1. This may seem like a silly question, but we’ll ask it anyway….What is a rock? You may want to see what a geologist has to say about this, so check out the course web page links, and you’ll find The-Stupid-Page-of Rocks, which you can use as an introduction to rocks.
   
2. What are the three basic types of rocks? Very briefly describe how each type is formed. Understand how the formation of the different types of rocks relates to what geologists call “the rock cycle”. (see “The Rock Cycle” link, part .011)
   
3. Study the large rock samples to see some of the basic characteristics of the three rock types. Also take a look at the rock sample boxes; they contain a variety of each rock type.
   
4. Next question. What is a mineral? Obviously, to a geologist a mineral is not quite the same thing as a rock, otherwise we wouldn’t ask this question, right? So how is a mineral different from a rock? A nice web page for learning about minerals (and geology in general) is listed as “Kentucky Geology” under links on the course web page.
   
5. Part of the description of specific minerals is a characteristic called “hardness”. What does hardness mean in geology, and why might it be important to know the hardness of a particular mineral? Notice in the course web page the link called “What is important about hardness”. Check it out.
   
6. A scale of hardness was developed by French mineralogist Friederich Mohs. Please read about this scale, and understand how the relative hardness of an unknown mineral specimen could be determined. Notice the part about how common objects (fingernail, penny, penknife) can be used to help determine the relative hardness of an unknown mineral. We have mineral sample boxes that contain 9 of the 10 different minerals used to define Mohs’ hardness scale. Your teacher will provide you with one of these minerals. Using common objects, estimate (as closely as possible) the hardness of this mineral.
   
7. Now relate our fossil hunt to the rest of this geology information. What basic type of rock (igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic) yielded our fossils? Attempt to assign the rocks to a more specific grouping (more specific than just igneous, sedimentary, etc.) When and how were these rocks formed (based on the evidence available)?
   
8. Use one of the fossil identification guides in the “Kentucky Geology” link to identify fossils to the level of major group. The major groups listed in this web page are what biologists would refer to as Phyla or Classes. Please identify and be able to recognize representatives of at least 5 different major groups. Once you have identified specimens representing the 5 major groups, notify your instructor so they may check your identifications. You may use this as an opportunity to check up on your instructor, because chances are, they are as new to this as you are.