A girl wearing a helmet sitting surrounded by walls of crystals
JORGE GUERRERO/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Mini Read,

Cave of Crystals

By Laine Falk
From the February 2021 Issue
Vocabulary: crystal, cave, geode, lined, museums
Topic: Science,
Common Core Standards
  • RI.2.1 Key details RI.2.4 Vocabulary RI.2.5 Nonfiction text features RI.2.10 Read grade 2- appropriate informational text SL.2 Participate in conversations about grade 2 texts
TEKS Standards
  • Social Studies
    (6) Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions in the community, state, and nation. The student is expected to: (A) identify major landforms and bodies of water, including each of the continents and each of the oceans, on maps and globes.
  • Science
    (7) Earth and space. The student knows that the natural world includes earth materials. The student is expected to: (A) observe, describe, and compare rocks by size, texture, and color.

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JIM MCMAHON/MAPMAN R

The Pulpí Geode is in Spain.

Imagine crawling into a cave under the ground. It is chilly and dark.

Now you turn on your flashlight. You can’t believe what you see.

Everywhere you look, you see crystals. They cover the walls and the floor. They sparkle in the light.

Watch where you walk! They’re sharp.

As it turns out, you’re inside a giant geode.

What Is a Geode?

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

 

You may have seen a geode before. It’s a kind of rock. The rock is usually gray, lumpy, and not that interesting.

But when you crack it open, surprise! It’s lined with crystals. The crystals can be clear or colors like green or purple.

You can buy geodes at shops and see them in museums. Many geodes can fit in your hand. But some are large enough for people to walk inside!

Giant Geode

The Pulpí Geode is one of the big ones. It is one of the largest geodes in the world.

Experts have been studying it. They think it is about 2 million years old!

Slideshows (1)
Activities (3)
Skills Activities
Slideshows (1)
Activities (3) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities

More About the Article

Science Focus

Geology

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. BEFORE READING

Preview Vocabulary (3-5 minutes)

  • Play the online vocabulary slideshow. This article’s featured words are crystal, cave, geode, lined, and museums.

Preview the Nonfiction Text Features/Visuals (5-10 minutes)

  • Take a look at the nonfiction text features. First, focus on the big photo. Ask kids to share what they notice about the cave and who they see in it.
  • Can they find the caption pointing to the big photo of the woman in the cave? A caption is a word or group of words that give information about a photo. What does the caption say? (Geologist in Pulpi Cave)

Introduce Nosey (3 minutes)

  • Point out our doggie character Nosey at the top of page 3. Ask someone to read her voice bubble.
  • Explain that Nosey pops up throughout Storyworks 2. Not only does she have a long nose to sniff out facts, but she’s also nosy! She’s curious and wants to know about everything. 

2. READ THE ARTICLE (10 minutes)

  • You can read this short article aloud together as a class, in small groups, or individually.
  • Point out the context clues that help define the bold words geode, lined, and museums. 

3. AFTER READING

ELA Focus: Quiz (10 minutes)

  • Pass out the quiz for a quick comprehension check. 

ELA Focus: Key Details (20 minutes)

  • It’s time to help Nosey fill out her Fact File! Print out Nosey’s Fact File from the Resources section of our website. Kids can find facts from the article.
  • Each fact box is scaffolded to help kids know what to write.
  • Kids can share their facts with a partner, the other students at their tables, or the class.

Text-to-Speech