Virtual Programming + At Home or In the Classroom Curriculum

While nothing can replace an immersive visit to the museum to enjoy our exhibits and experience specimens first-hand, the Gillespie Museum's rock and mineral curriculum is available to you at home or in the classroom! Through short videos and hands-on activities, you can implement some of our most popular programs as a teacher, a homeschool educator, or on your own through the lesson plans provided here. The lesson plans also include some fun, cross-curricular extension activities that you can incorporate!

Kits for these activities were provided to the Volusia County School District by the Gillespie Museum. Contact your District Science Specialist if you would like to obtain one of the kits for use with these materials in your classroom. If you are not a Volusia County Schools teacher, you can use these lesson plans with your own specimens. We used this rock and mineral kit as a source for specimens.

If you use these lessons in your classroom or at home, we really appreciate it if you email [email protected] with the number of students who participated. We'd also love to hear your feedback!

Mystery Mineral Lab

This laboratory activity introduces minerals and some of their physical properties, including color, streak, hardness, luster, and clarity. By studying mineral properties, you can learn to identify some mystery minerals! First, watch the five-minute Mystery Mineral lesson video. Then, complete the appropriate lab observation activity. All the information you need, including printables, is in the Mystery Mineral Lesson Plans. 

The Rock Cycle

Explore the rock cycle through this activity that features a five-minute introductory Rock Cycle video along with a rock observation activity that incorporates specimens of each of the rock types mentioned in the video. All the information you need to complete this lesson is in the Rock Cycle Lesson Plans.

Caves

A five-minute video foray into caves and cave formations.  To accompany this video, we offer an elementary-level learn-along Cave Basics activity sheet based on the video content.  Also available is the Gillespie Museum's more in-depth cave exploration video slideshow Florida's Caves and Karst Geology (or in PDF format), and a more advanced Caves worksheet.

More Educational Resources

Looking for additional activities, crafts, coloring pages, fact sheets, and downloadables? Visit our Educational Resources pages!