Visualizing the Rock Cycle Project (100 pts) Your job is to make an awesome visual representation of the rock cyle. You will use the provided clay to make your rocks go through all the processes from when they first mineralize into rocks all the way to their secondary phases, and finally, melting. This is a creative project! You will be able to work with ONE MORE STUDENT (1 partner) should you wish. This project is meant to serve as a visual aid to reinforce topics we have learned during this unit. You will have about 2 full class periods to do this before we wrap up the unit so plan accordingly. What you are asked to include: - - - Clay representations of the rocks and their types. An explanation of each and every process the rocks have gone through (what happens when its igneous, what happens when its sedimentary, how it became that, etc.) What you did to every rock representation to show that process (ex: did you squish the clay, did you lay it in layers, did you mix colors, etc). The clay models are attached to your background illustration of a rock cycle. You have visual aids and diagrams to show variations (ex: you are at sedimentary rocks, you should have 3 versions of this process- clastic, biological, and chemical) You include examples of each and every rock type You use the vocabulary associated with each rock that we have talked about. All of the points above are included in the rock cycle that you will illustrate on the poster paper. Materials: -Paper -Poster paper -Scissors -Glue -Clay -A rock cycle model (find it online, in a book, create it by yourself with your brain, etc.) -Your knowledge on igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks Procedure: 1) PLAN OUT YOUR PROJECT!!! Choose the background rock cycle visual you are following. Plan out HOW you will make each rock from clay (following the directions below) before you actually make anything. 2) You have to make your first rock, which should be igneous. Start with your minerals that are represented by the 3 clay colors you have to work with. Your job is to make the minerals crystalize into a rock (what is the definition of a rock again…?). You can make tiny balls or chunks from all 3 colors and squish them together. Do what you must, as long as you explain what you did and why. (Remember, you have 2 types!). 3) Now, make your sedimentary rocks. How? Well….what is the definition of sedimentary rocks? What processes make them? What types exist? All of this needs to be represented/ explained. You should absolutely use part of the igneous rocks to make your sediments but there are types that you are going to bring in. 4) Show us how sedimentary rocks or igneous rocks can become metamorphised. Think of the types and the 3 types of metamorphism that exist. What could you do to the clay rocks to demonstrate this? 5) Take your rocks and expose them to “heat and pressure”. We can try to light them on fire if you would like but you can squeeze and mash and create pressure in many ways to show metamorphism. Tell us where and how this happens to create metamorphic rock types. ** Ensure that all the rocks have been represented going through all 3 types of rock formation at least once. You do not need to show one extrusive one intrusive igneous rock becoming sedimentary and metamorphic, but you do need to show me that one of those has turned into the other rock types. *** Keep in mind you will find yourself in the need to add clay of different colors to show things like foliation where different minerals start crystalizing, or even bring in a whole new rock to show chemical precipitates for the chemical sedimentary rocks. How will you be graded?: - Visual appeal (does your project look like ick? If so, it should not…) Content completion (did you include everything you needed to) Content correctness (are you correct in your explanations) - - Correct representations with clay (did you make your rocks correctly. For example, if you did the exact same thing to your sedimentary clastic rock as you did to your metamorphic rocks, you will have a problem…) Detail and organization of the project Vocabulary to include- this does not mean that I need you to explicitly define these words for me like in a dictionary. It means I want you to use them correctly where they are relevant in your explanations and illustrations. common minerals (look at your charts that are relevant to each rock type, you will see the minerals there) common rock types (look at your charts that are relevant to each rock type- you will see rock names there) Extrusive Cementation Intrusive Compaction Minerals and mineralization Bedding Grain and grain size Sediments Evaporates Parent rock Precipitates Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks and their types Sedimentation Lava Erosion Magma Deposition Banding Lithification Metamorphic grade Weathering Regional metamorphism Contact metamorphism Rock cycle
