Topics Covered:
Plate Tectonics
Plate Boundaries
Geologic Features Caused by Plate Tectonics
Layers of the Earth
Properties of the Layers of the Earth
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
The Rock Cycle
Other Disciplines Included:
Technology
Music
Math
Vocabulary
Writing
Sixth Grade Unit
Time: 7.5 hours/12 class periods/2.5 weeks
Created by: Erica Oberholtzer
Lesson one: Plate Tectonics
Grade Level Content Expectations:
E.SE.M.5
Plate Tectonics- The lithospheric plates of the Earth constantly
move, resulting in major geological events, such as earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, and mountain building.
E.SE.06.51
Explain plate tectonic movement and how the lithospheric plates
move centimeters each year.
E.SE.06.52
Demonstrate how major geological events (earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, mountain building) result from these plate motions.
K-7 Standard:
Develop an understanding that claims and evidence for their
scientific merit should be analyzed. Understand how scientists
decide what constitutes scientific knowledge. Develop an
understanding of the importance of reflection on scientific
knowledge and its application to new situations to better
understand the role of science in society and technology.
S.RS.06.13
Identify the need for evidence in making scientific decisions.
S.RS.06.15
Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations,
performances, models, exhibits, and activities.
National Standards:
 The surface of the earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such
as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as
landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
 Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and oceans constantly move at
rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle. Major
geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain
building, result from these plate motions.
Objectives:
1. The student will be able to describe how the theory of plate tectonics was developed
and supported.
2. The student will be able to identify the need for evidence in making scientific
decisions.
3. The student will be able to identify patterns.
4. The student will be able to demonstrate scientific concepts through the use of
models.
5. The student will be able to identify that earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and
mountain building are the result of plate tectonics.
6. The student will be able to explain plate tectonic movement, including how the
lithospheric plates move centimeters each year.
7. The student will be able to identify convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.
Misconceptions:
There are many documented misconceptions associated with plate tectonics. According
to Kent Kirkby, students believe that only continents move. In this lesson, students will learn
that there are both continental and oceanic plates, which are always in motion. Another
misconception students have is that plate movement is imperceptible on a human timescale.
We will talk about how plates move millimeters to centimeters each year, and we can see these
movements through volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building. Students also
have the misconception that the edge of a continent is the same as a plate boundary. Students
will be shown various maps where they can see that each plate does not end where a continent
ends. A good example of this will be the Pacific plate and the North American plate; where a
small piece of California lies on the Pacific plate.
Materials and Setup:
This lesson was adapted from the “Plate Tectonics” activity from the Teachers Domain
website. All Flash/multimedia clips are available at that website. For the engage portion of
this lesson, students will stay at their desks. They will need their science journals and
something to write with. They will be shown the following Flash/multimedia clips:
“Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes”
“Plate Tectonics: An Introduction”
For the first part of the explore activity, it would be ideal for students to be in the computer lab.
If this is the case, students will be working individually. If students need to work at classroom
computers, they will be working with a partner. For the second part students will work in
groups of two.
Part one:
science journal
scissors
World Map (worksheet)
“Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker” (multimedia clip)
“Plate Tectonics: The Scientist Behind the Theory” (multimedia clip)
“Plate Tectonics: Further Evidence” (multimedia clip)
“Plate Tectonics: Lake Mead, Nevada” (multimedia clip)
Part two:
2 desks
2 long sheets of paper
markers of different colors
In the explain portion, students will be sitting in their assigned seats, and working
independently. The following materials will be needed:
Plate Boundaries (worksheet)
Plate Tectonics Quiz (worksheet)
“Tectonic Plates and Plate Boundaries” (Flash clip)
glue
construction paper
Lastly, for the elaborate activity, students will work in pairs to make a hot spot demonstration.
They will need the following materials:
aluminum baking pan filled with an inch of cornstarch
water
candle
matches or a lighter
Safety:
Students need to watch their fingers while they are working between the two desks. They
should be careful not to lean on the desks so fingers do not get pinched. Also, we will be
working with a heat source (lighted candles). Students should not put their fingers anywhere
near the flame, and should be very careful with where they are putting the candle.
Procedure:
In the engage portion of this lesson, students will be introduced to plate tectonics by
watching a few Flash/multimedia clips. They will be asked a handful of questions to generate
thinking about this topic. They will also talk about patterns and explanations for why
earthquakes and volcanoes are located where they are on Earth.
The explore portion of this lesson is broken into two parts. The first part has students
using an interactive website to write vocabulary words that are relevant to the topics we are
discussing. They will then cut out continents from a world map, and place them together like a
puzzle. They will also watch a variety of clips to help them understand how the Earth is always
moving, and to discover Alfred Wegener and his theory of Pangaea. In the second part,
students will demonstrate sea-floor spreading by making a demonstration using desks, sheets
of paper, and different colored markers.
In the explain portion of this lesson, students will have a lecture on plate tectonics, types
of boundaries, and Alfred Wegener and his theory of Pangaea. As an elaborate activity,
students will create a demonstration of a hot spot using cornstarch, water, a pan, and a heat
source. After the lesson is complete, students should be familiar with what plate tectonics is,
the types of boundaries and geologic features associated with them, and identify what Pangaea
is.
Engage (15-20 minutes)
To start the lesson, the teacher should tell students that the Earth is an active planet and
that it is physically changing. Students will be asked:
1. How does the Earth change?
a. Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and weather phenomenon
2. What happens when these changes occur?
They should discuss the various reasons behind earthquakes shaking the Earth, volcanoes
erupting, floods destroying cities, and certain weather phenomenon ripping across the
landscape. The teacher will then write plate tectonics on the board. She will then ask if anyone
has heard of this term, and what is might mean. Ideas should be written on the board to refer
to later in the lesson. The “Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes” Flash clip will then
be shown to the class (it should be on the “volcanoes” display). The teacher will ask students to
record their answers to the following questions in their science journals. They should label this
page “Initial Thoughts and Observations“:
1. What are some things that you notice about the distribution of earthquakes and
volcanoes?
2. What patterns are present?
3. List any possible explanations for these patterns.
Students will then be shown the “Plate Tectonics: An Introduction” multimedia clip. After this
has been viewed, switch back to the “Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes” Flash clip,
(it should now be on the earthquakes, volcanoes, and plate boundaries display). Once students
have had a moment to observe where the plate boundaries are in relationship to many of the
earthquakes and volcanoes, point out the Ring of Fire. In their science journals, students
should give a possible explanation as to why the active areas are located where they are, and
relate these ideas to patterns and explanations that were talked about just a few minutes before
(objective #3).
Explore (40-50 minutes)
Part one: Students should go to the computer lab for this activity. If this is not
possible, students could work in pairs on classroom computers. Have students work with the
“Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker” Flash clip. As they are going through this interactive clip,
students should be writing five relevant vocabulary words in their science journals. With each
word that they write down, they should also write a sentence or two as to what they think each
word might mean.
Next, each student will receive the World Map worksheet, and asked to cut out the
continents. The worksheet will look like the following picture, but much larger:
Remind students that they will be cutting on the continental shelf lines. Students should then
move the pieces around until they fit together well. The teacher can either show the following
picture to the class, or can replay the “Plate Tectonics: An Introduction” clip, and fast forward
to where it talks about Pangaea.
Write the word Pangaea on the board, and ask students what they have heard about it. Write
student responses on the board. We will now begin to talk about Alfred Wegener and his theory
of Pangaea. The teacher will then show the “Plate Tectonics: The Scientist Behind the Theory”
multimedia clip. After the clip is finished, ask students to get out their science journals to
answer the following questions (objective #1 and #2):
1. What evidence did Wegener have to support his theory of Pangaea?
2. What did other people think about his evidence?
3. What are your thoughts about Pangaea?
Students will be referred to the scientific process, and we will talk about why evidence is
important for explanations of why things happen, (theories). The teacher will then show two
more multimedia clips: “Plate Tectonics: Further Evidence” and “Plate Tectonics: Lake Mead,
Nevada”. Point out the major plates that are located on the Earth. The following questions will
be asked to wrap everything together (objective #2):
1. How do the rocks located at Lake Mead support the theory of plate tectonics?
2. What other evidence would help convince you that the theory of plate tectonics was
real?
a. The ocean floor has a very large ridge running down the middle, the oldest
rocks are farthest from the ridge, and there is banded rock.
Part two: Students will be asked to demonstrate how sea-floor spreading happens in
the Atlantic Ocean. Students will first find a partner to work with. They will be given the
materials they will need, but they will be asked to try to make an effective demonstration of
sea-floor spreading on their own without any initial teacher help (objective #4). Students will
need the following materials:
2 desks
2 long sheets of paper
markers of different colors
Once students have had about ten minutes to try this demonstration for themselves, the
teacher will ask what ideas they have come up with. If a student group has come up with an
effective demonstration, have them show it to the class. If students are struggling with this, tell
them to place two desks right next to each other, with a very small gap in the middle. Explain to
students that this is the mid-ocean ridge. Next, put the two pieces of paper straight down into
the small gap, with only enough paper sticking out to hold onto. One partner should pull the
paper up and across the desk; slowly and at the same rate. Once there is a bit of paper on the
table, the other person in the group should use two markers of the same color and draw a
horizontal stripe on each piece of paper as it comes out of the gap. As the papers are slowly
being pulled up and over the desks, more stripes should be drawn in many different colors.
After the papers have been completely pulled out of the gap, the two papers should be a mirrorimage of each other, filled with different colored stripes. They should look something like this:
Ask students:
1. What do the colored stripes represent?
a. They represent the new rocks that have formed at the ridge. These new rocks
also represent different periods in time.
2. What does the first colored stripe you drew represent?
a. The oldest rocks.
3. What does the last colored stripe you drew represent?
a. The youngest rocks.
Explain (30-35 minutes)
The explanation portion of this lesson is a bit long, because of the numerous topics we
need to talk about to insure student understanding on plate tectonics, different boundary
types, and Alfred Wegener/Pangaea. Begin talking about plate boundary types. Hand out the
Plate Boundaries worksheet. Tell students they need to make their own notes on it. Talk about
the following:
Where the two plates meet: plate boundaries
Three types of plate boundaries:
Convergent boundaries (crash together)
Divergent boundaries (pull apart)
Transform boundaries (slide past each other)
What are the plates are composed of: fluid mantle that is super-cooled into solid rock.
Seven large plates: the African, North American, South American, Eurasian, Australian,
Antarctic, and Pacific plates. Refer to the picture below:
Moving plates: different directions and different speeds (2-10cm per year).
Relatively thin: 70-150 km thick
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain ridges:
Earthquakes: more common by convergent and transform boundaries
Volcanoes: magma seeps from inside of the Earth to the surface/Ring of Fire
Mountain ridges: form where the edge of the continental plate folds
After this, show the “Tectonic Plates and Plate Boundaries Flash” clip. Make sure the “plates“
and “plate names” boxes are clicked. Walk students through the different plates located on
Earth, and ask which way some of the plates are moving at the different types of boundaries.
Have students raise their hands and take turns to identify which geologic features are seen at
each boundary. Pangaea should be the next topic discussed. We have already mentioned Alfred
Wegener, and the term Pangaea.
Wegener proposed the continents were once joined as one large super continent and
slowly broke apart: 1912
Evidence: Accepted or not?
Paleomagnetism and Oceanography
Have students look at various maps of Pangaea, and ask them to glue the continents they cut
out earlier into one large super continent on a piece of paper. Students should label this
Pangaea. After they have had sufficient time to do this, pass out the Plate Tectonics Quiz to
check for understanding. The questions that will be asked address objectives #1, #2, #5, #6,
and #7.
1. What does it mean when we call the Earth an active planet?
2. What are the three types of plate boundaries?
3. What geologic features are formed because of plate tectonics?
4. Who came up with the theory of Pangaea?
5. What is some evidence that supports the theory of Pangaea?
6. About how far do the plates move each year?
Elaborate (25-30 minutes)
Students will first watch the “Plate Tectonics: The Hawaiian Archipelago” multimedia
clip. To check for understanding, ask the following questions, and ask students to raise their
hands to answer:
1. What is a hot spot?
2. What does it mean when we say that a volcano is dormant?
Students will work in the same pairs they did earlier. They will now be working together to
make a demonstration that simulates a hot spot, and how the Hawaiian Islands were formed
(objective #4). Each group will need the following materials:
an aluminum pan filled with an inch of cornstarch
one candle
water
Students will be asked to add water to the cornstarch until it reaches the consistency of a paste.
The teacher will come around to each group and light their candle when once they have done
this. Students will then put the candle underneath one edge of the aluminum pan until bubbles
begin to form in the cornstarch. Students will then be instructed to move the pan VERY slowly
over the flame. A row of bubbles will begin to form in the pan. Based on what students have
seen in the “Plate Tectonics: The Hawaiian Archipelago” multimedia clip, the picture below,
and the demonstration they have just completed, ask the following questions to check for
understanding:
1. In this demonstration, what does the candle represent?
a. A hot spot
2. In this demonstration, what does the pan represent?
a. The Earth’s mantle
3. In this demonstration, what does the cornstarch represent?
a. The oceanic crust
4. In this demonstration, what do the bubbles represent?
a. Volcanoes that form over a hot spot.
We will now take another look at the ideas we first had on plate tectonics that we recorded on
the board. I will ask students what ideas are correct, and which are not. We will erase the
incorrect ideas. I will also ask students what we need to add to it. These ideas will be written on
the board to refer to throughout the entire unit.
Evaluate Students will be assessed throughout the entire lesson
Objective #1 and #2: The student is expected to describe how the theory of plate
tectonics was developed/supported and to identify the need for evidence in making scientific
decisions. They will learn about Alfred Wegener, and his theory of Pangaea. Ofcourse, all
theories need to be supported by evidence. Students will discover the fossil and rock evidence
that supported his theory. After watching multimedia clips, students should be able to answer
the following questions:
1. What evidence did Wegener have to support his theory of Pangaea?
Expected answer: fossil and rocks were found on separate continents.
2. What did other people think about his evidence?
Expected answer: many people did not believe him at first because they could
not observe the plates actually moving.
3. What are your thoughts about Pangaea?
4. How do the rocks located at Lake Mead support the theory of plate tectonics?
Expected answer: the horizontal layers in the rocks have tilted because of the
moving plates.
5. What other evidence would help convince you that the theory of plate tectonics was
real?
Expected answer: The ocean floor has a very large ridge running down the
middle, the oldest rocks are farthest from the ridge, and there is banded rock.
Here, I am looking to see that students have paid attention to what I have presented to them,
and their ideas should be relevant to what they have learned so far. Students will also be
assessed on the answers they have given on the Plate Tectonics Quiz. These answers should be
more detailed than the answers to the questions above.
Objective #3  It is always important for students to discover patterns in many types of
situations. Here, students use their science journal to record what patterns they observe. I will
expect students to make connections between where volcanoes and earthquakes occur on Earth
compared to where the plate boundaries are located. Students should note that many of the
earthquakes and volcanoes are located on plate boundaries.
Objective #4  Students will be asked to create two demonstrations; one of sea-floor
spreading, and one of a hot spot. Students will be assessed on how they problem solve to figure
out how to create the sea-floor spreading demonstration. If they are unable to figure it out,
students will need to do the demonstration along with the teacher when she shows how to do it.
Students will also be creating a hot spot demonstration. Since the teacher will be giving
directions on how to do this, students will be assessed to see if they can accurately follow
directions, and safety precautions. Students should also be able to answer the follow-up
questions aloud.
Objective #5, #6, and #7  Students will be asked to identify that earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain building are the result of plate tectonics, identify that the plates move
centimeters each year, and identify the three plate boundaries. Since students are simply asked
to identify these things, they will be assessed mostly with the answers they give in the Plate
Tectonics Quiz. Due to the nature of plate tectonics, if students do not understand these topics,
they will not be successful in any part of this lesson. I will know who is not fulfilling these
objectives by how successful they are throughout the entire lesson.
Scientific Background for the Teacher:
The plates are composed of fluid mantle that is super-cooled into solid rock. There are
seven large plates: the African, North American, South American, Eurasian, Australian,
Antarctic, and Pacific plates. These plates are always moving in different directions and at
different speeds (<1-10cm per year). These plates are relatively thin at about 70-150km thick.
There are three theories about why the plates move: convection currents, magma injection, and
descending plates. There are three types of boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform.
A convergent boundary is where two plates collide and crash together. Since plates only
move a few centimeters a year, these collisions are extremely slow and last a very long time.
Generally, an oceanic plate slides under a continental plate, or underneath another oceanic
plate. Mountain ridges form where the edge of the continental plate folds. All of this activity
also causes earthquakes. Melted rock can also slip through the plates causing volcanic
eruptions on Earth’s surface. More than half of earth’s active volcanoes lie in the ring of fire. An
example of a convergent boundary is found on the west coast of South America where the
oceanic Nazca Plate is crashing into the continent of South America. The crash formed the
Andes Mountains, the long string of volcanoes along the mountain crest, and the deep trench
off the coast in the Pacific Ocean (Earth Floor 2005). Another example is the Himalayan
Mountains, where the Indian Plate is pushing up into the Eurasian Plate.
Divergent boundaries are where two plates move away from one another. When this
happens, magma seeps through the opening, and either creates a crust along the boundary, or
can form volcano. While the plates are moving, earthquakes can also occur. Some examples of
divergent boundaries include the East Africa rift in Kenya and Ethiopia, and the Rio Grande
rift in New Mexico. The Mid-Atlantic ridge is an oceanic ridge that rises a kilometer or so above
the ocean floor and is tens of thousands of miles long. See picture below. Divergence in the
Mid-Atlantic ridge causes the Atlantic Ocean to widen about 2cm per year (Earth Floor 2005).
Transform boundaries are where two plates slide past each other. Some geologic
features that occur here are valleys and streams. Streams occur where two plates have split a
piece of land in half. The most well known transform boundary is the San Andreas Fault. A
small piece of California lies on the Pacific plate and is moving northward, while the rest of
California is on the North American plate. Transform boundaries cause many earthquakes.
Earthquakes tend to occur along the sides of plates. They tend to be worse where
convergent and transform boundaries occur. Since the sea-floor is constantly recycling itself,
there isn’t one part of the ocean floor that is older than 200 million years old (Blanchard 1998).
Alfred Wegener proposed in 1912 that the continents we know today were once joined as
one large super continent, and slowly broke apart. Wegener used fossil evidence and rocks to
back his theory up. Many people did not believe Wegener for many years because it was such a
radical idea at the time. Paleomagnetism and Oceanography finally convinced non-believers
that the continents were connected at one time.
References:
Blanchard, Donald L. The ABC's of Plate Tectonics. N.p., 3 May 1998. Web. 28 Nov.
2010. <http://webspinners.com/dlblanc/tectonic/ptbasics.php>.
Combrinck, Ludwig. An Introduction to Plate Tectonics. N.p., 19 Feb. 1999. Web. 28
Nov. 2010. <http://www.hartrao.ac.za/geodesy/tectonics.html>.
Earth Floor: Plate Tectonics. N.p., 28 Apr. 2005. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/plates1.html>.
Kirkby, Kent. "Easier to Address Earth Science Misconceptions." On The Cutting Edge.
The Science Education Resource Center, 6 Mar. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://serc.
carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/intro/misconception_list.html>.
Kreger, Chris. Hotspot Volcano. Center for Educational Technologies, 2004. Web. 28
Nov. 2010. <http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/volcanoes/hotspot.html>.
"Plate Tectonics." Teachers Domain. N.p., 2002. Web. 28 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.lp_platetectonics/>.
Topinka, Lyn. "Plate Tectonics and Sea-Floor Spreading." USGS. N.p., 13 May 2003.
Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/description_plate_
tectonics.html>.
Plate Boundaries
Convergent Boundaries
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Divergent Boundaries
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Transform Boundaries
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Plate Tectonics Quiz
1. What does it mean when we call the Earth an active planet?
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2. What are the three types of plate boundaries?
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3. What geologic features are formed because of plate tectonics?
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4. Who came up with the theory of Pangaea?
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5. What is some evidence that supports the theory of Pangaea?
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6. About how far do the plates move each year?
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Plate Tectonics Quiz
Answer Key
1. What does it mean when we call the Earth an active planet?
Earth is considered active because the plates are always moving. The earth is
always physically changing
2. What are the three types of plate boundaries?
Convergent, divergent, and transform
3. What geologic features are formed because of plate tectonics?
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains
4. Who came up with the theory of Pangaea?
Alfred Wegener
5. What is some evidence that supports the theory of Pangaea?
Fossils and rocks are found on different continents that were thought to once be
connected
6. About how far do the plates move each year?
Most move about 2cm per year
Lesson two: Layers of the Earth
Grade Level Content Expectations:
E.SE.06.53
Describe layers of the Earth as a lithosphere (crust and upper
mantle), convecting mantle, and dense metallic core.
S.IP.06.13
Use tools and equipment (spring scales, stop watches, meter sticks
and tapes, models, hand lens, thermometer, models, sieves,
microscopes) appropriate to scientific investigations.
S.IA.06.11
Analyze information from data tables and graphs to answer
scientific questions.
S.RS.06.15
Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations,
performances, models, exhibits, and activities.
National Standards:
 The solid earth is layered with a lithosphere; hot, convecting mantle; and dense,
metallic core.
 Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.
 Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical
phenomena.
 Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Objectives:
1. The student will be able to create a scale to draw a diagram.
2. The student will be able to identify and label the five layers of the Earth.
3. The student will be able to identify properties of the five layers of the Earth.
4. The student will be able to construct a 3D model of the five layers of the Earth.
Misconceptions:
Students seem to have many misconceptions about the interior of the Earth because
they are not able to physically observe it. Now that they have had a lesson and activity on plate
tectonics, it may be easier for them to address the misconception that the Earth’s core is hollow
or that there are large hollow spaces inside of the Earth (Kirkby 2009). In this lesson, students
will create a model of the interior of the Earth that does not have any hollow spaces. Students
will also learn what each layer is composed of, and what its physical properties are.
Materials and Setup:
For the engage portion of this lesson, students will gather around a large table to watch
a demonstration. The teacher should have a hard-boiled egg, a cantaloupe, an avocado, and a
knife on a tray. After the demonstration, students will then sit back at their desks to listen to
the teacher read “The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth”.
For the explore activity, students will begin by working with “The Layers of the Earth”
note cards with a partner at their desks. The teacher should also have an Earth drawn on the
board, and note cards that are labeled Crust, Upper Mantle, Lower Mantle, Outer Core,
and Inner Core. Afterwards, students will work individually, but converse with a partner for
ideas. Each student will need:
11” x 17” white piece of paper
ruler
compass
calculator
pencil
crayons
For the explain portion of this lesson, students will remain at their desks for a short video and
PowerPoint lecture. They will need the “Layers of the Earth Notes Sheet”. Lastly, for the
elaborate activity, students will work individually to create a model of the layers of the Earth
and need the following materials. (The teacher will need a knife).
red clay (inner core)
grey clay (outer core)
orange clay (lower mantle)
yellow clay (upper mantle)
brown clay (crust)
toothpicks
masking tape
Procedure:
For the engage portion of this lesson, students will gather around a large demonstration
table and observe what the inside of a hard-boiled egg, an avocado, and a cantaloupe looks like.
Students will observe the layers of each food. Students will then listen to the teacher read “The
Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth”. For the explore activity, student will begin by matching
“Layers of the Earth” note cards (crust, upper mantle, lower mantle, outer core, and inner
core) to their properties and location. Next, students will come up with a scale to create a
diagram of the layers of the Earth, which will be labeled and colored. For the explain activity,
students will partake in a video and PowerPoint lecture. Lastly, students will create a model of
the layers of the Earth out of clay.
Engage (15-20 minutes)
Students will be asked to gather at a demonstration table located in the room. The
teacher will have a hard-boiled egg, a cantaloupe, and an avocado on a tray. The teacher will
then ask students what they might find on the inside of these three foods. After ideas have been
shared, cut into the egg (the shell should still be on). Talk about what students observe. They
should notice the layers of the hard-boiled egg. Ask students how many layers the hard-boiled
egg has. Have students share what the properties of each layer are. For example, the shell is
hard, and the egg white is more liquidy that the yolk. Repeat this process with the cantaloupe
and the avocado.
Have students return to their assigned seats. Read “The Magic School Bus: Inside the
Earth”. Ask students what some similarities and differences are between the foods we cut into,
and the inside of the Earth. Students should draw a Venn diagram in their science journals,
and compare these. Their Venn diagrams should be drawn similar to this:
Egg, Avocado, and
Cantaloupe
The Earth
Explore (35-40 minutes)
Students will be working with a partner for the first activity. Pass out the “Layers of the
Earth” note cards. Students should take a moment to observe what each card says. Ask
students to match each layer of the Earth with its corresponding property/location. Students
should use the bits of information that were presented in the story, and the information on the
note cards to match them up (objective #3). Once students have had 5-10 minutes to do this,
ask them to look up at the board. The teacher should have an Earth (cut in half, or 3D), drawn
on the board:
The teacher should also have note cards labeled Crust, Upper Mantle, Lower Mantle,
Outer Core, and Inner Core. The teacher will call students up to put these labels in the
correct boxes (objective #2). Make sure students notice that one box points to two different
things, so there should be two labels there, (or you can create a drawing that has two different
arrows instead). Once a student has placed a label on the board have the whole class decide if
this is where the label should go. Make sure all students are in agreement. Have each pair of
students rematch their note cards to make them 100% correct. Once they have done this, cover
the diagram on the board so students cannot see it.
Next, students will have the opportunity to create a diagram that will be labeled and
colored. Explain to students that the purpose of this diagram is to draw the layers of the Earth
with appropriate thickness (objective #3). Layers obviously do not have to be exact, but the
crust for example, should be the thinnest layer in the drawing. Pass out the following table to
each student:
Layer
Crust
Depth from the Earth’s surface
30 km
Layer thickness
30 km
Upper Mantle
30-500 km
470 km
Lower Mantle
500-2890 km
2390 km
Outer Core
2890-5150 km
2260 km
Inner Core
5150-6378 km
1228 km
Tell students they need to come up with a scale to determine how thick to draw each layer on
their piece of paper (objective #1). Each student will receive a piece of paper, compass, ruler,
calculator, and crayons. Remind students that they can talk with a partner to get ideas, but
each student needs to complete their own drawing. After they have drawn each layer with
appropriate thickness, remind students to label and color each layer a different color (objective
#2).
Explain (15-20 minutes)
Once students have completed their diagrams and have turned them in, begin the
“Layers of the Earth” video located at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AAITe0MImY.
Point out topics that are important for students to note:
 The peach is like the egg, cantaloupe, and avocado we cut into.
 The core is made of iron and nickel
 Outer core is liquid, and inner core is solid
 Mantle, and crust
 Oceanic (very dense, made of basalt)
 Continental (less dense, made of granite)
 The egg shows the layers of the Earth
 The plates move at about the same rate that your fingernails grow
After the 4 minutes video has completed, show the “Layers of the Earth” PowerPoint. Pass out
the “Layers of the Earth Notes Sheet” to students and ask them to fill in the brown blanks, and
take notes on the important points. Information that is covered in the PowerPoint:
• Composition: What are the Layers?
– Crust
– Mantle
• Upper
• Lower
– Core
• Outer
• Inner
• The Crust
– Outer layer
– Solid, and rough
– About 30 km thick
• Thinnest layer
– 2 types of crust
• Oceanic (very dense, made of basalt)
• Continental (less dense, made of granite)
• The Mantle
– Upper mantle
– Lower mantle
– Lies below the crust
– Thickest layer
• The Core
– Outer core
• Liquid
• Mostly iron
– Inner core
• Solid
•
•
• Iron and nickel
– Very hot
Earth’s Layers
– REVIEW: How are the earth’s layers similar to an egg?
• Shell= CRUST
• Egg white= MANTLE
• Yolk= CORE
Physical Structure of the Earth
– Lithosphere- this is the crust and uppermost portion of the convecting mantle
– Asthenosphere- this is the upper convecting mantle
– Metallic core:
• Outer Core- liquid layer
• Inner Core- solid, very dense
Elaborate (25-30 minutes)
To tie everything in this lesson together, students will create a clay model of the layers of
the Earth (objective #4). Students will be doing this individually, and will need clay of different
colors. Students will need to grab:
red clay (inner core)
grey clay (outer core)
orange clay (lower mantle)
yellow clay (upper mantle)
brown clay (crust)
Students should understand (from the diagrams they drew) how thick each layer should be.
Start with the red clay, which will represent the inner core. Instruct students to roll this into a
ball. Next, students will choose the colored clay for the next layer (in this case grey for the outer
core), and wrap the clay around the red inner core. Again, students will need to accurately
determine how thick each layer should be (objective #3). Once all of the layers have been
successfully wrapped around each other, the teacher will come and cut their model in half.
Students will now be able to see each layer, and how thick it is.
Next, students need to label each layer. To do this, show students how to fold masking
tape around a toothpick to make a little flag. On this flag, students should write the name of the
layer and one fact about that layer (objective #2). I will tell students I want them to include the
words lithosphere, asthenosphere, and metallic core into their models. They will only need to
label one half of their model. The half that is not labeled will be kept in the classroom to refer
to in further activities. The half that is labeled will also be left in the classroom to dry out, but
then taken home once it is hard. As a fun wrap-up activity, students will be taught the “Layers
of the Earth Rap”:
Chorus
Throw your hands up for the layers of the earth
Throw ‘em up for what’s below the surface
Throw your hands up, and let’s discuss
The inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust
Verse I
The layer we’ll discuss first
Is the central inner core, in the center of the earth
A solid ball buried down below
We believe it’s primarily metallic iron, so…
You could never take a trip to the inner core, right?
The heat will burn you up, 9,000º Fahrenheit
4,000 miles below the Earth’s crust
One down three to go y’all.
1,800 miles from the tip top
The outer core is hard at work and it don’t stop.
It’s busy spinning around the inner core, and listen,
This steady movement causes Earth’s magnetism.
Ranging from 4 to 9,000 degrees,
It contributes 1/5 of the heat flowin’ to you and me.
It’s liquid metals that violently flow
So let it settle and when you’re ready let me know.
Chorus
Verse II
The mantle layer is the largest of the class.
About half of our planet’s mass.
The mantel is composed of very hot dense rocks,
That move and flow, always on the go, they never lock,
Never stop, and they’re responsible for tectonic shift
Please believe the Earth’s plates are adrift
It’s pretty thick and the heat is awesome
1,600 at the top, 4,000 at the bottom
The continental crust’s surface is where we breathe
A lot of rock up to 25 miles deep.
The oceanic crust is next door
It’s 3-5 miles thick just below the ocean floor.
Earth’s surface: 70% H20.
Where do you get all that water? Salty sea flow,
fresh water’s in the glaciers, ice caps, and snow.
Evaluate Students will be assessed throughout the entire lesson
Objective #1: To incorporate math, students will be expected to create a scale to draw
the layers of the Earth diagram. Students are given the distance from the Earth’s surface, and
the thickness of each layer in kilometers. Obviously, they cannot create their diagram in
kilometers so they will need to come up with a way to determine how thick each layer should
be. This scale is not expected to be 100% accurate, but I am expecting that the thinnest layer is
the crust, then the upper mantle, then the inner core, then the outer core, and finally the
thickest layer should be the lower mantle.
Objective #2: Students are expected to be able to identify and label the five layers of the
Earth. The first chance students will have to do this is when we identify the layers on the board
as a class. I will be able to visually see who seems confident in the choices they have made, and
who is struggling a bit. Also, students will be confirming whether or not their peers are correct
when placing each label, so it will have students talking about which is the correct answer, and
which is not. From the conversations students are having, I will be able to hear who is going to
need more guidance throughout the rest of the lesson. The next chance students will have to
fulfill this objective is when they are creating their diagrams of the layers of the Earth. Students
will be working with the thickness of each layer, and should therefore be associating which
layer is thicker than others, and be labeling them accordingly. Lastly, students will be labeling
the five layers of the Earth on the clay models they have created. Here, they will also be
incorporating the terms lithosphere, asthenosphere, and metallic core. My hopes are that
students are able to correctly identify the five layers, and can successfully incorporate the
lithosphere, asthenosphere, and metallic core into their models.
Objective #3: Students should be able to identify properties of each layer of the Earth.
The first moment they are introduced to this will be when they are matching the note cards
together. Again, students will be conversing, and I will be able to hear who is going to need
more guidance throughout the rest of the lesson. Also, students will be identifying how thick
each layer of the Earth is, and will be drawing their diagrams, and creating their clay models
according to thickness. These two activities are not expected to be perfect, but I do expect that
students will have the correct order of thickness:
ThinnestCrust
Upper mantle
Inner core
Outer core
ThickestLower mantle
When labeling the clay models, students will be including one fact about each layer. I would
expect that in a future activity or quiz, students would be able to identify at least one fact about
each of the five layers of the Earth.
Objective #4: Students should be able to tie all of the information they have learned so
far in this unit to create a clay model of the layers of the Earth. These will be graded based on
thickness of each layer, that each layer was labeled correctly, and that one relevant fact was
listed for each layer.
Scientific Background for the Teacher:
The five layers of the Earth include the crust, the upper mantle, the lower mantle, the
outer core, and the inner core. The following figure shows the five layers of the Earth:
The lithosphere is a rigid and elastic portion of the Earth that includes the crust and part
of the upper mantle. The lithosphere is broken up into different oceanic and continental
plates. The asthenosphere is a region of the upper mantle that lies below the lithosphere. It is
involved in the movement of plates, and plate tectonics. Under the thin oceanic plates the
asthenosphere is usually much closer to the seafloor surface, and at mid-ocean ridges it rises to
within a few kilometers of the ocean floor (Asthenosphere 2010). Earth is considered to have a
metallic core, because it is composed of mostly iron and nickel. The following table is useful in
determining properties of each layer:
Layer thickness
(km)
Temperature
(degrees Celsius)
Crust
Depth from the
Earth’s surface
(km)
30
30
200-400
Upper Mantle
30-500
470
500
Solid, rough,
thinnest layer
Magma-like
Lower Mantle
500-2890
2390
Up to 4000
Thickest layer
Outer Core
2890-5150
2260
Up to 6200
Inner Core
5150-6378
1228
Up t0 6700
Probably made
of iron
Made of iron and
nickel
Layer
Other Facts
References:
"Asthenosphere." Wikipedia. N.p., 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthenosphere>.
Constantine, Ashley. "Modeling the Layers of the Earth." The Educators Reference
Desk. University of Pittsberg at Johnstown, 23 Jan. 2003. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Geology/GLG0206.html>.
Hall, Freddy, Mac Soto, Matt Omalley, and Nakia Simon. Layers of the Earth Rap Song.
N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2010. <http://www.educationalrap.com/song/layers-of-the-earth.
html>.
Interior of the Earth. N.p., 29 Nov. 2009. Web. 2 Dec. 2010<http://param1988.blogspot.
com/2009/11/interior-of-earth-i-lithos.html>.
Kirkby, Kent. "Easier to Address Earth Science Misconceptions." On The Cutting Edge.
The Science Education Resource Center, 6 Mar. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. <http://serc.
carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/intro/misconception_list.html>.
"Layers of the Earth: Plate Tectonics." Connected to Teaching: Extreme Event Desgin.
State University of New York at Buffalo, 2007. Web. 2 Dec. 2010. <http://mceer.buffalo.edu/
connected_teaching/lessons/plateTectonics.html>.
Layers of the Earth
Crust
Upper
Mantle
Inner Core
Lower
Mantle
Outer Core
 Outermost layer
 Solid
 Rough
 Thinnest layer
 About 500 degrees Celsius
 Located right below the
outermost layer
 Solid and liquid like magma
 Temperatures up to 4000
degrees Celsius
 Located above the outer core
 Solid and liquid like magma
 Thickest layer
 Liquid
 Probably made of iron
 Very hot! Up to 6200 degrees
Celsius
 Fourth layer down from the
surface of the Earth
 Solid
 Make of iron and nickel
 Hottest! Up to 6700 degrees
Celsius
 In the very center of the
Earth
The Layers of the Earth Notes Page
•
The Crust
– Outer layer
– ___________________
–
–
About 30 km thick
• Thinnest layer
2 types of crust
• _________________ (very dense, made of basalt)
• _________________ (less dense, made of granite)
•
The Mantle
– ___________________
– ___________________
– Lies below the crust
– Thickest layer
•
The Core
– Outer core
• __________________
• Mostly iron
– Inner core
• ___________________
• Iron and nickel
– Very hot
•
Earth’s Layers
– REVIEW: How are the earth’s layers similar to an egg?
• Shell= ________________
• Egg white= ________________
• Yolk= ________________
•
Physical Structure of the Earth
– __________________- this is the crust and uppermost portion of the convecting mantle
– __________________- this is the upper convecting mantle
– Metallic core:
• Outer Core- liquid layer
• Inner Core- solid, very ______________
•
The Layers of the Earth Notes Page
Answer Key
•
The Crust
– Outer layer
– Solid and Rough
–
–
About 30 km thick
• Thinnest layer
2 types of crust
• Oceanic (very dense, made of basalt)
• Continental (less dense, made of granite)
•
The Mantle
– Upper Mantle
– Lower Mantle
– Lies below the crust
– Thickest layer
•
The Core
– Outer core
• Liquid
• Mostly iron
– Inner core
• Solid
• Iron and nickel
– Very hot
•
Earth’s Layers
– REVIEW: How are the earth’s layers similar to an egg?
• Shell= Crust
• Egg white= Mantle
• Yolk= Core
•
Physical Structure of the Earth
– Lithosphere - this is the crust and uppermost portion of the convecting mantle
– Asthenosphere - this is the upper convecting mantle
– Metallic core:
• Outer Core- liquid layer
• Inner Core- solid, very dense
•
Lesson three: Rocks of the Earth
Grade Level Content Expectations:
E.SE.M.4
Rocks and rock formations bear evidence of the minerals, materials,
temperature/pressure conditions, and forces that created them.
E.SE.06.41
Compare and contrast the formation of rock types (igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary) and demonstrate the similarities
and differences using the rock cycle model.
S.IP.06.13
Use tools and equipment (spring scales, stop watches, meter sticks
and tapes, models, hand lens, thermometer, models, sieves,
microscopes) appropriate to scientific investigations.
S.RS.06.15
Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations,
performances, models, exhibits, and activities.
W.HW.06.01
Write neat and legible compositions.
S.DS.06.04
Plan a focused and coherent informational presentation using an
informational organizational pattern (e.g., problem/solution,
sequence); select a focus question to address and organize the
message to ensure that it matches the intent and the audience to
which it will be delivered.
National Standards:
 Earth materials are solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere.
The varied materials have different physical and chemical properties, which make
them useful in different ways, for example, as building materials, as sources of
fuel, or for growing the plants we use as food. Earth materials provide many of
the resources that humans use.
 Some changes in the solid earth can be described as the "rock cycle." Old rocks at
the earth's surface weather, forming sediments that are buried, then compacted,
heated, and often recrystallized into new rock. Eventually, those new rocks may
be brought to the surface by the forces that drive plate motions, and the rock
cycle continues.
Objectives:
1. The student will be able to identify how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks are formed.
2. The student will be able to identify the steps of the rock cycle.
3. The student will be able to identity similarities and differences between igneous,
sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
4. The student will be able to relate the rock cycle to plate tectonics.
5. The student will be able to create an informational piece of writing.
Misconceptions:
According to Jessica Fries-Gaither (2010), one common misconception that students
have about rocks is that they are all the same, and it is hard to tell how they originated. This is
something that we will be addressing very early on in the lesson. Students will be passing
igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks around, and we will talk about the physical
differences between them. Most rocks can be distinguished as igneous, sedimentary or
metamorphic by looking at physical characteristics. Rocks are not all the same because they
were made differently, and through different processes.
Safety:
Students will be working with very hot water, so they should be careful not to touch it
too much, or spill it. Students will be asked to be extremely watchful of their cups! Also, even
though the knives we will be using are plastic, students should be careful and not cut anything
unless they are told to do so. Students who are using the knives to sword fight, or are cutting
anything other than the crayon will have their knives taken away.
Materials and Setup:
For the engage portion of this lesson, students will stay in their seats. The teacher will
hand each group a tray filled with rocks. Each rock will be in a labeled bag that says the name
of the rock. The following rocks will be needed for each group:
pumice
scoria
andesite
conglomerate
sandstone
breccia
gneiss
phyllite
slate
For the explore portion, each student will stay in their seats and work individually on this
activity. Each student will get The Rock Cycle diagram. They will also need the following items,
which will be located on the back table:
one Crayola crayon (there should be many colors to choose from)
plastic knife
5-6 inch square of aluminum foil
Styrofoam cup
Hot water will also be used in this activity, but the teacher will distribute that when students
are ready. For the explain portion, students will watch a small PowerPoint as a lecture. They
will fill in the Rocks Notes Page. They will then complete the Test Your Knowledge handout.
They will need scissors and glue. We will then go to the Mystery of the Floating Rock website
at: http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/floatingrock/a1.html
The teacher will go to this website on her computer, and students will watch and participate
from their seats. Lastly, for the elaborate activity, students will learn the Rock Cycle Song, and
create an informational piece of writing on a rock. They will need the internet, and various
books on rocks to complete this activity. They will also need:
Rock Research Assignment handout
large piece of construction paper
scissors
glue
markers
crayons
After students have created their research assignments and have presented them to the class,
they will take the Rocks Test.
Procedure:
For the engage portion of this lesson, students will work in their table groups and look at
different rocks. They will point out and discuss similarities and differences between the rocks.
Students will be introduced to the terms igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. In the
explore activity, students will use a crayon to model how a rock moves through the rock cycle
and what occurs at each stage. Students will watch a short PowerPoint on rocks for the
explanation portion of this lesson, and will fill in a rock cycle diagram. They will then visit The
Mystery of the Floating Rock website to learn about the three types of rocks, and which rock
actually floats in water. As an elaborate activity, students will learn the Rock Cycle Song, and
will also create an informational piece of writing on a rock that they will choose at random
from a bucket. Students will present their projects to the class. Lastly, students will take the
Rocks Test to tie everything they have learned in this lesson together.
Engage (15-20 minutes)
Students will be given a tray of nine rocks that will each be in their own separate labeled
bag. Students will be told they can take the rocks out of the bags, but they should be careful not
to mix the rocks up. They will be asked to look at and talk about the similarities and differences
between the rocks. Students should be given about 5-7 minutes to do this. Next, we will discuss
what students have noticed about the rocks out loud. On the board, the teacher will draw the
following chart:
Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Usually has openings, and is
usually one single color.
Composed of pieces pressed
together, and sometimes
contains fossils. Can have
layers.
Has layers that can be both
light and dark. They can be
curved.
Students will be asked to create this chart in their science journals. The teacher should give
some characteristics of each rock type. Some examples are listed above. Students will then
place each of the nine rocks in one of the columns, based on the observable characteristics
(objective #3). Let students know that we will come back to these charts at the end of the
lesson.
Explore (40-45 minutes)
Each student will work individually for this activity. The teacher will dismiss students by
table groups to get all of their materials from the back table. Students will then receive a copy
of The Rock Cycle diagram. Have students look at their crayons and explain to them that we
will pretend this is a rock. Have students look at our chart on the board, and ask them which
rock this might represent. Students should notice that this rock does not have layers, and is not
made up of two or more sediments, so it must be an igneous rock (objective #3). Students
should then look at The Rock Cycle diagram and label the igneous rock. (The teacher will tell
them where this rock is located so they know where to begin):
Igneous Rock
Students will then create sediments from their igneous rocks. To do this, they will shave off
pieces from their crayons with the plastic knife onto the aluminum foil. Ask students:
1. What process did we just represent by breaking down the rocks into sediment?
a. Erosion (students should know this from the previous unit on soils).
2. How many sediments are sedimentary rocks made out of?
a. At least two.
Tell students to give some of their shavings to four of their classmates who have different
sediments (colors) than their own. Students should have a sediment pile that is composed of at
least five different sediments (colors). Ask students where we should put the “erosion” and
“sediments” labels into the diagram. Students will label the arrow from the “igneous rock” as
“erosion”, and the arrow from “erosion” as “sediments”.
Igneous Rock
Erosion
Sediments
Next, tell students we will be turning these sediments into a rock. To do this, we must compact
and press the sediments together. Students will then fold the aluminum foil over the sediments
and press down on them as hard as they can. Ask students to unfold the foil, and to observe
what happened. (The crayon rock will be fragile, but it should hold together in a packed layer.
If it doesn’t, have students apply more pressure to the sediments). Ask students:
1. How does the new rock differ from the pile of sediments that were once in the foil?
a. The sediments are now compacted together.
2. How does this rock compare to the real sedimentary rocks we observed earlier?
a. They are made up of two or more sediments.
3. How did the rock get this way?
a. We applied pressure and compacted the sediments together.
Let students know that when sedimentary rocks are formed, they sometimes are cemented
together. Have students look at The Rock Cycle diagrams. Ask students where we should put
the “compaction and cementation” label. They should label the arrow from the sediments as
“compaction and cementation”. Remind students that we just compacted the sediments into a
sedimentary rock, so they should label this rock on their diagrams.
Igneous Rock
Erosion
Sediments
Compaction and
Cementation
Sedimentary
Rock
Next, fill a pitcher with hot water, and fill each student’s cup. Have students mold their foil into
a boat shape that will float on the water to hold the sedimentary rock. Have students place their
foil containing the rock in the cup. Students will observe that the heat is beginning to melt the
rock. Once the rock has slightly molded together, help students remove it from the water, and
let it cool for a few minutes. Ask students:
1. What kind of rock has formed?
a. A rock that has changed from a sedimentary rock because of heat. (Some
students may deduce from the chart on the board that this is a metamorphic
rock. If they do not come up with this, let them know what type of rock it is).
2. What makes this type of rock different from the sedimentary rock?
a. Heat made the layers mold together.
3. How did the rock get this way?
a. From heat. (Also remind students that they had to apply pressure to this rock
as well).
Ask students where we should put the label “heat and pressure”, and where we should label the
“metamorphic rock”. Students should be able to label the arrow from “sedimentary rock” as
“heat and pressure“, and the rock that the arrow points to as “metamorphic rock”.
Igneous Rock
Erosion
Sediments
Compaction and
Cementation
Metamorphic
Rock
Heat and
Pressure
Sedimentary
Rock
Next, refill students’ cups with hot water, and ask them to return the foil to the water. This
time, leave the foil in the water until the rock is completely melted. The colors should be all
swirled together. Help students remove the foil from the water, and let the rock cool. Talk
about the melting of metamorphic rocks into magma, and what happens when they cool.
1. If the rock cycle goes in a circle, what type of rock has formed?
a. Igneous rock.
Label “melting”, “magma”, and “cooling” on the rock cycle diagram. (Students may need help
with these labels. Remind them to think about the process our crayon rocks just went through).
Cooling
Igneous Rock
Erosion
Magma
Sediments
Melting
Compaction and
Cementation
Metamorphic
Rock
Heat and
Pressure
Sedimentary
Rock
Next, ask students questions like:
1. Could the igneous rock turn directly into a metamorphic rock? How?
2. Could an igneous rock turn into magma? How?
3. Could a metamorphic rock turn directly into sediment? How?
4. Could a sedimentary rock turn back into sediments? How?
Label these areas on the rock cycle diagram. Inform students that any rock can turn into any
type of other rock! That’s why we call it a cycle! Their completed diagrams should look like this:
Cooling
Igneous Rock
Melting
Magma
Erosion
Heat and
Pressure
Sediments
Melting
Metamorphic
Rock
Compaction and
Cementation
Erosion
Erosion
Heat and
Pressure
Sedimentary
Rock
Point out to students that arrows of the same color mean that the same process is occurring.
For instance, a green arrow denotes “erosion”. Students should now understand how the three
types of rocks are formed, and what steps each goes through to become a rock (objective #1 and
#2). Students should have extra time to experiment with their crayon rocks to try to create any
of the three types of rocks.
Explain (30-35 minutes)
For the first 15 minutes, students will listen to a PowerPoint about rocks and the rock
cycle while taking notes on the Rocks Notes Page. Students will be asked to fill in the brown
blanks. Information that is covered in the PowerPoint:
• Types of Rocks
– Igneous
– Sedimentary
– Metamorphic
• Igneous Rocks
– Formed from molten material such as magma
– Occurs below or at the Earth’s surface
• Types of Igneous Rocks
– Pumice
– Scoria
– Andesite
Here, we will refer back to the chart we created on the board to see if we put the three igneous
rocks in the correct places. If changes need to be made, we will do so at this time. We will also
talk about what characteristics caused us to make these mistakes (objective #3).
• Sedimentary Rocks
– Rocks are exposed to erosion and break down into sediments
– Pebbles, sand, silt, or clay are sediments
– Shells and bones can also be sediments
– Layers of sediments are pressed or cemented together to create sedimentary
rocks
• Types of Sedimentary Rocks
– Conglomerate
– Breccia
– Sandstone
Here, we will refer back to the chart we created on the board to see if we put the three
sedimentary rocks in the correct places. If changes need to be made, we will do so at this time.
We will also talk about what characteristics caused us to make these mistakes (objective #3).
• Metamorphic Rocks
– Rocks that are changed by intense heat and pressure
– Physical and/or chemical change
– Igneous, sedimentary, and even metamorphic rocks can be changed into different
metamorphic rocks
• Types of Metamorphic Rocks
– Gneiss
– Phyllite
– Slate
Here, we will refer back to the chart we created on the board to see if we put the three
metamorphic rocks in the correct places. If changes need to be made, we will do so at this time.
We will also talk about what characteristics caused us to make these mistakes (objective #3).
• The Rock Cycle
– The rock cycle is a never-ending process.
– Any rock can change into any other rock.
• Test Your Knowledge!
Here, I will pass out the Test Your Knowledge handout, and students will cut out the words
and place them in the diagram (objective #1, and #2). They will do this without any notes, or
help from classmates or the teacher. Once they have completed this assignment, and turned it
in, we will complete it as a class on the PowerPoint. Next, we will visit the Mystery of the
Floating Rock website at:
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/floatingrock/a1.html. Here students will get
the opportunity to refine their knowledge about the three rock types, watch animations about
how each rock type is formed, and learn which rock actually floats on water. The teacher will
access this website from her computer, and the students will participate from their seats.
Elaborate (2 hours, or two class periods)
First, the students will learn the Rock Cycle Song, which is sung to the tune of Row Row
Row Your Boat.
SEDIMENTARY rock
Has been formed in layers
Often found near water sources
With fossils from decayers
Then there's IGNEOUS rock
Here since Earth was born
Molten Lava, cooled and hardened
That's how it is formed
These two types of rocks
Can also be transformed
With pressure, heat and chemicals
METAMORPHIC they'll become.
Lastly, to tie this lesson into the rest of the unit, students will be doing a short research project.
I will have the names of various igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks in a bucket, and
students will reach in and pick one out at random. Whichever rock they pull out will be the one
they will do a short research assignment on. They will have access to the internet, and to books
in the classroom. I will have a list of approved websites that they can visit for information on
their rock. They will need to answer the following questions (see Rock Research Assignment):
1. What is the name of your rock?
2. What type of rock is it?
3. How is it formed? (objective #4)
4. Where is it found?
5. What is one interesting fact about your rock?
They will also be instructed to find 3-4 pictures of their rock. This is a creative and informative
assignment, so they will need to keep that in mind (objective #5). I will show them an example
assignment, which will look something like this, (although theirs will be hand-written):
GRANITE
Granite is a type of igneous rock, and is formed
from cooled magma below the surface of the Earth.
The upper continental crust is composed of large
amounts of granite. Granite is found on every
single continent on Earth. One interesting fact
about granite is that it is used as countertops
in many kitchens and bathrooms!
After students have had 1.5 class periods to complete this assignment, we will use the
remaining time in the second class period to present the projects. Students should read what
they have written, and show the pictures of the rock to the class. The following rubric will be
used to grade these assignments:
Information
Above Average: 5 points
-All five questions were
answered
-Information was accurate
Average: 2-4 points
-Three to four of the
questions were answered
-Most of the information
was accurate
-Only 2 pictures included
Poor: 0-1 points
-Only one or two of the
questions were answered
- Most of the information
was inaccurate
-Less than two pictures
included
- Writing was unclear, and
difficult to read
-Numerous grammatical
errors
-Presentation was unclear
and hard to follow
Pictures
- Three to four pictures
were included
Writing
-Writing was clear, and
easy to read
-No grammatical errors
-Writing was somewhat
clear and easy to read
-Few grammatical errors
Presentation
-Presentation was clear
and easy to follow along
-Presentation was
somewhat clear, but a bit
hard to follow
After students have completed their presentations they will take the Rocks Test which will tie
everything together (objective #1, #2, #3, and #4).
Evaluate Students will be assessed throughout the entire lesson
Objective #1 and #2: Students will be completing a crayon rock cycle activity that guides
them through the steps of how each type of rock is formed. Students will have extra time at the
end of this activity to use their crayon to find other paths through the rock cycle, and to become
familiar with the formation of each of the three rock types. After this assignment, students
should be able to complete the Test Your Knowledge handout, which has them going through
the steps of the rock cycle, and labeling the processes that form each type of rock. Students will
also be graded on their answers in the Rock Test.
Objective #3: Students will be introduced to the terms igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic very early on in this lesson. Students will observe characteristics of each rock
type, and will classify (in a chart), nine different rocks based on these characteristics as
igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic. After the lesson, students will revisit the classification
chart to see if they identified each type of rock correctly, and if not, use what they have learned
to now place the rock in the correct column on the chart. Students will also use this knowledge
as they work through the main activity to distinguish which type of rock they are creating with
their crayon rocks. Students will also be graded on their answers in the Rock Test.
Objective #4: Students will be asked to complete a Rock Research Assignment that
will ask them to think about how their rock is formed, which will lead to a connection to plate
tectonics. I am expecting to see something connecting their rock to plate tectonics somewhere
in their writing. Students will also be graded on their answers in the Rock Test.
Objective #5: Students will be creating a Rock Research Assignment that will ask them
to research a particular rock, and write an informational piece answering five questions about
that rock. The rubric for this assignment is listed above.
Scientific Background for the Teacher:
According to Irene Salazar, molten rock or magma solidifies either rapidly at the Earth’s
surface (extrusive) or slowly under the Earth’s surface (intrusive) into igneous rock. Some
examples of extrusive rocks include basalt, obsidian, andesite, pumice, and scoria. (In this
lesson, we looked at extrusive rocks). Examples of intrusive rocks include granite and diorite.
These types of rocks cool very slowly, and can form large crystals.
As rocks are exposed to erosion and weathering, they are broken down into sediments.
The grains of sediments are transported, and eventually deposited in layers. Sediments include
silt, sand, clay, pebbles, shells, and sometimes bones. Most of these sediments collect in bodies
of water. As more and more sediment layers build up on top of each other, the sediments are
compacted and sometimes cemented together into sedimentary rock in a process called
lithifaction. Some examples of sedimentary rocks include conglomerate, sandstone, and
breccia.
Deep inside the Earth, rocks are exposed to heat and pressure, and can undergo a
physical and/or chemical change into metamorphic rock. They form 12-16 kilometers beneath
the surface of the Earth, and at 100-800 degrees Celsius. Some examples of metamorphic rocks
are gneiss, slate and phyllite. If the rock is melted completely and cooled, you once again have
igneous rock. The rock cycle is continuous, and never stops.
References:
Carlson, Jane. Rock Cycle Song. N.p., 2001. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/ocean/rocksong.htm>.
"Earth Floor: Cycles." Exploring the Environment. NASA, 28 Apr. 2005. Web. 2 Dec.
2010. <http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rock.html>.
Fries-Gaither, Jessica. "Common Misconceptions About Rocks and Minerals." Beyond
Penguins and Polar Bears. National Science Foundation, 2008. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.
<http://beyondpenguins.nsdl.org/issue/column.php?date=September2008&departmentid=p
rofessional&columnid=professional!misconceptions>.
"Mystery of the Floating Rock." Geo Mysteries with Rex the Dinosaur. The Childrens
Museum of Indianapolis, 2000. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.<http://www.childrensmuseum.org/
geomysteries/floatingrock/a1.html>.
Salazar, Irene. "Crayon Rock Cycle." My Science Box. N.p., 18 Feb. 2006. Web. 2 Dec.
2010. <http://www.mysciencebox.org/crayonrock/logistics>.
The Rock Cycle
Rocks Notes Page
•
•
Types of Rocks
– ________________
–
________________
–
________________
Igneous Rocks
– Formed from molten material such as __________
–
Occurs _______ or _____ the Earth’s surface
•
Types of Igneous Rocks
– Pumice, Scoria, and Andesite
•
Sedimentary Rocks
– Rocks are exposed to __________ and break down into ____________
–
Pebbles, ________, silt, or clay are sediments
–
__________ and bones can also be sediments
–
Layers of sediments are ___________ or ___________ together to create sedimentary rocks
•
Types of Sedimentary Rocks
– Conglomerate, Breccia, and Sandstone
•
Metamorphic Rocks
– Rocks that are changed by intense _________ and ___________
–
____________ and/or ____________ change
–
Igneous, sedimentary, and even metamorphic rocks can be ___________ into different
metamorphic rocks
•
Types of Metamorphic Rocks
– Gneiss, Phyllite, and Slate
•
The Rock Cycle
– The rock cycle is a never-ending process.
–
Any rock can change into ________ other rock.
Rocks Notes Page
Answer Key
•
•
Types of Rocks
– Igneous
–
Sedimentary
–
Metamorphic
Igneous Rocks
– Formed from molten material such as magma
–
Occurs below or at the Earth’s surface
•
Types of Igneous Rocks
– Pumice, Scoria, and Andesite
•
Sedimentary Rocks
– Rocks are exposed to erosion and break down into sediments
–
Pebbles, sand, silt, or clay are sediments
–
Shells and bones can also be sediments
–
Layers of sediments are pressed or cemented together to create sedimentary rocks
•
Types of Sedimentary Rocks
– Conglomerate, Breccia, and Sandstone
•
Metamorphic Rocks
– Rocks that are changed by intense heat and pressure
–
Physical and/or chemical change
–
Igneous, sedimentary, and even metamorphic rocks can be changed into different
metamorphic rocks
•
Types of Metamorphic Rocks
– Gneiss, Phyllite, and Slate
•
The Rock Cycle
– The rock cycle is a never-ending process.
–
Any rock can change into any other rock.
Test Your Knowledge!
Rock Research Assignment
You will be researching a rock that you will choose randomly from a bucket. You may
use books and a list of approved websites to do all of your research. You will be
creating a small poster that includes both pictures, and an informative description
about your rock. You may use the following materials:
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue
Markers/Crayons
Your poster should be creative! You will need to include 3-4 pictures of your rock,
and you must answer all of the following questions in your informative description:
1. What is the name of your rock?
2. What type of rock is it?
3. How is it formed?
4. Where is it found?
5. What is one interesting fact about your rock?
You will have 1.5 classes to create these posters. You will present them to the class
during the second half of your next class period. The following rubric will be used to
grade this assignment:
Above Average: 5 points
-All five questions were
answered
-Information was
accurate
- Three to four pictures
were included
Average: 2-4 points
-Three to four of the
questions were answered
-Most of the information
was accurate
-Only 2 pictures included
Poor: 0-1 points
-Only one or two of the
questions were answered
- Most of the information
was inaccurate
-Less than two pictures
included
Writing
-Writing was clear, and
easy to read
-No grammatical errors
-Writing was somewhat
clear and easy to read
-Few grammatical errors
Presentation
-Presentation was clear
and easy to follow along
-Presentation was
somewhat clear, but a bit
hard to follow
- Writing was unclear,
and difficult to read
-Numerous grammatical
errors
-Presentation was unclear
and hard to follow
Information
Pictures
Rocks Test
1. Name the three types of rocks.
2. What are some characteristics of igneous rocks, and how are they formed?
3. What are some characteristics of sedimentary rocks, and how are they formed?
4. What are some characteristics of metamorphic rocks, and how are they formed?
5. How is the formation of rocks related to plate tectonics?
Rocks Test
Answer Key
1. Name the three types of rocks.
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
2. What are some characteristics of igneous rocks, and how are they formed?
Igneous rocks usually have openings, and are made up of two or more minerals. They
are formed from the cooling of magma
3. What are some characteristics of sedimentary rocks, and how are they formed?
Sedimentary rocks are composed of pieces pressed and cemented together, and
sometimes contain fossils. They can also have layers. They are formed from sediments of clay,
silt, sand, shells and fossils that have piled on top of each other, and have been pressed
together.
4. What are some characteristics of metamorphic rocks, and how are they formed?
Metamorphic rocks have layers that can be both light and dark, and can be curved.
They are formed when igneous or sedimentary rocks are exposed to intense heat and
pressure, and undergo physical or chemical changes.
5. How is the formation of rocks related to plate tectonics?
Igneous rocks are formed from where two plates release magma that eventually cools
below or at the Earth’s surface. The cooling of magma creates these igneous rocks, which in
turn, creates sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.