that breaks
rocks in Earths crust
into small pieces.

Oral Response Task

Describe the process of weathering.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 7: Our Changing Earth
Lesson 2: What causes physical weathering?

glaciers

Glaciers are huge moving sheets of ice.

Glaciers can cause

physical weathering
by creeping very
slowly over land. As
the glacier slides
along, it drags rocks
with it.

Oral Response Task

Restate the definition of glaciers.

freezing

Freezing is approaching, at, or below

the freezing point.

When water freezes, it

expands. Water from
the rain or melted snow
seeps into cracks in
rocks. As the water
freezes, the ice pushes
against the sides of the
crack. In time, the rock
will split.

Oral Response Task

Describe freezing.

thawing

Thawing is to pass or change from a

frozen state to a liquid state.

Cycles of
freezing and
thawing cause
rocks to split.

Oral Response Task

Distinguish between thawing and
freezing.

soil

Soil is the thin layer of loose,

weathered material that covers most of
the land surface of Earth.

Weathering
breaks rocks into
small pieces that
are ingredients in
soil.

Oral Response Task

Describe soil.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 7: Our Changing Earth
Lesson 3: How does weathered material move?

erosion

Erosion is the movement of weathered

materials.

Wind, water,
glaciers, living
things, and gravity
cause erosion.

Oral Response Task

Illustrate the process of erosion.

transport

Transport is to carry from one place to

another.

Water often carries,

or transport,
weathered materials
from one place to
another.

Oral Response Task

Analyze the effects of transport in the
process of erosion.

gravity

Gravity is the force of attraction

toward the center of the Earth.

Gravity pulls rocks

and soil downhill.

Oral Response Task

Appraise the importance of gravity.

deposition

Deposition is the laying down of piece

of rock and soil.

Water flowing quickly

carries large particles . As
the moving water slows,
the large particles as well
as sand are deposited at
the bottom.

Oral Response Task

Assess the effects of deposition in the
process of erosion.

4th Grade
Science
Unit C: Earth Sciences
Chapter 7: Our Changing Earth
Lesson 4: What causes rapid changes to landforms?

landslide

A landslide is the rapid downhill

movement of large amounts of rock and
soil.

Landslides can cause

a lot of damage.
Buildings, cars, trees,
and other objects are
sometimes carried
along with the sliding
soil.

Oral Response Task

Describe a landslide.

volcano

A volcano is place on Earths crust

where magma reaches the surface.

The volcano erupts when

the magma reaches the
surface

Oral Response Task

Question the process by which a
volcano erupts.

dormant

Dormant describes a volcano in a state

of rest.

A volcano that has

not erupt for a long
time is said to be
dormant.

Oral Response Task

Describe a dormant volcano.

active

Active describes a volcano that has

frequent eruptions or shows signs of
future eruptions.

An active volcano
has frequent
eruptions or shows
signs of future
eruptions.

Oral Response Task

Distinguish between an active volcano
and a dormant volcano.

fault

A fault is a break or crack where

Earths crust can move.

Sometimes, rocks along

a fault can get stuck.
The plates however,
continue their slow
movement, or creep.

Oral Response Task

Describe a fault.

earthquake

An earthquake is a sudden movement

that causes Earths crust to shake.

The vibrations of
an earthquake
move as waves
that travel through
Earth.

Oral Response Task

Describe what happens to the Earth
during an earthquake.

plates

Plates are large pieces of the Earths

crust.

Two plates meet

along the San Andres
fault.

Oral Response Task

Propose an explanation to the Earths crust
being broken into plates.