Invite each child to take a nature walk with their families and pick up ONE rock. The children could bring these to the virtual or traditional classroom. Ask each child to describe their rock and talk about how they found it.
*Are rocks older than you or younger than you?
*Brainstorm all the things that rocks are used for.
*Let children make a design for something they'd like to build with blocks.
*Let children paint rocks or use other art media to make paperweights.
*Encourage children to start their own rock collection with this idea. Cut an egg crate in half. Attach a pipe cleaner handle and use it to collect little rocks and pebbles when they go for walks with their families.
Note! Remind the children to return the rocks to nature after they have finished investigating them.