Geology Activities and Lesson Plans

Web interactive activities: Geology

State Symbols Web Exhibit and Game

Play a State Symbols Identification Game and learn about all the Illinois State symbols.

Web-available Lesson Plans: Geology

A Burst of Light: Mineral Use in Fireworks - grades 5/6

A Geology Online lesson for upper elementary students that shows how minerals are used to make colorful fireworks.

A Burst of Light: Mineral Use in Fireworks - grades K-6 - pdf

Learn about the minerals that are used in fireworks.

Animal Adaptations Lesson from Midwest U.S. 16,000 Years Ago

Learn about adaptations in animals by studying the teeth of mastodons, mammoths, and saber-tooth cats. (pdf)(Middle school)

Collecting Rocks - Kindergarten

The first of three lessons on this topic.

Collecting Rocks - Kindergarten - pdf

First of three lessons on this topic.

Contain Yourself: Changes Over Time in the Use of Containers by Native Americans - grades 3/4

Learn how Native Americans made containers from clays.

Contain Yourself: Changes Over Time in the Use of Containers by Native Americans - grades 3/4 - pdf

How Native Americans made containers of clay.

Creating Spreadsheets - PCs - grades 6-12 - pdf

Creating Spreadsheets—AppleWorks - grades 6-12 - pdf

Use software to create a spreadsheet for your data.

Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake - grades 7/8

Learn about the faultlines in Illinois and the history of earthquakes there.

Evaluating an Illinois Earthquake - grades 7/8 - pdf

Learn about the faultlines and earthquakes that effect Illinois.

Exploring How Rocks Are Formed

Learn how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks are formed.

Exploring How Rocks Are Formed - grades 3/4 - pdf

Learn how sedimentary, metamorphic, and ignweous rocks are formed.

Exploring Minerals - grades 3/4

Learn the physical characteristics of minerals.

Exploring Minerals - grades 3/4 - pdf

Learn to identify minerals by their characteristics and behaviors.

Exploring Rocks - grades 3/4

Classifying rocks by their properties

Exploring Rocks - grades 3/4 - pdf

Classify rocks by their properties.

Exploring Uses of Rocks & Minerals - grades 3/4

Many everyday objects contain minerals.

Exploring Uses of Rocks & Minerals - grades 3/4 - pdf

Many everyday objects contain minerals.

Forms for Exhibit Creation Lessons

In the Classroom Exhibit lesson for the Behind the Scenes module, students can print out and use forms to keep records of the objects or specimens they are planning to exhibit.

Geo-Hunt - grades 7/8

Conduct a scavenger hunt for rocks and minerals according to their uses.

GeoHunt - grades 7/8 - pdf

Conduct a scavenger hunt for rocks and minerals for their uses.

Gliding Glaciers - grades 5/6

Understand what types of landforms are created from glacial movement.

Gliding Glaciers - grades 5/6 - pdf

Learn about the movement of glaciers.

How Old Is Illinois? - high school

Study the fossils found in rock layers to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago.

How Old Is Illinois? - high school - pdf

Study the age of Illinois by looking at fossils and their strata.

How to Use FaunMap Lesson

After looking at the Midwestern United States 16,000 Years Ago Web exhibit, learn how to use the Museum's online FaunMap to discover where species lived in the Ice Ages compared to today. (pdf)(High school)

The url of the Museum's Online Research Program <a href="/research/faunmap/">FaunMap</a>

Igneous Rocks

Learn about igneous rocks and their formation.

Igneous Rocks - high school

Learn about the formation of igneous rocks.

Igneous Rocks - high school - pdf

Learn how igneous rocks are found.

Igneous Rocks - second grade

Build a volcano and learn how igneous rocks are formed.

Landforms of Illinois - grades 5/6

How are landforms created?

Landforms of Illinois - grades 5/6 - pdf

How was land fomred in Illinois?

Mammal Adaptation Game

Play the Mammal Adaptation Game to learn how mammals are adapted to their environments and what happens when their environment changes. (pdf) (Elementary school)

Metamorphic Rocks - second grade

Second grade lessonplan about the formation of metamorphic rocks.

Metamorphic Rocks - second grade - pdf

Learn how metamorphic rocks are formed.

Mighty Minerals - grades 7/8

Middle school students will learn the characteristics of different minerals.

Mighty Minerals - grades 7/8 - pdf

Learn about the characteristics of minerals.

Minerals - the Building Blocks of Rocks - Kindergarten

Third of three lessons on rocks.

Minerals - the Building Blocks of Rocks - Kindergarten - pdf

Rocks are composed of different minerals.

Museum Adventure WebQuest - grades 3/4

What are the properties of minerals, exemplified by fluorite?

Museum Adventure WebQuest - grades 3/4 - pdf

What are the properties of minerals, exemplified by fluorite?

Our Everchanging Earth - First Grade

Record data; explain differences.

Our Everchanging Earth - First grade - pdf

record data, explain differences

Project Geode - grades 7/8

Learn how geodes are structured.

Project Geode - grades 7/8 - pdf

Learn how geodes are structured.

Ride the Rock Cycle - grades 5/6

Learn the steps of the rock cycle.

Ride the Rock Cycle - grades 5/6 - pdf

Learn the steps of the rock cycle.

Rocks & Minerals - First grade

a unit plan and contains more than one lesson. You can pick and choose those that best fit your goals and the ability level of your students.

Rocks and Minerals - First Grade - pdf

a unit plan and contains more than one lesson. You can pick and choose those that best fit your goals and the ability level of your students.

Rocks and Minerals - Uses Past and Present - Kindergarten

Kindergarten lesson on how people have used rocks.

Rocks and Minerals - Uses Past and Present - Kindergarten - pdf

Kindergarten lesson on how people have used rocks.

Rocks, Rocks & More Rocks - second grade

Second graders will learn the propoerties of rocks and sort a given number of them by those properties.

Rocks, Rocks & More Rocks second grade - pdf

Sediment Sleuths - grades 7/8

Learn about Illinois rocks and minerals.

Sediment Sleuths - grades 7/8 - pdf

Learn about the minerals found in Illinois.

Sedimentary Rocks - high school

High schoolers will learn how sedimentary rocks are formed.

Sedimentary Rocks - high school - pdf

Learn how sedimentary rocks are formed.

Sedimentary Rocks - second grade

Learn about the rock cycle.

Sedimentary Rocks - second grade - pdf

Learn the rock cycle.

Sorting Rocks - Kindergarten

Second of three lessons on rocks.

Sorting Rocks - Kindergarten - pdf

Second of three lessons on rocks.

The ISM builds a replica giant ground sloth skeleton

For the Changes! Exhibition, the Illinois State Museum replicated a Jefferson’s Giant Ground Sloth, an extinct Ice Age mammal.

The Rocks Under Illinois

Learn the geological history of Illinois by drawing the rock layers.

The Rocks Under Illinois - high school

Learn the geological history of Illinois by drawing the rock layers.

Three Dimensional Geology - high school

Learn how rock strata are 3-dimensional.

Three Dimensional Geology - high school - pdf

Learn that rock strata are 3-dimensional.

Using HyperStudio - grades 2-8

Hyperstudio use to create your project in geology.

Using HyperStudio - grades 2-8 - pdf

Hyperstudio use to create a geology project.

Using Inspiration - grades 4-12 - pdf

Inspiration is a software program for Macs.

Using KidPix - grades 5/6 - pdf

KidPix software helps students create a digital project.

Using KidPix - grades K-6

KiPix software helps students crate a digital project.

Weathering & Erosion - grades 5/6

Learn to identify when and how a rock has been eroded.

Weathering & Erosion - grades 5/6 - pdf

Learn to identify if and how a rock has been eroded.