Fun with Rocks and Minerals

Rocks and Minerals Craft and Activity Ideas

Learning about Rocks and Minerals can involve a lot more than just a trip to rock and mineral show.   Try out the fun ideas below to supplement your badge work. 

Make sedimentary rock cookies.

These bar cookies are made in layers just like the layers of mud, sand, shells, etc. that sedimentary rocks are made of.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers – crushed
  • 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (6oz) bag of chocolate chips
  • 1 (6oz) bag of peanut butter chips
  • 1 cup of chopped nuts

 

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
2. Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbs over the butter.
3. Pour condensed milk evenly over the crumbs.
4. Layer the remaining ingredients in order evenly over the top.
5. Press down gently. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.
6. Let cool. Cut into bars. Enjoy!

If you are using badges as part of your schoolwork, search for sedimentary rock cookies online to find several varieties of this  project as well as free printable lesson sheets such as those found on the blog JDaniel4’s Mom.

Go on a rock hunt.

Look around your back yard, or take a trip to a park or hiking trail, and see how many different rocks you can find. Are they sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic? How can you tell?

 

Learn about the rock cycle by making your own “rocks”

NOTE! THIS ACTIVITY MUST BE DONE UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION!

You will need following materials:

  • crayons and a crayon sharpener
  • 2 pieces of wood
  • candle
  • aluminum pie pan
  • safety goggles
  • ruler
  • heavy duty aluminum foil
  • hammer
  • clothes pin
  • water
  • matches

Instructions:

  1. Cut two pieces of heavy aluminum foil, bout 8″ x 8″ and stack for double thickness.
  2. Use the crayon sharpener to create a pile of crayon shavings (sediments) in the center of the foil. Using different color crayons will allow you to see your rock formation better.
  3. Fold over the edges of your foil so that no “sediment” can fall out and place it between the two boards.
  4. Put on your safety goggles. Now hammer the top board to flatten and compact the shavings.
  5. Open the packet and see what happened to your sediment when pressure was applied. What type of rock does this represent?
  6. Next, rewrap your “rock” and place it back between the boards. Put your goggle back on and hammer the top board again for even more pressure.
  7. Open your packet again and discuss the changes in your “rock”. What kind of rock do you have now?
  8. Finally, rewrap your “rock” one more time and hold it over a candle for several minutes using a clothes pin so that you do not burn your fingers.
    Let your “rock” cool, unwrap it and discuss what you see. What kind of rock was made when you added heat?