Rocks “Rock Our World” Unit Plan
5E Lesson Title: Rock Cycle Fudge!
Teacher: Jennifer Schafer
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Standards:
Science:
S1.C2.PO3: Conduct simple investigations (e.g., related to plant life cycles, changing the pitch of a
sound, properties of rocks) in life, physical, and Earth and space sciences.
S1:C2:PO5: Record data in an organized and appropriate format (e.g., t-chart, table, list,
written log).
S5.C1.PO2: Describe the different types of rocks and how they are formed:
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Metamorphic
Igneous
Sedimentary
Writing:
S1.C1.PO 1: Generate ideas through a variety of activities (e.g., brainstorming, graphic
organizers, or writing).
Listening and Speaking:
Standard 3: LS-R2: Follow simple directions
Standard3: LS-R5: Participate in group discussions
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to describe the basic difference between minerals and rocks
2. Students will be able to listen actively and work cooperatively in a collaborative environment
3. Students will be able to use food to describe relationships of the rocks in the rock cycle
4. Students will be able to follow simple directions in a group to create a finished product
Materials:
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Two bowls
Two spoons
Wax paper
Measuring Cups
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Small spoons
Evaporated milk
2 hot plates
Sugar
Margarine
Mini-marshmallows
Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
Vanilla extract
Three different types of cookies (enough for each student to have one of each)
Disposable gloves
Student science journals
Record sheets
Exit tickets
1-2 Parent Volunteers
Vocabulary: Although this is a lengthy list, most are review from previous lessons, so these
words are included to ensure prior knowledge. (Appendix A has printable definitions)
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Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Rock Cycle
Mineral
Fudge
Erosion
Uplifting
Weathering
Heat
Pressure
Plate Tectonics
Crust
Background:
Rock cycles take millions of years, incredibly high temperatures, and very high pressure to
complete. This lesson will be a journey through the rock cycle with minerals that come together
to form sedimentary, metamorphic rock and then igneous rock. The students have experience
with exploring these types of rock samples, and they have learned that weathering makes rocks
break down and heat and pressure can also change the type of rock. The goal of this lesson is
to review the information the students have about minerals and the rock cycle and prepare
them for studying this subject in greater detail in upper grades. The students will have roles
that will play a part of the forces involved in creating and destroying rocks in the endless rock
cycle.
Engage:
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This lesson is the culminating lesson in a unit that explores the basic phases of the rock
cycle and minerals. A more detailed exploration will happen in later grades.
Begin the lesson by having the students unwrap their cookie bundles. Tell them to
imagine the cookies are rocks. Instruct them to examine their cookies and separate the
different ingredient pieces in each cookie they can identify (raisins, chocolate chips,
m&m's, etc.). Engage students in higher-level thinking by pre-assessing their prior
knowledge. Having students answer the essential question in their science journals,
before continuing.
Essential Question:
1. Based upon your prior knowledge and cookie activity, how do the ingredients you
separated from the cookies compare to minerals and rocks?
Explore:
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Continue to explore the students’ prior knowledge by introducing the vocabulary words
and asking them to write down what they think each word means in their science
journals. Review the words and their definitions with the students after the activity.
Each set of two lab stations should be equipped with a hot plate, a large bowl, a large
spoon, a set of measuring cups and spoons. Each station should be set up to dispense
the ingredients accessible to students and labeled with the various "sediments". Each
group should have a can with the roles written of individual slips of paper to be drawn.
The teacher should read the scenario with the students and let them draw their roles.
(Appendix B has printable roles)
The roles are:
Erosion
Uplifting
Time
Weathering
Heat
Pressure
Plate Tectonics
Ocean
Crust
This activity will require the assistance of 1-2 volunteers so that each group has assistance with
the hot plate and measuring.
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Explain that the journey through the rock cycle begins with sediments that have been
weathered into small pieces. These sediments come together to form a sedimentary
and then metamorphic rock. They will melt into magma, and finally end up as igneous
rock. Inform the students, they will play the part of the forces involved in creating and
destroying rocks in the endless rock cycle.
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Students should then draw a "role" or more that one depending on number of students
per group. Materials should be ready to go and each group should have their bowl,
spoon, wax paper, measuring cups and spoons and the following "minerals" ready.
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1/3 cup silt (Erosion) Evaporated Milk
1 cup quartz crystals (Uplifting) Sugar
1 Tablespoon organic minerals (Time) Butter
1/4 Cup sandstone (feldspar & quartz) pieces (Weathering) Pecans or Walnuts
1 cup limestone (calcite & Aragonite) pieces (Ocean) Mini-marshmallows
3/4 Cup basalt (feldspathoid, feldspar & quartz) pieces (Heat) Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Chips
1/2 Teaspoon crude oil (Pressure) Vanilla Extract
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1. "Erosion-Silt (Evaporated Milk)", "Uplifting-Quartz Crystals (Sugar)" and "Time-Organic
Minerals (Butter)" will measure and add the silt, quartz crystals, and organic sediments to the
bowl.
2. "Plate Tectonics" will mix them up with the spoon.
3. "Heat" will place the ingredients of the bowl into the pan on the hot plate, as "Pressure" stirs
it. Keep stirring until melted.
4. While step three is being done, "Weathering-Sandstone Pieces (Nuts)" will break and add
the sandstone pieces into smaller pieces. Nuts will be "broken down" simulating weathering.
5. "Ocean-Limestone Pieces (Marshmallows)", "Weathering-Sandstone Pieces (Nuts)", "HeatBasalt Pieces (Chocolate Chips)" and "Pressure-Crude Oil (Vanilla Extract)" will measure and
add the limestone, sandstone, basalt, and crude oil to the bowl.
6. "Time" and "Ocean" will take turns stirring the sediments as they go metamorphosis, finally
melting the limestone and basalt back into magma. Discuss the processes as they are bring
simulated.
7. "Erosion" will hold the bowl as "Plate Tectonics" uses the spoon the scrape the magma back
onto the Earth's surface. (Waxed paper)
8. "Crust" will add another sheet of the Earth's surface (wax paper) over the top of the cooling
igneous rocks.
9. "Crust" and "Plate Tectonics" will carry the sheet of igneous rocks to a cooling area.
Essential Questions:
1. How are each one of the "roles" you are playing important in the rock cycle?
2. What do you predict that the "Earth's Surface" will look like after it cools?
Expand:
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It is important for the students to understand the connections between minerals and
rocks. To clarify the role that minerals play in the creation of rocks, students should
know that minerals are the building blocks of rocks. Rocks are made up of one of
more minerals. A mineral will generally have the same appearance both on the interior
and exterior of the sample. The properties of color and texture generally do not vary
because of homogeneity. However, color and texture do vary sharply in rocks because
rocks are made up of a variety of different minerals.
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Students will stay in their groups from the Exploration activity and discuss for five
minutes how making the fudge was like the rock cycle and how each of the ingredients
represented a different mineral or rock. They will then take out their recording sheets
for the activity and complete as a group for their summative assessment. The teacher
will roam between groups and scaffold where necessary to ensure that the students are
making the appropriate connections.
Essential Questions:
1. How was making the fudge like the rock cycle?
2. How is each of the ingredients in the fudge like the minerals in rocks?
Explain:
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Return to the vocabulary words introduced in the Exploration portion of the lesson.
Now that the students have completed the 'Rock Cycle' activity, direct them to define
them in their science journals. In addition, introduce the vocabulary word
"misconceptions" to them by asking them what they think it means. Tell the students to
'table' their thoughts about misconceptions for the time being and that they will be
returning to it shortly.
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To help students gain a more sophisticated understanding of minerals and the rock
cycle, ask two students from each group to share their answers to the essential
questions from the previous section, with their group. Inform the rest of the group they
will need to ask at least two questions for each person that shares their answers. Make
a point of informing the students they are engaging in the inquiry process by asking
questions that may trigger other questions. Once they are finished, direct the students
to return to their thoughts regarding the vocabulary word, misconceptions.
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Have them Think-Pair-Share about the essential questions shown below and document
their thoughts on their exit ticket. Be sure to collect the exit tickets.
Essential Questions:
1. Thinking about the activity and what fellow classmates have shared, what common
misconceptions do you think there are about minerals and rocks?
2. What misconceptions do you think there are about the rock cycle?
Evaluate:
This lesson provides an opportunity to assess the degree to which your students’ ability to
observe and describe minerals, rocks, and the rock cycle during this lesson have grown.
Pre-Assessment:
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Teacher will assess prior knowledge by asking about knowledge of rocks during the
engagement section of the lesson.
Formative Assessment:
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Teacher will observe throughout the class discussions and making fudge activity, assess
understanding and scaffold and answer questions throughout.
Summative Assessment:
As the teacher is reading their record sheets, journal entries, and exit tickets, look for the
following:
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Use of language that described the property they have observed in a manner that their
classmates understand.
Descriptive words and phrases that would help a listener or reader differentiate among
minerals and rocks.
Attention to and application of information from other students.
Review, interpretation, and application of information recorded in previous lessons to
new situations.
Assessment Rubric: (30 points total)
Activity
Participation and
cooperation in fudgemaking activity
Journal entry and exit
ticket
5 points
0 points
Complete
Participation
10 points
Partial
Participation
No
participation
Finished, detailed
descriptions and
checked by teacher
Partially
finished, some
detail and
checked by
teacher
Not finished
or checked
by teacher
Total
Audience
participation and
listening skills
Good listening
skills, active
participation/asked
questions
Disruptive or
no
participation
Total
Points:
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Modifications: This lesson can be modified by using wait time, changing partners for group
work, giving pre-printed observations sheets to attach into notebooks and scaffolding during
observation time.
Sources:
The National Sciences Research Center (2004). STC Rocks and Minerals, Burlington, NC: Carolina
Biological Supply Company.
Watson, S. (?). Rock cycle fudge. Retrieved from:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/PScienceRockCycleFudge58.htm.
Wetsgarber, S. (?). Is it a rock or a rock or a mineral? Retrieved from:
http://www.ohiodnr.com/Portals/10/pdf/HandsOn/HandsOn11.pdf.
Appendix A
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Igneous: Formed from cooling magma and the minerals
may be visible
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Sedimentary: Formed from layers of sediment or
minerals as the pressure of the layers compacts into rock.
May happen under water and fossils may be present.
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Metamorphic: Rocks that have been changed when
exposed to intense heat and pressure and change form.
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Rock Cycle: Geological term for the transitions and
continuous change in rock forms after being heated and
cooled.
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Mineral: Inorganic solid substance having chemical
composition.
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Fudge: A sugary dessert
Erosion: Material is removed from the Earth’s surface.
Uplifting: Inducing fractures or cracking
Weathering: The breaking down of rocks and minerals
when in contact with the Earth’s atmosphere and waters.
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Heat: Increasing temperature
Pressure: Force applied against an object.
Plate Tectonics: Scientific theory about the
movement of the Earth’s seafloor.
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Crust: Outermost solid shell of a planet.
Appendix B
Erosion - Silt (Evaporated Milk)
Uplifting - Quartz Crystals (Sugar)
Time - Organic Minerals (Butter)
Plate Tectonics - Mixes the rocks and minerals up (Stirs)
Heat - Basalt pieces (Chocolate Chips)
Weathering - Sandstone pieces (Nuts)
Ocean - Limestone pieces (Mini-Marshmallows)
Pressure - Crude Oil (Vanilla Extract)
Crust - Provides the Earth’s surface (Waxed paper)