Mineral Report

Students will write a 5 paragraph report, written neatly or typed up and printed, on a mineral of their choosing. Grammar and punctuation should be 4th grade level, and written in the child's own words... no work copied from the Internet will be accepted. 

Your child started with a tree map listing all the items they need; a copy is available below. There's also a copy of the grading rubric. Your child was given a copy of both of these papers. Make sure your child has all required information in their paragraphs.

You'll notice the grading rubric has 2 totals listed. One is a science grade (out of 21), and one is a writing grade (out of 10). Your child will receive 2 grades on this assignment. The drawing should be neat, fully colored, and outlined with an ultra-fine point Sharpie or black pen.

The due date will be noted in your child's agenda; if it's typed up, please make sure it's printed and ready to turn in that morning. Every day late loses a half a letter grade.

There's also a sample report on a made-up mineral called starburst; I hope it helps your child understand the quality of writing expected for this assignment.​ Minimal work will receive a minimal grade: just meeting the requirements will earn a C- at best. Expect quality research, writing, and careful attention to detail.

To see who chose which mineral for their report, click here. Students may work together as long as the report they turn in has their work in it, not copied from another student.

The buttons below are good places to research for extra information on common minerals. 

Tree Map

This is a sample of the notes we took in class on a fictional mineral called starburst. Your child should include all the information listed in the tree map specific to the mineral they chose.  

Grading Rubric

The rubric lists all the required parts of the report. Make sure all work is completed to 4th grade standards. 

Sample Report

This is a completed sample report on the fictional mineral starburst. Your child's report should include details from their tree map in complete sentences, along with a detailed illustration fully colored and outlined in ultra-fine point Sharpie.