BE ADVISED: On Thursday, October 17 our museums will participate in a brief earthquake drill. Guests will hear an overhead announcement, but are not required to participate, nor will the building be evacuated. Please plan your visit accordingly or contact us at info@nhm.org or 213.763.DINO if you have any questions or would like to reschedule your visit.

Rocks & Minerals: An Exploratory Guide

Welcome to the wondrous world of rocks and minerals!

Cover of TAC guide 5

Overview

Welcome to the wondrous world of rocks and minerals! In this guide, we’ll learn that rocks and minerals are formed and changed through some really fascinating processes on Earth. We’ll also figure out how to differentiate between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks – three major groups of rocks – by referring to their properties and methods of formation, also known as the rock cycle! By the time you get to the end of this guide, you’ll also know how to identify some common rocks and minerals. Pretty cool, huh?

Materials

  • Drawing or writing utensil
  • Specific materials for follow-up activity on pg. 13
  • Rocks & Minerals activity booklet (download above)

Standards

CCSS: 5.3 EARTH SCIENCE