- Recognize why it is important that we know what rocks and minerals are made of and why it is important to have an understanding of their physical properties
- Know what an atom is, what is made of, and how atoms are structured or put together
o Protons – positive charge
o Neutrons – no charge
o Electrons – negative charge
what an element is
what an ion is, what is meant by cation and anion
what a compound is and be aware that compounds are have different properties from the
elements that they are made out of
- Know the definition of a mineral.
- What are the major classes of minerals? Which is the most common? Why?
- Know what the definition of a rock is.
- Be familiar with the three major categories of rocks, how they form and their characteristics.
- What processes go into forming different types of rocks? o Igneous
- Volcanic and plutonic o Sedimentary
- Clastic & Chemical o Metamorphic
- Be able to describe how the three types of rock are all connected (THE ROCK CYCLE!)