Beyond Penguins's List: SECO 2010

A professional social network for teachers interested in the Beyond Penguins Project, the polar regions, and in integrating science and literacy in their classrooms.

This photo gallery allows teachers and students to browse polar images by keyword or by Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears issue. Each image includes credit and use information.

This article provides content knowledge about rocks, minerals, the rock cycle, and the geologic specimens of the polar regions.

This article provides an overview of the reading comprehension strategy, determining importance. It also includes links to templates that teachers can print and use with students as they read "Reader of the Rocks." The templates serve as guided practice in applying this strategy to informational text.

This nonfiction article is written for use with upper-elementary students (grades 4-5). Students read about Julie Codispoti, assistant curator at the United States Polar Rock Repository, located at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center. The article provides an overview of Antarctic geology as well as geology as a career. It can also provide practice in determining importance in nonfiction text. Modified versions are available for students in grades K-1 and 2-3. Each grade level is available as a text-only document, illustrated book, or electronic book with audio narration.

This unit is an in-depth look at the formation of metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. The students will use science, language arts, class discussions, activities, and math skills to come to an understanding of how rocks are formed, changed, and used today. This unit uses a variety of approaches to learning, including writing, modeling, experimenting, measuring, and testing. Scroll through the unit to find the activity "Changing Rocks" that was discussed in the presentation.

This article pairs science and literacy lessons about rocks, minerals, and the rock cycle for grades K-2 and 3-5. Lessons are aligned to national science and literacy standards.

This article provides an overview of misconceptions that elementary students may have about rocks and minerals, how teachers can use formative assessment to probe for student misconceptions, and suggestions for correct scientific instruction.

This page provides information about an Antarctic Rock Box that teachers can borrow from the United States Polar Rock Repository at Byrd Polar Research Center, The Ohio State University. The box includes rock and mineral samples and fossils (many of which are from Antarctica), hand lenses, scratch plates, an authentic field notebook, geology books, and a teacher's guide.

This issue of the free online magazine, Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, focuses on the basic characteristics of rocks and minerals, the types of rocks, the rock cycle, and the specimens found in the polar regions. The issue highlights lessons that allow students to observe rock and mineral specimens, perform classification exercises, and read to develop their content knowledge. This issue's Feature Story, "Reader of the Rocks," focuses on the discipline of geology and provides an opportunity for students to practice determining importance in nonfiction text.

This bookshelf highlights children's literature about rocks, minerals, and geologists. Written by a children's librarian.