This educational resource describes the science behind volcanoes and volcanic processes. Topics include volcanic environments, volcano landforms, eruption dynamics, eruption products, eruption types, historical eruptions, and planetary volcanism. There are two animations, over 250 images, eight interactive tests, and a volcano crossword puzzle. Full description.

This website, from the American Museum of Natural History, highlights a former exhibition about diamonds. Beginning with a basic definition, it covers the formation, history, and mining & distribution of diamonds, as well as their use as gemstones and as an industrial material. Full description.

This web site describes three mineral locations in the area of Anthony's Nose, a prominent highland east of the Hudson River in New York State. Two of the sites are over 150 years old and have been long forgotten. Yet surprisingly minerals may still be easily collected at these sites. Unfortunately there has been much confusion about the exact localities and mineral occurrences. This paper attempts ... Full description.

This is a listing of mineral species arranged by physical and optical properties: hardness, streak, and luster; density; cleavage and fracture; refractive index; or color. Clicking on each property provides access to a list of minerals exhibiting that property; clicking on each mineral name provides access to more detailed information about it. Full description.

This web page provides an interactive petrological database of the ocean floor. The ultimate goal is to provide a robust, complete reference data library for the petrology and whole earth science communities. Users enter search parameters such as geographical name, latitude, longitude, elevation, tectonic setting, expedition name and chemistry, and receive information on the petrological condition ... Full description.

In this activity, students match photographs of igneous rocks with descriptions of their formation. There are also two teacher demonstrations that will help students to identify pumice and volcanic ash with graded bedding. Other pictures and descriptions are of breccia, columnar jointing in a basaltic lava flow, coarse grained granite, and phenocrysts in a porphyry. At the end of the activity students ... Full description.

This website integrates video footage and information with lesson plans and activities to teach students about the rock cycle and rock types. Storytelling is used to help students understand the changes a rock undergoes as it passes through the rock cycle. These activities are intended to be used at the end of a unit on rocks and minerals. There are lesson plans for the activities with materials, ... Full description.

This archive contains a collection of photographs of minerals which has been organized alphabetically. Students will find information about the physical properties of minerals along with crystals system, form, and habit. Each picture will have information about its locality and size. Ownership information is included where possible. Each mineral page features a photograph of the mineral with a brief ... Full description.

This website is provided by ThinkQuest, a global network of students, teachers, parents, and technologists dedicated to youth-centered learning on the internet. This ThinkQuest site is one of over 4000 student created entries. It discusses what rocks are; describes sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks; identifies properties of these rock types; and covers the rock cycle. Mineral identification, ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. This lesson focuses on sedimentary rocks and how they are formed. Students review the rock cycle and three rock types: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. They then write children's books about sedimentary rocks to explain the process to a younger audience. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion ... Full description.