Rock Tumbling is a fantastic way to teach the physical sciences to high school students. It helps them understand the geology of rocks, how they form, and the process of erosion. They`ll also be able to develop an curiosity about the earth and science all over the world. In addition, tumbling helps children to recognize visual traits like shape, color and texture as well as distinct marks. How the Most Progessive Schools Are Using Rock Tumbling to Illustrate A great way for students in high school to discover the physical science is to perform hands-on activities that allow them to manipulate and manipulate objects. The tumbling of rocks is an awesome way to get outside and play with basic devices and objects. The majority of rock tumbling machines comprise of two parts: the motor and the barrel. These two components work together to tumble the stones and smooth the rocks. Tumbling rocks using abrasive grit is very popular among craft, jewelry and lapidary enthusiasts. It`s a fantastic method of bringing out the beauty and colors of a natural rock or mineral. It is also a popular pastime for people who enjoy searching for rocks in the wild. The tumbling of stones from the ground is a great method to get closer to nature and find the beauty that is hidden within every stone. What Rocks to Tumble? If you`re going to instruct rocks tumbling as a part of the science curriculum for high school You should provide only rocks that can be used to tumble. This will ensure the best results, and also ensure that your students get a fantastic experience studying the minerals and how they work together to form the rocks that they tumble. The best way to start is by determining the hardness of the rock. Ideally all of the rocks inside your tumbler should have similar in toughness, somewhere in between 6-8 in the Mohs Harness scale (see below). Another very important test to conduct is to feel the texture of the rock. You should generally look for rock with a smooth surface without any roughness. It`s pretty simple to check for yourself – you just need to rub a few rocks against each other and observe any sandy or gritty particles which fall off of the surface. This is a good way to tell if the rock has a smooth texture and is suitable for tumbling. How to Tumble Rocks Utilizing rock tumbling as an exercise in high science classes at school is an excellent method of engaging students. Before you begin, be sure to understand how to properly tumble rocks. The first step is to decide on the type of stones you`ll use for tumbling. This will determine what grade you require along with the size of the tumbler you will need and the length of time each step of this process takes. Next step to polish the rough stones into smooth, rounded gems. This is accomplished by using abrasive grit, which is made out of either carbide or silicon. After you have found the right grit, run your rock tumbler at least for a week. It is recommended to inspect the barrel every 7 days to observe how your rock progressing through the tumbling and polishing process. Tumbling Activities Tumbling on rocks is a fantastic method to introduce children in the field of physical science. It`s also a fun game for all the family. One of the most crucial things is to make sure that the tumbler is operated cautiously. It`s powered by electricity, and is made up of moving parts, and requires close adult supervision. - To ensure that this activity is a success the students should be able to comprehend weathering and erosion in the geologic world. This can be accomplished through using a simulation, which lets them be a part of this process. They will need to measure the visual aspects like texture, color and shape and distinct marks, length and mass. They may need to use the calipers for this. Harder rocks will take longer to tumble than softer ones Be sure to offer them with similar degree of hardness relative to the Mohs scale. Limestone, shale and marble are excellent choices. They`re well cemented and soft enough to show some wear over the course of a few days of tumble.