MAKING SENSE OF PLANET EARTH AND BEYOND: LEVEL 6
ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Students can
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- (a) investigate and classify some common minerals and rocks according to their easily observed properties and relate to their common use, e.g., calcite, feldspar, quartz, sulphur, magnetite; gemstones, building materials, road aggregates, use in industry;
(b) investigate how the three major types of rocks are formed (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary) and describe how rock sequences provide evidence for past events through geological time;
- use information from a range of sources, including their own observation, to explain spatial relationships of objects in the night sky and the challenge such spatial relationships present to space exploration, e.g., distance between and changing positions of objects; theories about the origins of the Universe;
- report on an important natural resource in New Zealand, including its method of formation, location, and extraction, as appropriate, and any issues associated with its use, e.g., water, limestone, coal, natural gas.
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SAMPLE LEARNING CONTEXTS
- Pounamu
- Glenbrook steel mill
- Geological history of New Zealand
- Papatuanuku and Rangi creation stories
- Building materials
- Jewellery
- Antarctica Resources from the sea floor
- Acid rain
- Satellite imaging
- Water reserves
- Gold
- Māori tools
- Groundwater
- Pottery making
- Brick making
- Oil rigs
- Deep sea diving
- Rock cycle
- Light years
- Big Bang Theory
- Geothermal energy
- Black sands
- Geological time scale
POSSIBLE LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Students could be learning by:
- comparing the physical strengths of different rocks used as base metal for roading;
- relating crystal size in igneous rocks to the method of formation;
- investigating heat capacities of different rocks by heating several different rocks in water and using these to heat cold water;
- using a computer key to classify a collection of rock samples;
- experimenting with moulding and baking clay in the form of pots and bricks;
- studying Māori stone tools in the local museum and discovering where the rock type for these tools was quarried;
- grouping samples of rocks or minerals, using common features such as colour, texture, and hardness to practise their skills of classification;
- investigating uses of greenstone by Māori to identify properties and sources;
- varying the proportions of gravel, sand, and cement to test the strength of concrete;
- modelling the formation of sedimentary rocks by allowing sand and silt to settle out in tall containers filled with water;
- preparing, in groups, a chart illustrating how a particular type of rock is formed;
- determining the amount of calcium carbonate present in two grams of local limestone or sandstone, and testing the effect of acid rain on this rock over time;
- visiting a local observatory or planetarium to view objects in the night sky;
- carrying out an information research project on the Big Bang Theory;
- discussing theories about the formation of the Universe with an local astronomer;
- inviting kaumatua to speak on the significance of greenstone in the Māori culture;
- preparing a poster showing how deposits of gold are formed;
- mapping greenstone and obsidian locations in New Zealand and linking these to known archaeological sites.
ASSESSMENT EXAMPLES
Teachers and students could assess the students':
- knowledge of key processes involved in the formation of different types of igneous rocks, when the students construct a concept map to demonstrate their ideas;
- ability to apply their knowledge of rock properties, when the students test the suitability of given rock samples for use as a building material;
- ability to interpret the evidence contained in rock samples, when the students describe where they think the rocks may have come from;
- co-operative learning skills, when the students work in groups to construct a model or poster about the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the Universe;
- ability to evaluate ideas, when the students compare the Big Bang Theory to another theory about the origin of the Universe;
- understanding of the scale of space, when the students can express distance in terms of 'spacecraft travel time' and 'light travel time';
- ability to critically analyse information relating to an issue, when the students prepare a report on advantages and disadvantages of developing a local resource;
- ability to carry out an information search, when the students research the formation, location, and extraction of natural gas in New Zealand.
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