Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | Rocks: Characteristics

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This stage aims to introduce students to the topic of rock characteristics, highlighting the importance of understanding the types of rock formation and their interference in the landscape. Additionally, it seeks to develop socio-emotional skills such as self-awareness and self-control by encouraging students to reflect on their emotions and behaviors during the learning process.

Main Goals

1. Identify the characteristics and types of formation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.

2. Understand how different types of rocks influence the landscape and the environment around them.

3. Develop self-awareness and self-control skills by relating emotions and behaviors to learning about rocks.

Introduction

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

Emotional Warm-up Activity

Imaginary Journey through Rocks

The chosen emotional warm-up activity is Creative Visualization. This technique involves creating vivid and positive mental images to promote a state of relaxation and concentration. Creative visualization helps students calm down, focus on the present moment, and prepare their minds for learning. It is an excellent way to start the lesson, as it contributes to the development of self-awareness and self-control.

1. Ask the students to sit comfortably in their chairs, with their backs supported by the backrest and their feet firmly on the ground.

2. Instruct them to close their eyes and breathe deeply, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, three times.

3. Guide them to imagine that they are in a calm and beautiful place, surrounded by nature.

4. Ask them to visualize different types of rocks around them – igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks – and to imagine touching and exploring these rocks.

5. Encourage them to pay attention to the colors, textures, and shapes of the rocks, observing how they feel while interacting with them.

6. After a few minutes, ask them to slowly open their eyes and return their focus to the classroom, maintaining the feeling of calm and focus.

Content Contextualization

Rocks are more than just pieces of the Earth's crust; they tell fascinating stories about the formation of our planet and how it has changed over time. Imagine an igneous rock, formed from the cooling of magma, or a sedimentary rock, which originated from sediments accumulated over centuries. Even pressure and heat can transform a common rock into a metamorphic rock. Just as rocks change over time, we also undergo transformations and face challenges that shape who we are. Understanding these rock formations helps us appreciate the resilience and beauty of changes, both in nature and in our personal lives.

Development

Duration: 60 to 75 minutes

Theoretical Framework

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

1. Main Components of Rocks

2. Igneous Rocks: Formed by the cooling and solidification of magma. They can be intrusive (formed inside the Earth, like granite) or extrusive (formed on the surface, like basalt).

3. Sedimentary Rocks: Resulting from the compaction and cementation of sediments over time. Examples include sandstone and limestone. These rocks often contain fossils and are important for studying Earth's history.

4. Metamorphic Rocks: Formed by the transformation of other rocks under high pressure and temperature, without melting. Examples include marble (originated from limestone) and slate (originated from shale).

5. Influence of Rocks on the Landscape

6. Rocks influence the topography and vegetation of a region. For example, areas with a predominance of limestone may feature karst landscapes, with caves and formations like stalactites and stalagmites.

7. More resistant rocks, like granite, can form mountains and rugged terrain, while sedimentary rocks, being more fragile, tend to form plains and valleys.

8. Analogies to Facilitate Understanding

9. Explain that rocks are like books of Earth's history. Each type of rock tells a different part of this story, from the initial formation of the planet to the processes that continue to shape the Earth's crust.

10. Use emotional analogies: just as a metamorphic rock transforms under pressure and heat, students can also grow and change in response to challenges and experiences in their lives.

Socioemotional Feedback Activity

Duration: 35 to 40 minutes

Exploration of Rocks and Emotions

This activity involves creating models of rocks with clay while students discuss how different emotional situations can be compared to the processes of rock formation. The activity aims to integrate geological knowledge with socio-emotional development, encouraging students to recognize and express their emotions.

1. Distribute pieces of clay to the students and ask them to mold three types of rocks: an igneous rock, a sedimentary rock, and a metamorphic rock.

2. While molding the rocks, encourage them to think about situations in their lives that resemble the processes of formation of these rocks. For example, a moment of transformation can be compared to a metamorphic rock.

3. After molding, ask students to share their creations and the emotional analogies they made.

4. Note the emotions cited by the students and discuss how each type of rock represents different emotional states and personal growth.

Group Discussion

To apply the RULER method, start the discussion by asking students to recognize the emotions they felt during the molding activity (Recognize). Ask what caused these emotions and what their consequences were, helping them better understand their feelings (Understand). Encourage students to name the emotions they identified, providing a rich emotional vocabulary (Name).

Then, guide the students to express these emotions appropriately, whether through words or gestures (Express). Finally, discuss strategies to regulate these emotions in future situations, promoting self-control and resilience (Regulate). Remember to create a safe and welcoming environment so that students feel comfortable sharing their experiences.

Conclusion

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

Emotional Reflection and Regulation

Suggest that students reflect on the challenges faced during the lesson and how they managed their emotions in one or two paragraphs. They can write about specific moments when they felt strong emotions, such as frustration when trying to mold the clay or joy when successfully creating the desired shape. Then, propose a group discussion, where each student can share their reflections and listen to those of their peers, fostering a supportive environment.

Objective: The objective of this subsection is to encourage self-evaluation and emotional regulation, helping students identify effective strategies for dealing with challenging situations. By reflecting on their experiences and emotions, students develop greater self-awareness and self-control, which is essential for their personal and academic growth.

Closure and A Look Into The Future

Explain to the students the importance of setting personal and academic goals related to the lesson content. Ask each student to write a personal goal, such as improving their ability to cope with frustrations, and an academic goal, such as learning more about types of rocks and their formations. Encourage them to share these goals with the class, creating an action plan to achieve them and discussing how they can support each other.

Possible Goal Ideas:

1. Develop greater emotional resilience when facing challenges.

2. Increase knowledge about the characteristics and formations of rocks.

3. Apply the learning about rocks in future projects, such as fieldwork or experiments.

4. Improve the ability to work in groups and share knowledge and experiences.

5. Strengthen the ability for self-evaluation and setting personal and academic goals. Objective: The objective of this subsection is to strengthen students' autonomy and the practical application of learning, aiming for continuity in academic and personal development. By setting clear and actionable goals, students feel more motivated and confident to face new challenges and apply the knowledge acquired in future situations.