Rock Cycle 
FIRST GRADE
6 week unit

1. Students should be able to list the four states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
2. Students should be able to recognize that the periodic table lists elements.
3. Students should be able to recognize that elements are the ingredients of minerals.
4. Students should become familiar with the diversity of minerals.
5. Students should begin to understand that minerals make up rocks.
6. Students should observe the characteristics of different rocks.
7. Students should be able to analyze data from dinosaur remains.
8. Students should recognize that tracks of animals can provide information on that animal.

WEEK 1.
PRE: Comparing solids, gases, liquids, and plasma.
LAB: Exploring how states of matter can change.
POST: Introducing the periodic table.

WEEK 2.
PRE: Discovering the components of quartz.
LAB: Exploring which elements make up minerals.
POST: Comparing characteristics of minerals.

WEEK 3.
PRE: Comparing how minerals are different than rocks.
LAB: Distinguishing minerals from rocks.
POST: Discovering where rocks are formed.
WEEK 4.
PRE: Describing characteristics of rocks.
LAB: Recognizing rock characteristics.
POST: Contrasting the three types of rocks.

WEEK 5.
PRE: Comparing dinosaurs and dragons.
LAB: Distinguishing characteristics of dinosaur models.
POST: Exploring dinosaurs in books.
WEEK 6.
PRE: Analyzing footprints.
LAB: Modeling dinosaur tracks.
POST: Comparing how dinosaurs moved.