Hello, friends! Today, we’re going to talk about something really exciting called “Rock by Rock.” It’s a special program that helps kids learn science in a fun and hands-on way. Let’s dive in and see what it’s all about!
“Rock by Rock” is a cool science program that lets you explore the world around you. Instead of just reading from a textbook, you get to do fun projects and activities. It’s like going on a science adventure!
This program is special because it includes kits that you can use to learn by doing. You might get to build things, explore nature, or even create a puppet show to teach others about animals like the pangolin. How fun is that?
With “Rock by Rock,” you can learn about all sorts of interesting topics. You might discover how dinosaurs lived, learn about endangered animals, or find out how we can help take care of our planet. It’s all about exploring and understanding the world!
The program is super easy to use. Teachers can quickly find lessons that are just right for you. Whether you’re learning about climate change or the wonders of nature, there’s something for everyone.
Even though “Rock by Rock” isn’t free, you can try a mini-lesson to see how much fun it is. If you like it, your school can get it for the whole class. It’s a great way to make science exciting and new!
So, if you’re ready to explore science in a whole new way, “Rock by Rock” might be just what you need. It’s all about learning by doing and having fun while you do it. Let’s get started on this amazing science journey!
Remember, science is all around us, and there’s always something new to discover. Happy exploring!
Rock Collection Adventure: Go on a nature walk with a family member or friend and collect different types of rocks. Once you have a collection, try to sort them by size, color, or texture. Discuss with your partner why you think rocks are different from each other. Can you find any rocks that look similar to the ones you saw in the “Rock by Rock” program?
Create a Nature Journal: Start a journal where you can draw pictures and write about the different things you observe in nature. Each week, pick a new topic to explore, like plants, animals, or weather. Use your journal to record what you learn from the “Rock by Rock” activities. Share your journal with your class or family and talk about your favorite discoveries.
Build a Mini Habitat: Using materials from around your home, create a small habitat for a toy animal. Think about what your animal needs to survive, like food, water, and shelter. How does this relate to what you learned about animals in the “Rock by Rock” program? Present your habitat to the class and explain how it helps your animal live happily.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hello, everybody! It is your Common Sense Editorial team, Tanner and Chrissy, coming at you every Tuesday on the Common Sense Education YouTube channel, the most viewed YouTube channel in the world. We just received some exciting news—we have the most popular channel in history! This achievement is thanks to the resources that support our organization. Education is a non-profit, and everything we provide is totally free.
One of the things we do is review materials that you can use in your classroom. Chrissy, what are we looking at today?
Oh, yes! Today, we’re going to be looking at “Rock by Rock.” I wish Ozzy Osbourne were featured in some way in “Rock by Rock,” but that’s not the case, so we’ll just move on. “Rock by Rock,” as you can see, is a project-based learning science module that is ready for you to use. We rated it four stars for grades one to five.
If you are looking for new science materials to use in your classroom this summer, and you want to shake things up a bit, “Rock by Rock” could be a good solution for you. It includes hands-on kits that engage students and encourage them to think in new ways. While “Rock by Rock” is not free, the pricing is reasonable and within reach for many schools.
The program offers hands-on, real-world, out-of-the-box modules. They provide virtual field experiences and projects that encourage thinking beyond traditional textbook learning. There’s informational text, interactive content, and an educator guide. I’ll show you what one of the projects looks like as well.
One of the critiques we have is that the amount and breadth of modules is fairly limited at this point, as it is still relatively new. So, you’ll want to stay tuned to see if it works for you.
I love how “Rock by Rock” is organized. Having seen many platforms where curricular elements are meant to be easy for teachers to implement, I find this one very simple to navigate. You can easily see what you’re getting. For example, there’s a clear toggle for K-2 or 3-5, and you can explore engaging topics like endangered species and dinosaur discovery.
The program also includes themes that go beyond rote learning, addressing how science affects the world and taking care of our planet. They have a clear mission and a take-action project that is age-appropriate, such as creating a puppet show to teach others about the pangolin.
The course content is clearly laid out, and while they don’t provide a lot of material for free, you can get a taste of what a lesson would look like. There is a limited free content option, allowing you to see one lesson without a time constraint.
For grades 3-5, there are similar thematic elements, including topics like climate change. If you’re looking to shake up your science class, this could be a cool way to do that.
In terms of pricing, it’s about $100 per year for 30 students in one classroom. It’s not overly expensive, and you can contact them for district pricing. They offer one free mini-lesson and a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is not common in educational platforms.
Overall, “Rock by Rock” is a way to engage kids in science beyond the textbook. It’s easy to implement and doesn’t require a lot of materials. It’s great to see that they include skills as a core component of the learning.
You can choose by topic and skill, and the content is regularly updated, allowing you to introduce new topics throughout the year. It reminds me a bit of Mystery Science, as they lean into the natural curiosity kids have about these topics.
Be sure to check out the review on Common Sense Education, and join us every Tuesday by subscribing to the channel. Like this video and comment below if you have questions—we will respond. See you next week!
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This version removes informal language, filler phrases, and any potentially inappropriate comments while maintaining the core content and structure.
