Melanie Giambattista
Lesson 2a – Sedimentary Rock
Table of Contents
1. Teacher Notes
2. Teacher Notes Cont.
3. Creating Sedimentary Rock Lab
(http://www.coaleducation.org/lessons/sme/elem/7.htm)
4. Exit Slip – Check for Understanding
Teacher Notes
Sedimentary Rock
 Sedimentary rocks are just compressed mineral deposits. These rocks cover 75 percent
of Earth’s surface, but they only make up 5 percent of the total rocks on Earth. The six
main types of sedimentary rocks are conglomerate, sandstone, shale, limestone,
gypsum, and breccia.
 Sedimentary rock is made from sediment – loose material, such as bits of rock,
minerals, and plant and animal remains.
 These sediments become closely pack in layers and cemented together
 Stratification – the arrangement of sedimentary rock in visible layers
o The larger, heavier fragments settle first and end up near the bottom
o Wind, ice, or gravity moves sediment to a place where it settles
o Sediment slowly settles on top of other sediment, forming layers
 How does settled sediment become rock?
o Each layer of sediment is squeezed together (compaction)
 Cementation – in some rocks, minerals dissolve as the water soaks into the rock,
forming a natural cement that sticks the larger pieces of sediment together
More info:
• Made up of pebbles, gravel, sand, and clay
• Rain, freeze/thaw cycle, wind and running water cause the big mountains to crumble a
little bit at a time.
• Eventually, most of the broken bits of the rock end up in the streams and rivers that
flow down from the mountains
• These little bits are called sediments
• Over many years, different layers of rock bits settle at the bottom of the lakes and
oceans
• Think of each layer as a page in a book. One piece of paper is not heavy, but a stack of
telephone books is very heavy
– These layers eventually turn to rock
Limestone:
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Melanie Giambattista
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one of the most common and useful sedimentary rocks
unique because it can include fossils (the remains of pants and animals)
easy to cut and shape
useful for constructing and decorating buildings
used in road construction
used in the pulp and paper industry
Sandstone:
 easily mined
 useful for constructing and decorating buildings
 some schools are made from sandstone
Both Limestone and Sandstone are quarried and sold within Canada
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Melanie Giambattista
Creating Sedimentary Rock Lab
Sandstone
1. Cut the top off of a
milk carton
2. Label the carton "A"
3. Mix 3 teaspoons of
cement with wet
sand in the carton.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Remove carton to
see the sandstone.
Coal
1. Cut the top off of a
milk carton.
2. Label the carton "B"
3. Mix 3 teaspoons of
cement with wet
mud and
decomposed leaves
in the carton.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Remove carton to
see the coal.
Limestone
1. Cut the top off of a
milk carton.
2. Label the carton "C"
3. Mix plaster with
water in the carton.
4. Allow to dry.
5. Remove carton to
see the limestone.
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Melanie Giambattista
Exit Slip - Check for Understanding
Sedimentary Rock:
1) How is sedimentary rock formed?
2) How can you determine if a rock is sedimentary?
3) What is one thing you learned about sedimentary rock that you
did now know before?
4) On a scale of 1 to 10 – how confident are you within this subject
matter?
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