Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: ​Geologist in Training

Content Area: ​Science
Grade Level(s): ​3rd grade
Content Standard Addressed:
S3E1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the physical attributes of rocks and
soils.
a. Ask questions and analyze data to classify rocks by their physical attributes (color, texture,
luster, and hardness) using simple tests.

Technology Standards Addressed:

● Empowered Learner
● Knowledge Constructor
● Innovative Designer
● Creative Communicator
Selected Technology Tool: ​Wakelet and EdPuzzle

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): ​Wakelet: Physical Attributes of Rocks
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐​ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating

☒ Creating
Levels of Technology Integration:
☐ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any
“Voice or Choice” during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☒ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project
is student-driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of
study and determining the technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The
teacher becomes more of a facilitator.

☐ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing
student work and promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on
the school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via
an outside source.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): ​The activity I have planned supports UDL because the
Wakelet provides students with a variety of activites/ways to learn the new material. Students also
have choice in the final product, and there are a multitude of ways students can choose to
represent their learning.
Lesson idea implementation:
● Hook: Ask students if they have ever heard of a pet rock. Show the video about the man
who came up with the idea to sell pet rocks.
● Facilitate a class discussion about what a geologist is and what a geologist does. Discuss
rocks and minerals and show the video ​Rocks and Minerals​ (see Wakelet).
● Discuss the physical attributes of rocks using the images in Wakelet.
● Assign students to complete the EdPuzzle ​Classifying Rocks​ (see Wakelet).
● Take a walk outside to look for rocks. Bring the rocks back to class and practice
classifying rocks based on the example in the video. An alternative is to ask the students to
go on a walk with their family as homework and bring in some rocks to class the next day.
● Science lab: Weathering Rocks experiment (see Wakelet)
● Play the weathering, erosion, and deposition game (see Wakelet)
● For the final project, students may choose option A or option B.

Option A​: Using a technology tool of your choice (Padlet, Wakelet, Powerpoint, Google slides,
etc), create a digital rock collection that showcases what you have learned about classifying rocks.

Option B​: You are a geologist who has been invited as a guest speaker to an elementary school.
Using a technology tool of your choice, design your presentation. Be sure to describe your job
and why you love it. What can you do to inspire the students to consider a career as a geologist?
Why is geology important? Don’t forget to classify a few rocks during your presentation!
Reflective Practice: ​These activities impact student learning in many ways. First, the students are
going to be more engaged learning content. They will be quizzed, so they must pay attention.
Kinesthetic learners will enjoy the hands-on activities with rocks. They get to actually find rocks
and classify them.