Howardites

A printable worksheet for the lesson Meteorwrongs: rocks that fool people (Start here: Beginner). It prints on A4 without the website around it. The answers are on a separate sheet for the teacher.

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Start here: Beginner · Ages 7 and upHowardites worksheet

Meteorwrongs: rocks that fool people

Name:Class:Date:

Key words

Meteorite
A meteorite is a piece of space rock that has survived its fall through the air and landed on Earth.
Meteorwrong
A meteorwrong is an Earth rock or object that someone mistakes for a meteorite.
Slag
Slag is the glassy, often bubbly waste left behind when metal is made from ore, and it is the most common rock mistaken for a meteorite.
Magnetite
A black, strongly magnetic iron oxide found in some meteorites and in many Earth rocks that are mistaken for meteorites.
Hematite
Hematite is a common iron oxide mineral that is heavy and dark and is often mistaken for a meteorite, but it leaves a red-brown streak.
Basalt
A dark, fine-grained volcanic rock made mainly of pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar, found on Earth and on other worlds.

Choose the right answer

Circle the letter of the right answer.

  1. What colour streak does magnetite leave on the back of a tile?
    • ARed-brown
    • BWhite
    • CBlack
    • DGreen
  2. Why is the name "meteorwrong" a joke?
    • AIt was named after a scientist called Dr Wrong
    • BIt is the old name for waste from a furnace
    • CIt means a meteor that flew in the wrong direction
    • DIt plays on meteorite sounding like meteor-right
  3. Along with showing an expert, what should you write down about a possible meteorite?
    • AThe name you would like to give it
    • BHow much it might sell for
    • CExactly where you found it
    • DHow long you carried it around
  4. Which pair of meteorwrongs are both made by people?
    • AMagnetite and hematite
    • BConcretions and basalt
    • CBasalt and flint
    • DSlag and rusty machinery

True or false?

Is the answer given right? Tick True or False.

  1. Why do good meteorite detectives ask several questions about a rock, not just one?

    Answer given: Meteorites fail every single test you try TrueFalse

  2. Why can a piece of basalt fool people?

    Answer given: Smooth black pieces can look like fusion crust TrueFalse

Write your answer

Answer in a word or a short sentence.

  1. Why are nearly all the rocks people send to museums from Earth?
  2. You rub a heavy rock on the back of a tile and it leaves a red-brown line. What is it most likely to be?

Task

Collect five interesting pebbles from a garden, park or beach (with permission). Make a detective chart and test each one for weight, magnetism, bubbles and colour. Which, if any, would you show an expert?

Howardites · free to copy for use in your classroom · answers are on the separate teacher's answer sheet