In this activity, students will understand that rocks are made up of many compacted pieces of material called minerals. Students will begin with a variety of rocks that are labeled igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Students will examine each group of rocks using only the naked eye and either draw or take notes on what they see. After students have enough time to examine the rocks without any examination tools, provide each student with a hand lens and ask her to look at the rocks again. Students should see crystal formations which they may or may not have seen previously. Students should also see a much more diverse distribution of color and layering in the rocks. Following observation time, give students the opportunity to discuss their observations and to compare their observations with their classmates.
Take students on a nature walk. Give each student his own hand lens and allow students to lift rocks and sticks along the way. Have students bring science journals or clipboards to record their observations. Tell students that they should use the hand lenses to look closely at any insects they find. Students should be able to identify what an insect is and whether or not they observe insects on the nature walk. After the walk, students will make drawings of the insects they find, as well as try to describe their appearances and habitats. For a project extension, have students graph the number, type and locations of the found insects.
Talk to students about fingerprints. Explain what arches, loops and whorls are in terms of fingerprints. In addition, explain latent versus visible fingerprints and how they relate to the science of forensics. Give students hand lenses and allow each to examine her own fingerprints and the fingerprints of her friends. Have students make drawings of their fingerprints in their science journals. Then, have them use an ink pad to put their fingerprints in their science journals. Give students time to use their hand lenses to look for latent fingerprints around the classroom or school. Students will note the location of the prints they find. For an extension of the lesson, consider graphing or creative writing activities.
Help students learn to observe the world around them with hand lenses. Focus observations on household products by having students examine white solids. Set up stations with a sample of flour, salt, sugar, cornstarch and powder. Encourage students to use their sense of smell, sight and touch for this activity. Using hand lenses, students will observe the appearance and texture of each material and try to predict what each item is. Explain how crystal formation, granulation and particle size affect the appearance of each solid.