Rock Tumbling is an excellent method of teaching physical sciences to high school students. It can help them understand the geology of rocks, how they form and how they form, as well as the process of erosion. They`ll also develop an interest in the earth and science in general. Tumbling also helps youngsters recognize visual qualities like color, shape texture, and distinct marks. Why the Most Progessive Schools Are Using Rock Tumbling to Teach One of the best ways for high school students to learn about physical sciences is through hands-on exercises that permit them to manipulate and manipulate objects. Tumbling rocks is a great activity that lets them get outside and play with basic tools and materials. The majority of rock tumbling machines comprise of two major parts: the motor and the barrel. These two components work together to crush stones and smooth them. Tumbling rocks using abrasive grit is extremely popular among jewelry, craft, and lapidary enthusiasts. It is a great way to bring out the color and shine of the raw rock or mineral. It`s also a favored hobby for people who enjoy looking for natural stone specimens in the wild. Squeezing stones from the ground is a fantastic method to get closer to nature and appreciate the beauty within every stone. What Rocks to Tumble? If you`re planning to teach the art of tumbling rocks as part of the high school science curriculum it is essential to provide rocks that are suitable to tumble. This will give you the best results, and also ensure that your students get a amazing experience studying the minerals and how they function to create the rocks they tumble. A good place to start is to test the hardness of a rock. The ideal situation is that all of the stones in your tumbler must be about the same hardness, which is somewhere between 6-8 according to the Mohs Harness scale (see below for more details).). Another important test to take is to feel the texture on the stone. It is common to look for stones with an untextured surface, without granularity. It`s pretty simple to determine if you are able to do it yourself: you just need to rub a few rocks together and look for any fine or sandy particles falling off the surface. This is a good method of determining if the rock is smooth and is suitable to tumble. How to Tumble Rocks Utilizing rock tumbling as an activity in a high science classes can be a great method of engaging students. However, before you start ensure you know how to properly tumble rocks. To begin, you must decide what kind of stones you will use for tumbling. This will determine what is the best grit for you, as well as the dimensions of your tumbler and how long each step in it will require. The next step is polishing the rough stones into smooth, rounded gems. This is accomplished using Abrasive grit. It is composed of carbide or silicon. When you`ve got the proper grade of grit, run your tumbler for at minimum one week. It is a good idea to check the barrel at least every seven days to check how your rock progressing in the tumbling and polishing processes. Tumbling Activities Tumbling on rocks is a fantastic opportunity to introduce students in the field of physical science. It also provides a fun game for all the family. Most important to do is make sure that the tumbler has been used with care. It uses electricity, is a moving device and requires close adult supervision. - To be successful in this exercise, students need to understand erosion and weathering within the natural world. This can be accomplished through a simulation that lets them be a part of this process. They`ll be required to evaluate visually based characteristics like shape, texture and color and distinguishing marks, length and mass. They may require calibrators for this purpose. These rocks are more difficult to tumble than the soft ones Be sure to give them similar as their relative hardness in the Mohs scale. Limestone, shale, and marble are the best choices. They are well-cemented, but soft enough to show some wear over the course of a few days of tumble.