Review Guide for Common Assessment on Geology Unit
Assessment Date: Jan. 28 (new date due to snow days)
Answers due by Jan. 25
You will be taking your first common assessment in Science soon. The unit that you are being tested on
is the Geology Unit. This common assessment will test you on the “Big Ideas” that all sixth graders
should exhibit proficiency on. In other words, they are the concepts that every sixth grader should take
away from the unit of study. Notice that you are not being given a typical study guide. Instead, I have
listed the key concepts that you can expect to be tested on. If you have forgotten any of this
information, you can use your textbook to assist you in reviewing the information. This common
assessment will count for a point value of 50 points just like a regular test. You should not have to study
hours and hours for this assessment. It focuses mainly on the big ideas of each unit. If you have done a
good job throughout this entire unit, you should find that most answers will come easily to you. This is
the only homework assignment that I will be giving you so do a good job gathering the answers to help
you recall all that you have learned in this unit. Good luck!

Be able to name and describe the FIVE criteria (NOT properties) that are used to classify a
mineral
Criteria (characteristic)
Description
1. inorganic
Not from living things
2. solid
Definite volume and shape
3. crystal structure
The particles line up in a repeating pattern
over and over
4. naturally occurs
Occurs in nature
5. definite chemical composition
Contains certain elements in definite
proportions

Be familiar and able to interpret a diagram of the rock cycle p. 168
Briefly describe the rock cycle below - Earth’s constructive and destructive forces build up and
wear down the crust. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock continuously move through
a series of processes (melting, cooling and hardening, compaction and comentation, and
tremendous heat and pressure) to change from one form to another. Rocks can follow many
pathways.

Know the difference between constructive and destructive forces and examples of each pg. 17
A constructive force is shape the surface by building up mountains and landmasses
Example: volcano, delta, sand dune, etc.
A destructive force is slowly wear away mountains and eventually every other feature on the
surface
Example: weathering, tornado, earthquakes, landslide etc.

Know the basic three types of volcanoes and what kind of volcano is the Hawaiian Islands
p.104 -105
Three types of Volcanoes
Description
Example
shield
Repeated lava flows during
Hawaiian Islands
quiet eruptions gradually build
up a broad, gently sloping
volcanic mountain
Composite (stratovolcano)
Layers of lava alternate with
Mt. Hood; Mt. Fuji; Mt. St
layers of ash, cinders, and
Helens
bombs, in a composite volcano,
which has both quiet and
explosive eruptions
Cinder cone
When cinders erupt explosively Sunset Crater in Arizona is
from a volcanic vent, they pile
an extinct cinder cone;
up around the vent, forming a
Paricutin, Mexico
cone-shaped hill

What force moves the Earth’s plates and where are they located? P. 42-43
The force that moves the Earth’s plates is convection currents.
The plates are located in the sub-layer called the lithosphere.

What are faults, types of Earth’s stress, and the evidences of continental drift theory?
Pgs. 44,55,30-31
Faults are breaks in the Earth’s crust where rocks have slipped past each other and form along
boundaries.
Three types of Earth’s stress are shearing, tension, and compression
Three evidences of continental drift theory are evidence from landforms, evidence from fossils,
and evidence from climate

Know these terms: geologist, seismograph, ore, alloy (such as, stainless steel), and Pangaea
pgs. 17,66,138, 135, and 29
term
definition
geologist
A scientist who studies the forces that make and shape planet Earth
seismograph
A device that records ground movements caused by seismic waves as they move
through the Earth
ore
Rock that contains a metal or economically useful mineral
alloy
A solid mixture of two or more metals
Pangaea
The name of a single landmass that broke apart 200 million years ago and gave rise
to today’s continents

Know the three types of plate boundaries p 44-.46
Type of Plate Boundary
Description
transform
A place where two plates slip past each other, moving in the
opposite direction
divergent
The place where two plates move apart or diverge
convergent
The place where two plates come together, or converge

Know what determines the size of a crystal p. 129
The size of a crystal is determined by the rate that the magma cools, the amount of gas the
magma contains, and the chemical composition of the magma.

What are the properties of minerals? Pgs. 121-126
Six properties of minerals are hardness, color, streak, luster, density, crystal structure, cleavage
and fracture, and special properties (magnetism, fluorescence, radiation, effervescences, etc)

Know the three groups of rocks, how they get their names, and how (and where) they are each
formed pgs. 151, 149, 155, 162
Three Types of Rocks
igneous
Gets it name from
How (or where) Formed
Cooling of molten rock
Latin word “ignis” meaning
“fire”
sedimentary
Made from sediments
metamorphic
Greek word “meta” means
change and “morphosis”
meaning form
Particles of other rocks and
the remains of plants and
animals are pressed and
cemented together
Existing rock is changed by
heat, pressure, or chemical
reactions
This test is all multiple choice except for the single essay question, “Name and describe the
“Big Five” criteria (NOT properties) used to classify a mineral.
If you have done a good job keeping up with your class assignments, tests in this unit, and
have paid attention in class, you should not have to spend a great deal of time studying for
this assessment. Good Luck! Start reviewing.
Mrs. B
Essay Practice: “Name and describe the “Big Five” criteria (NOT properties) used to classify a mineral.
Name and describe four of the characteristics or properties used to classify any mineral. (4pts)
Characteristics or criteria are naturally-occuring, inorganic, solid, crystal structure and definite chemical
composition
Properties: color (not very good means), luster (light is reflected), hardness (ranked from soft to hard),
cleavage (breaks along planes in a regular way), fracture (breaks in an irregular way), density (specific
density at a certain temperature in water), fluorescence