Concept map of the ROCK CYCLE
Processes:
Cementation and Compaction
Cooling and Crystallization
Weathering and Erosion
Heat and Pressure
Melting
IGNEOUS
ROCK
5. COOLING and
CRYSTALLIZATION
6. WEATHERING
and EROSION
MELTING
MELTING
SEDIMENT
MAGMA
HEAT and
PRESSURE
WEATHERING
and EROSION
2. CEMENTATION
and COMPACTION
MELTING
4. MELTING
METAMORPHIC
ROCK
1. WEATHERING
and EROSION
3. HEAT and
PRESSURE
SEDIMENTARY
ROCK
Instructions:
Fill in the boxes containing connecting words between the rocks: i.e. how you can make one into another following
the arrow. Words you might use are melting, cooling and crystallization, compaction and cementation, weathering
and erosion, heat and pressure. You can either supply this word list or have them think on their own depending on
the class.
Educator Notes:
To introduce this concept map, use the powerpoint. Start with the students remembering the three different
rock types. Then ask how you would go about changing an igneous rock into a sedimentary rock. This
should get them to think of the need to make a sediment first (the sediment circle will appear next on the
powerpoint). Next, they should determine that a melt (magma) needs to form first before an igneous rock
can be formed so the magma circle needs to be added into our cycle. Once you have the five main rocks and
their products, have them discuss what they learned in the sugar cycle activity. What processes are needed
to change each rock into the next product. It may be easiest to work in a clockwise manner around the
outside of the cycle starting from igneous rock as this way all the processes are covered.