Having Fun Getting to Know the Minerals

MINERAL PROPERTIES


       Mineral properties are its luster, cleavage, color, and hardness. Luster tells us if whether the mineral is metallic or non-metallic. Cleavage tells us the shape of the mineral. If the mineral breaks evenly then it has cleavage. If the mineral breaks unevenly, then it has fracture. Color of the mineral tells what color it has, but sometimes its color is different than its streak. Hardness of the mineral tells us how hard the mineral is. To find the hardness we use Moh’s Scale. 




REFLECTION


1. What did you enjoy most about this project and why? 
   I enjoyed getting to know the minerals, because this is the first time I am actually learning about minerals.
2. What was most challenging for you during this project and why?
   The most challenging thing for me during this project was working with Lili.  Of course I would get my grade for my part, but still she did not seem to care about the lab, when I was almost done with my part.
3. What new skills did you learn from this project?
   I learned how to use the "Properties of Common Minerals" chartand also how to be patient.
4. Is there anything that you could have done to improve any of your work? Explain.  
   I would take the all the pictures first before starting the written or the video lab.

Our Shaking World

LITHOSPHERE

MUSIC VIDEOS
Plate Boundaries - There are three types of plate boundaries. They are divergent, convergent and transform boundaries. Alfred Wegener was the person who discovered the boundaries. During divergent boundary plates move apart from each other and they form mid-ocean ridges, sea-floor spreading or rift valleys. Convergent boundaries collide and they form mountains, trenches or volcanoes. During transform boundaries plates slide pass each other and they create earthquakes.
Seismic Waves - There are three types of seismic waves. They are P, S and L waves. P waves, also known as primary waves, are the fastest waves of an earthquake. They move back and forth. S waves, also known as secondary waves, are slowest waves of an earthquake. They move up and down. L waves, also known as surface waves, are the most dangerous and destructive waves of an earthquake. They move both back&forth and up&down.



BRAINPOP VIDEOS
Plate Tectonics - Theory of plate tectonics is a theory that Earth's crust is broken up into section called plates. Crust is outer layer of Earth. Mantle is a layer of Earth under the crust. Pangaea was a one single continent. Continental drift is when plates move continents move along with them. Evidence of continental drift is fossils, rocks, mountains, and puzzle. Results of plate boundaries are trenches, volcanoes, mountains, and earthquake.

Volcanoes - A volcano is an opening in the Earth that erupt lava, ash or gases. There are three types of volcanoes. They are cinder cone which is a volcanic cone that is made up of rock particles and dust; composite which is a volcanic cone that is most dangerous and made up of alternating layers of lava and rock particles; and shield which is a volcanic cone that is made up of layers of hardened lava. Lava is a melted rock above the crust. Magma is also a melted rock, but it's under the crust. Giant chain of composite volcanoes circling the pacific ocean called Ring of Fire. Basalt is a runny lava that comes from a shield volcano.

MODEL
Faults - There are three types of faults. They are normal, reverse and strike-slip faults. Normal fault is when a rock moves down. Reverse, also known as thrust, faults are when a rock moves upward. Strike-slip fault is when rocks slide pass each other. Faults create an earthquake.

ASTHENOSPHERE

PREDICTION MAP

Plate Tectonics - Divergent boundaries form ridges and rift valleys. Convergent boundaries form trenches and mountains. Transform boundaries cause an earthquake. Hot spot is an area of volcanic activity. It causes volcanoes.

DEMONSTRATION LAB

Convection Currents - When the plate moves above the mantle. Heat makes it move up and cool makes it move down.
Experiment: In this experiment we saw the food coloring going either up or down depending on the temperature of the water. The hot water held the food coloring on top of water. The hot water represented the heat in the mantle, which comes from the outer core. The cold water made the food coloring sank to the bottom of the tub. The cold water represents the lithosphere. This experiment explain how the plates move on top of the mantle, because when the crust is above the mantle it goes up, and when it comes to lithosphere, it sinks again.
Conclusion: The temperature plays a big role in this experiment. When the water is hot the food coloring goes up, and when the water is cold the food coloring sinks. Convection currents move the plates because they are under the crust. When the heat from the outer core comes to mantle, it goes up. And when the heat comes to lithosphere, it sinks. The process will be repeated, which causes plates to move.

 MANTLE

NARRATIVE VIDEO - POWERPOINT

Earth's Interior - Earth has four spheres: lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. Lithosphere is solid part of the Earth, where we live. Hydrosphere is liquid part of the Earth. Atmosphere is gas part of the Earth and biosphere is life part of the Earth. Earth also has 4 layers: crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. Crust is outer layer of Earth and there are two types of crust - continental and oceanic crusts. Continental crust is a crust that is made of land and oceanic crust is a crust below the ocean. Mantle is a layer of Earth that is made of magma. Asthenosphere is a layer of Earth that is part of mantle, and that's where the convection currents happens. Outer core is a layer that is made of iron and nickel. Inner core is the hottest layer of Earth that is also made of iron and nickel.

Earth's Interior

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CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION

Do you agree with the theory of plate tectonics? Why or why not?

I agree with the theory of plate tectonics, which says that Earth's crust is broken up into pieces. Some evidences of this theory are earthquakes and volcanoes. As the plates move, they create earthquakes. Plates move on top of mantle and that forms volcanoes.

REFLECTION

1. What did you enjoy most about this project and why?

I like that we had choices to choose from and that we could do anything, as long as it was creative, because in some other classes we don't have any choice and we have to do that assignment whether we want or not.

2. What was most challenging for you during this project and why?

 One challenge that I had to overcome was which activity to choose. I had a choice between Photographic Evidence and Narrative Video, which I didn't really want to do. So I decided to do powerpoint instead of Narrative Video. I was so glad that Ms. Kara said it was totally fine with her.

3. What new skills did you learn from doing this project?

Once more, I learned how to manage my time, that's why I got this project done on time.

4. Is there anything that you could have done to improve any of your work? Explain.

If I could, I would probably be more creative with my model.