ROCK CYCLE COMIC INSTRUCTIONS:
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: COMICS must be
 amusing,
 neat,
 informative,
 scientifically accurate AND
 COLORFUL.
ROCK CYCLE GAME/COMIC:
STEP 1: By rolling dice and moving to different stations, you have created your own personal
rock cycle to follow.
STEP 2: At various times on this journey, you become a new rock type. The first time you
become a new rock type (igneous, metamorphic or sedimentary), write it down on the
“Journey on the Rock Cycle” page. Also write down what rock type you are at the end of your
journey. Don’t fret! We will be working together on this in class to start. You can also look at
the descriptions on the next two pages to determine when you become a new rock type on
your journey.
STEP 3: Write down the name of a rock that you become (e.g. basalt, rhyolite, limestone,
sandstone, schist, etc.) when you changed your rock type. Use the class notes, the Tech Book
and ask for help. The Rock Unit Powerpoint also has pictures of different rocks for each rock
type.
STEP 4: Make a COMIC: From this “Journey on the Rock Cycle”, you will make a comic of
your own personal rock cycle. No two students’ rock cycles should be the same! Illustrate
what happens to you at each roll of the dice you took. Only use 12 frames, as you only rolled
the dice 12 times. Show all three types of rocks in your comic when they first appear (if they
do!), and what you are in the last frame. At many stations, you will become or stay as
sediments – you only need to show when you become ROCKS, not sediments. It is possible
that you will only become two rock types, depending on the spin of the dice.
EXAMPLE: I take 4 rolls to get out of Earth’s Interior, so I start as FELSIC MAGMA. Before moving
on, I write down “GRANITE” (the name of a FELSIC intrusive igneous rock) on the “Journey” page. I got
out of the Earth’s Interior because “Tectonic Plates push upwards” and I go to the MOUNTAIN; this
also means I become a foliated metamorphic rock. I choose medium grade, and write down “SCHIST”
(a medium grade, foliated metamorphic rock). Ice melts carrying rocks to the RIVER (I just became
sediments). Silt is washed into the OCEAN (STILL sediments). Sand washes up onto shore and to SOIL
(STILL sediments). Pressure occurs – I finally become a clastic SEDIMENTARY rock! I write down
“SANDSTONE” and head off into “EARTH’s Interior”. And so on (4 more spins to go) …
TO START, WRITE DOWN YOUR MAGMA TYPE (based on spins) and the intrusive igneous
rock that would form from it:
EARTH’s INTERIOR:
STARTING POINT as MAGMA ** only at BEGINNING **
(1) How long does it take you to get out of Earth’s Interior?
1 roll: You are ULTRAMAFIC
2 rolls: You are MAFIC
3 rolls: You are INTERMEDIATE
4 or more rolls: You are FELSIC
** WRITE DOWN AN INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCK NAME THAT IS MADE FROM THE MAGMA TYPE YOU BECOME and
then LEAVE Earth’s Interior as one of two rock types:
OPTIONS TO LEAVE:
VOLCANO: You leave as an IGNEOUS ROCK.
MOUNTAINS: You become a foliated METAMORPHIC ROCK (pick your grade)
EARTH’s INTERIOR:
IF YOU LATER COME BACK TO EARTH’S INTERIOR as a ROCK, you melt to form
magma again. Then when you finally leave:
GO TO VOLCANO: This time you leave as MAGMA (you will become an IGNEOUS ROCK once you roll the dice
and see what happens at VOLCANOs)
GO TO MOUNTAINS: You leave as a METAMORPHIC ROCK (pick your grade)
WHERE ELSE ARE YOU TRANSFORMED INTO A NEW ROCK?
( LOCATION)
(WHAT HAPPENED)
(1) Points at which you become an extrusive igneous rock:
Volcanoes
SPEW LAVA; flow into ocean; Ash/Dust into atmosphere
(2) Points at which you become an intrusive igneous rock:
Volcanoes
Crystallized Magma pushes to surface
(3) Points at which you become an metamorphic rock (choose your grade):
EARTH’s INTERIOR
Tectonic Plates push upwards
Volcanoes
Tectonic Plates push upwards
OCEAN
Subduction
(4) Points at which you become a sedimentary rock (clastic except at oceans):
SOIL
RIVER
PRESSURE
OCEAN
(OPTIONAL): If you go to the OCEAN, you can switch from being a CLASTIC
PRESSURE
sedimentary rock (such as sandstone) to a CHEMICAL sedimentary rock, such as
limestone. If you change, WRITE DOWN YOUR NEW SEDIMENTARY ROCK NAME
Often at MOUNTAINS, CLOUDS, SOIL, RIVER, and OCEANS, you are just making and/or
moving SEDIMENTS, perhaps changing grain size, but NOT forming ROCKs.