After a lesson on types of minerals, have students work in groups. Display a large number of minerals on each lab table. However, do not tell the students what they are. Ask the students to look at all of the minerals and figure out which ones are the same. Another option is to place minerals on the table, along with items which are made from those minerals such as computer chips and cell phones. The students must match the minerals with the items that it can make. This activity gives the students time to work with their peers in a hands-on lesson. Furthermore, the students will not just look at the minerals in a textbook, but feel and see them first hand.
Instead of a traditional lab, bring students down to the school computer lab to engage in WebQuests. WebQuests will provide them with information about minerals, and show them how to use the information in practical ways. Students are still learning traditional information, but in a newer way. Have them try the Rocks and Minerals WebQuest to learn basic information, such as physical characteristics, of minerals. The What is a Mineral? WebQuest allows students to engage in an in depth study on a mineral of their choosing.
Incorporate workstations into your mineral lab sessions. For example, set up one table where students have to sort minerals by color, another where they have to sort minerals by hardness and another where they have to draw minerals. If some students are not interested in one particular workstation, they still have others to intrigue them. Divide the students up into groups or allow them to work individually. In any case, they all must complete all of the workstations and accompanying questions within a specific, allotted amount of time.
Watching a teacher perform a lab can get boring for some students. Therefore, allow them to lead the lab work. Divide the students up into groups and assign them a specific topic about minerals. For example, ask them to figure out which mineral of a group is the hardest or if they can find a mineral that changes colors under certain conditions. Give them a few days or weeks to research and work on their project. Once they have found an answer, they will present the project to the class and teach them how to do the experiment they performed to answer their hypothesis.