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

• 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

•  Know
•  Know
•  Know

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!)