Everyone Needs a Rock

Background:
Throughout time, societies have valued rocks and mineral resources in their natural state. The great stone circle at Stonehenge, England, is a famous example that is still controversial. The arrangement of those massive stones mark the seasons and cycles of the year but historians are still not sure what peoples placed them there and now they managed it. The monolithic stone figures on Easter Island were carved by unknown ancients. Each year thousands of people travel to see the naturally occurring stone features in the western United States at Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone National Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, and Yosemite National Park. Today as always, people have strong feelings about rocks and minerals.

There are museums with remarkable rock collections and other geologic specimens in many cities and at most major universities. There are also rocks and mineral resources to be appreciated in almost every neighborhood. The first step in discovering some of these natural wonders is to look and observe.

Activity: Ask the students the following questions to assess their knowledge or to stimulate interest in the activity: "What are five ways we use rocks?" "Have you made a rock creation: if so, describe it."

1. Discuss with the students where rocks come from and why they are important. (Include things like rock for roads, foundations of houses, skateboard parks, bauxite for aluminum cans, gold and silver for fillings...)
2. Read Everybody Needs a Rock aloud to the class.
3. Have each student write or tell his or her own personal rule #11, based on the story.
4. Take the class rock hunting. Rules 1 through 10 must be used. The stu- dents will learn these as you read the story. A review may be needed. Be sure to remind them to use their own rule #11. This could be done as a field trip to a canyon or a park or a walk on the school grounds.
5. Perform the "smelling test" as outlined in the story. Have the students share with the class where their rock came from.
6. Check for understanding:
   • Have the students make up their own rock game, "I happen to have a rock here in my hand..."
   • Have the students write a story about where their rock came from. Have them illustrate their stories.

Vocabulary:
Rockhound – one who hunts and collects gemstones or minerals (such as quartz, agate or petrified wood) as a hobby; an amateur mineralogist.

Lesson Extension:

1. By examining the colors in the rock, students may also want to investigate the mineral content in their rock. (Provide copies of Field Guides to Rocks and Minerals.)
2. Over the next month, keep a list of any rocks you find in your neighborhood. (Examples: Pebbles in the driveway cement, rock walls around the neighbor’s garden, marble in an important building, a piece of artwork in the park, or the new path near the Tower at Percival Landing in Olympia).

List the location the rock was found; a description of the rock (color, size, texture); what the type of rock is if you know or can find out (does a name plaque give the name of the mineral?). You may want to consult a rock identification book for help. (Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Rocks and Minerals, Philip’s Minerals, Rocks and Fossils, or the Peterson Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals are a few of the good reference books with helpful photos and descriptions. Every library has these or similar books.)

Every student’s list should answer the questions:

• K-3 Where did you see the rock? What color was it? Was it smooth or rough? Was it dull or shiny? How big was it?
• 4-6 For each rock type found, list the location and how it was being used (driveway for paving, bank building foundation, city park sculpture, etc.). Give the color, size, texture. If the rock is identified on a sign or plaque, include the information. (Example: There is a large piece of green serpentine in the downtown Olympia Timberland Library in which a seal is sculpted. According to the label, the serpentine is most probably from Jade Creek, near Mount Vernon, Washington).

References and Suggested Readings:

• Baylor, Byrd; Parnall, Peter, illustrator, 1974, Everybody needs a rock: Scribner, 32 p.
• Bishop, A. C.; Woolley, A. R.; Hamilton, W. R., 1999, Philip’s minerals, rocks and fossils; 2nd ed.: G. Philip, in association with the Natural History Museum, 336 p.
• Knoblach, D. A., 1994, Guide to geologic, mineral, fossil, and mining history displays in Washington: Washington Geology, v. 22, no. 4, p. 11-17.
• Pough, F. H., 1996, A field guide to rocks and minerals; 5th ed.: Houghton Mifflin Co. (Peterson Field Guide 7), 396 p.
• Prinz, Martin; Harlow, George; Peters, Joseph, editors, 1978, Simon & Schuster’s guide to rocks and minerals: Simon and Schuster, 607 p.
• Waugh, Peter; Sunderland, Don, illustrator, 2002, The great Cannon Beach mouse caper: Educare Press, 99 p.