3rd Grade Mining As A Profession Lesson Plan (Science)

Topic: Mining as a profession

Materials:

• Pictures of various mine environments (e.g. tunnels, underground shafts, etc.)
• Infographics explaining different mining professions (e.g. coal miner, diamond miner, etc.)
• Art supplies (e.g. construction paper, markers, etc.) for the students to create their own mine-themed projects

Warm-up

• Ask the students if they have ever heard of mining before. What associations do they have with mining?
• Lead a discussion about different types of mining (e.g. surface mining, underground mining, etc.) and the different materials that are typically mined (e.g. gold, coal, diamonds, etc.)

Direct Instruction

• Show the students pictures or videos of different types of mines and the equipment that is used in mining.
• Discuss the risks and challenges faced by miners, such as exposure to dangerous gases and minerals, as well as the difficulty of working underground in tight spaces.
• Explain that there are different professions involved in mining, such as geologists, engineers, and miners themselves.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs to complete a worksheet on mining, including questions about the risks and challenges faced by miners, as well as the different professions involved in mining.
• Go over the answers as a class, encouraging students to share their thinking.

Independent Practice

• Have students create a poster or presentation to inform others about the different professions involved in mining. They can include information such as the education needed, job duties, and typical salaries. Encourage them to be creative and use their own words, rather than just copying from the worksheet.

Closure

• Ask students to share one thing they learned about mining as a profession during the class.
• Remind them that mining can be dangerous, but that miners are trained to handle the hazards and it is a important job that helps provide many of the materials we use every day.

Assessment

• Observe students during independent practice to assess their understanding of the concept of mining and the hazards associated with it.
• Collect and review their posters or projects to assess their understanding of the mining process and their ability to explain one mining hazard and one mining benefit.