Igneous Rocks
About Igneous Rocks
There are two types of Igneous Rocks-
Intrusive: underneath Earth's surface
Extrusive: above the Earth's surface
Intrusive rocks form when magma is trapped deep within Earth's surface and extrusive rocks are produced when magma exits and cools above Earth's surface.
Website Links
Cratons World Map
This map shows where all the cratons in the world are located and what we can find in each one. Only few of them are diamond-baring cratons. Diamonds are found in what we call "kimberlites." Kimberlites are intrusive igneous rocks that contain diamond within its rock matrix.
Lesson Plan and Activities
Lesson Plan:
Introduce volcanism and how it forms rocks within and outside of Earth's surface.
Show how igneous rocks form from within magma plumes
Introduce the two types of igneous rocks and examples, how they individually form, etc.
Show simple processes to identify/categorize the rocks.
Activity:
Have students "dig up" their own "diamond" in clay and putting sparkly crystals within it. Link.
Give students a map and have them discover and find where cratons are located around the world.
