Rock Cycle

Rocks, minerals, and the Rock Cycle

15 minutes - covers the difference between rocks and minerals, and introduces the rock cycle.

Overview

Grade: 6th

Topic: EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE (ESS) Rocks, Minerals and Soil

Standard:

6.ESS.1 Minerals have specific, quantifiable properties.

6.ESS.2 Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks have unique characteristics that can be used for identification and/or classification.

6.ESS.3 Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks form in different ways


In this lesson students will introduced to rocks and minerals, then they will participate in an activity where they explore the rock cycle


Format


Materials

Teacher Set up

Per student

  • Student worksheet

  • Pencil with eraser on end. Pencil will be used to write on the student worksheet. The eraser will be used to push the go button on the laptop/tablet at each station.


Activity 1

Teacher Preparation

  1. Spread the 5 laptops/tablets around the zoom. Each device will act as a different station for the rock cycle. This lesson used to involve using custom dice, so this is the solution for current times. To avoid students sharing, we are using wheelofnames.com instead. The links to the different wheels for each station are below.

  2. Print out the station labels, and place at the appropriate device.

  3. Display the rock cycle diagram for students to use initially. I usually remove this part way through the time as the students’ understanding of the rock cycle increases.

  4. Provide each student with the student worksheet for them to carry with them as they play the game.

  5. Split students into 5 groups, and have each group form a line at one of the laptops/tablets.


Rules for Students

  1. Use their pencil’s eraser to set the wheel in motion, not their fingers.

  2. If you roll a stay, you have to go to the back of the line and wait for their turn again.

  3. Once you have your answer from the wheel, move to the side before drawing your arrow. This will allow the next student to use the device.

  4. Draw arrow heads on the lines between stations. This is for the teacher's benefit as much as the students’.

  5. Let them know they will not all be taking the same journey, so they are not traveling with a friend.


Method

  • Once you have assigned students to a station. Have them line up.

  • To start, the student at the front of the line will spin the virtual wheel.

  • Once it stops, they will use this answer (a process) and figure out where in the rock cycle this will take them.

  • They will then draw an arrow from the station they are at, to the station they will move to. eg. if they are at igneous and they melt, they will draw their arrow to lava/magma and they will move to that station. Once at lava/magma, they will go to the back of the line and wait for their turn to spin the wheel and find out their next process.

  • Go as long as you think your students need.

  • I usually start with a copy of the rock cycle projected on the smart board at the start. They can use this to help them, after several minutes, I take it away.


Schedule a follow up virtual Q&A and/or demonstration

Contact your county educator tfor a virtual Q& A session or demonstration for your students.

Activity 2: Igneous Rocks

During this 3 minute video, test your students on whether the rock is made from magma or lava/intrusive or extrusive.

Assessment

Quiz: 10 question, multiple choice (in google forms)

Extensions

Reading These readings about soil are free with registration on ReadWorks, a nonprofit that provides Common-Core-aligned readings. All readings include comprehension questions.

All About Rocks has the following articles:

  • Making Tools from Obsidian

  • Changing Form: Metamorphic Rock

  • The Rock Cycle

  • Layer After Layer: Sedimentary Rock

  • What Exactly Are Rocks?

  • Born from Magma: Igneous Rock

Extension Activity

  • Crayon Rock Cycle (pdf) This activity is an introduction to the rock cycle by using wax crayons. Crayons have the ability to be ground into small particles (weathered), heated, cooled and compressed just like rocks. However, unlike rocks, all these processes can be done safely and at reasonable temperatures. Using crayons students can create sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous crayons.

Other Resources

Elements in the Human Body and What They Do (sciencenotes.org)

Your House Rocks (pdf) about the rocks and minerals that are used in our homes, and sources of some of these materials in Ohio.

Is it a Rock or Mineral (Candy Minerals) pdf From the ODNR Division of Geologic Survey. Compare different types of candy to rocks and minerals.

Ohio Rocks Activity Book (pdf) Info about minerals, fossils, and geologic history

Questions

Questions? Please contact your county SWCD educator