Cookie Mining Activity - 4 th Grade October

Activity Overview Students are introduced to the economics and environmental responsibility of mining by

“mining” a chocolate chip cookie. Teams of 2 buy “property” and “mining equipment;” pay for the “mining operation” and

“cleanup/reclamation;” and receive money for the “ore mined”. The objective is to develop the mine, safeguard the environment and make a profit. The presenter leads the class step by step through the activity and discussion points. Helpers prep during the presentation as noted below.

Materials Cookie Mining Worksheet (1 per team) Grid paper (1 per team) Chocolate chip cookie (1 per team) Toothpicks Paper clips

Activity Instructions 1. Team receives a Cookie Mining Worksheet and a sheet of grid paper.2. Team buys one “mining property” either:

a. Chips Ahoy - $3b. Chips Deluxe - $5

3. Team buys its own “mining tool(s)”. More than one may be purchased. a. Round toothpick - $2 eachb. Paper clips - $6 each

4. Mining costs are $1 per minute; maximum 5-minutes of mining.5. Sale of each chocolate chip brings $3. Broken chocolate chips must be combined to

make one whole chip.6. Before mining begins, team determines mine size by placing cookie on grid paper and

tracing the cookie’s outline with pencil. 7. After mining, to determine reclamation/cleanup:

Students use the mining tools (not fingers) to push the cookie pieces and crumbs back into the grid’s outlined area.

Any cookie pieces that are outside the cookie outline are cleanup/reclamation costs ($1 per square).

Updated 10/10/19

Cooking Mining Rules1. Only mining tools can touch the cookie – not fingers!2. 5-minute maximum to mine. Mining is $1 per minute, so note time if finish early.3. More than one tool can be purchased.4. Only one cookie.5. A team is successful if it realizes a profit and is a good caretaker.

Set Up Instructions During presentation, helpers prep all materials to hand out to the students. Students return to their seats following the presentation and partner up. Helpers walk the cookies, tools, worksheet and grid paper to each table. As needed, helpers remind students to trace their cookie, assist with the

worksheet, clean up, etc. The presenter sets a timer (phone, wall clock) and announces when all students

begin mining, stop mining and begin the reclamation process. Upon completion, assist students with completing the worksheet and assessing

their success. Presenter reviews discussion points on last slide.

ReviewEach student should have learned about decision making, a simplified flow of an operating mine, the importance of being a good caretaker of resources, and the difficulty of reclamation (especially in returning the cookie to the exact size that it was before the “mining” started).

Please throw away all used cookies, place other supplies back in respective bags/containers and together with the presentation, activity instructions and login sheets return the Activity Bag to the Teacher workroom. Thank you!

Adapted from Women in Mining Education Foundation Activities and Earthsciweek.org

Updated 10/10/19