Rock Tumbling is an effective method of teaching physical sciences to high school students. It helps them learn about the formation of rocks, geology and form, as well as the process of erosion. They`ll also begin to show an fascination with the earth as well as science all over the world. Tumbling also helps children identify visual characteristics like color, shape texture, and distinctive marks. How the Most Progessive Schools Are Using Rock Tumbling to Illustrate An ideal way for high school students to discover the physical sciences is through hands-on exercises that permit students to manipulate objects. Tumbling rocks is a great exercise that allows them to take a walk and play with basic equipment and tools. Most rock tumbling machines consist of two parts: the motor and the barrel. These two components work together to crush the rocks and smooth the rocks. Tumbling rocks using abrasive stones is very popular among craft, jewelry and lapidary hobbyists. It is a great method to show the color and shine of a natural rock or mineral. It`s also a favored sport for those who like searching for rocks in the wild. The tumbling of stones from the ground is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with nature and discover the beauty that is hidden in every stone. What Rocks to Tumble? If you`re planning to teach the art of tumbling rocks as part of the science curriculum at your high school, you should only provide rocks that are suitable to tumble. This will give you the best results and will ensure that your students will have a fantastic experience studying the minerals and how they interact to create the rocks that they tumble. The best place to begin is by testing the strength of a rock. The ideal is that all the rocks inside your tumbler should have similar in toughness, somewhere in between 6-8 on the Mohs Harness scale (see below). Another test you must run is to feel for the texture on the stone. It is common to look for rock with a smooth surface without any granularity. It`s quite simple to test for yourself – you just need to rub a few rocks with your fingers and watch for sandy or gritty particles that fall off the surface. This is a good method to determine if the rock is smooth and is suitable for tumbling. How to Tumble Rocks Making use of rock tumbling for an activity in a high science class at school is a great method of engaging students. Before you begin ensure you know how to properly tumble rocks. Before you start, determine what kind of stones you`ll use for tumbling. This will determine the stone you will need in addition to the dimensions of your tumbler as well as the length of time each step of your process is expected to take. It is the next stage polishing the rough stones into smooth, rounded gems. This is done with the grit abrasive, which is made out of either silicon or carbide. Once you`ve found the appropriate size of grit, put it into your rock tumbler for at least one week. It`s best to check the barrel at least every 7 days to observe how your rock performing during the tumbling and polishing processes. Tumbling Activities Tumbling on rocks is a fantastic method to introduce children in the field of physical science. It also provides a fun game for all the family. It is crucial to do is make sure the tumbler is used carefully. It is powered by electricity, has moving parts, and needs strict supervision by an adult. - To achieve the success of this project the students should be able to comprehend erosion and weathering within the geologic world. This can be achieved through a simulation that lets them take part in and observe this process. They`ll have to assess the visual aspects like color, texture and shape and differentiating marks, length and mass. They may require the calipers to accomplish this. These rocks are more difficult to tumble than soft rocks Be sure to give them similar as their relative hardness in the Mohs scale. Limestone, shale, and marble are excellent choices. They`re well cemented and soft enough to allow for how they weather over a couple of days of tumble.