Granite in Its Individual Components –Separating Heterogeneous Mixtures

The “Granite in Its Individual Components” module was developed to introduce students to the concept of heterogeneous mixtures using a natural rock as an example. In six exercise sets, students first examine a piece of granite as a whole using the magnifying glass provided. In the next step, they work with small containers of crushed granite. The minerals previously identified within the rock can now be physically separated and assigned to the four main mineral components of granite: alkali feldspar, plagioclase, quartz, and mica. Samples of these four minerals are also included in the teaching kit.

The module additionally contains two containers with different types of sand, illustrating the diversity of sand as a sediment and representing the next stage in the weathering cycle following the crushed granite.

Cross-curricular exercises in mathematics complement the practical activities and develop a range of skills, including estimation, percentage calculations, and the rule of three.