Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks

Ernest D. Riggsby, Professor of Science Education
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
November 2001

[Review of Rocks and Minerals Series] Rocks and Minerals is an instructional package of four 20-minute VHS cassettes and a comprehensive teachers' guide. When combined with a basic rock and mineral collection and a few common materials, this package would make a structured unit on rocks and minerals that would be ideal for a beginning teacher. In addition to a complete review of concepts, vocabulary, and instructional experiences, the kit also includes activities, and evaluation instruments. A script for the videos will be especially helpful for beginning teachers, and the publishers grant liberal permission to locally reproduce the assessment and evaluation tools. The content of the unit is restricted to minerals, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, but the vocabulary from these topics is richer and broader typically found in middle school science textbooks. Each of the videocassettes features "You decide" segments that can provide discussion or extension ideas. The program conforms to the National Science Education Standards and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy. Teachers at all levels of experience and subject matter mastery will find this instructional tool useful for any number of different applications, including a basic program, a short-course review, or a remedial program.