Nicholas Webster
Title:
The Rock Walk
Summary:
In this hour exercise the students will explore rocks and minerals. Specifically
they will study the rock cycle, the three main rock types (igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic), common minerals, and the connection between minerals and rocks. This
will be done by a rock/mineral sorting exercise and an activity of having the students
stand up and act out the rock cycle. This will best work with 15 or less students. (Can be
split into groups! One group does part one, while the other does part two and then they
switch).
Grade Level:
2-5
Subject(s):
Igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks
Rocky cycle
Minerals
Scientific observation
Duration:
One hour
Materials:
1.Large examples of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks to show the class
2.One small example of quartz, calcite, feldspar, mica, hornblende, and olivine all put
into a Mineral Bag (for organization purposes). You will need one Mineral Bag per
student, as they will use this for the sorting exercise, and one Mineral Bag for yourself as
an example.
4.Blank paper and sheets for sorting exercise
5. Large enough space for rocky cycle exercise (about 12 by 12 feet)
6. One Quiz per 3-4 students (see below).
Vocabulary:*
Mineral: The technical definition of a mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic,
homogeneous solid with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic
arrangement. In more general terms, a mineral is a substance that is (1) made of a single
element like gold (Au) or a compound of elements like salt (NaCl) and (or) (2) a building
block of rock (for example, granite is composed primarily of the minerals quartz and
feldspar). (http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/2005/17/gip-17.pdf, page 1)
Rock: Rocks are made up mostly of different kinds of minerals, or broken pieces of
crystals, or broken pieces of rocks. Some rocks are made of the shells of once-living
animals, or of compressed pieces of plants.
Rock cycle: The cycle in which rocks transform between igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic states via the processes of the earth such as compression, heat, and natural
acids.
Sedimentary Rock: Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of
once-living organisms. They form from deposits that accumulate on the Earth's surface.
Sedimentary rocks often have distinctive layering or bedding.
Igneous: Igneous rocks (from the Greek word for fire) form when hot, molten rocks and
minerals (magma) crystallize and solidify.
Metamorphic: Metamorphic rocks started out as some other type of rock, but have been
dramatically changed from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic
form. Metamorphic rocks form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot,
mineral-rich fluids or some combination of these factors.
Magma: Molten minerals or rocks that exist under the soil and sometimes come out onto
the surface in sites like volcanoes.
Procedure:
0-5 minutes
Start with the students at their desks and the materials covered so there are no
distractions. Introduce yourself and then ask the students "How are you doing? How’s
school? Do you like science? Why? This will be a good invitation to get the students
talking and involved.
5-17.5minutes
Inform the students that today we will be talking about rocks and minerals. You
ought to tell them what they are, and why they are important to people. One good way to
start is to ask, "Has anyone here ever eaten a rock or mineral?" You can inform them that
of course they have when eating things like fruits, vegetables, meat, cereals and salt
(http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/cache/offonce/education/pid/2659;jsessionid=0055230B1
36CB4ADEC17E54F3207FEC0). Then ask "Besides small amounts for eating, are
minerals and rocks useful? How?" Hopefully this will get more discussion going you can
mention they are used in tons of ways such as creating metals, making roads, glass,
chalkboards, decoration, and of course they make up the entire earth itself. "So we know
rocks are useful and all around us, but can any one tell me what a rock or mineral actually
is?" This will likely get no response, but it is good to get them thinking. Then do a little
bit of lecturing on what minerals and rocks are. Discuss the fact they come in all different
shapes, colors, and properties and that is how they can be told apart. Also discuss the
three types of rocks and what their properties are. Go on to the sorting exercise.
17.5-32.5 minutes
This portion addresses the California State Science Standard that students be able
to use a "table of diagnostic properties"(4:4:b). Hand each student a blank sheet of paper
and one Mineral Bag (these contain all the necessary minerals, see Fig1). The students
will take all six of their rocks and put them in a pile at the top of their blank page held
lengthwise (see figure 2 for this entire process). Then we will use the diagnostic table to
slowly separate them by different features. First have them separate the rocks into two
groups, as showing in Figure 2, of "Rough and Smooth." Then have them separate the
rock/minerals into "Shiny or Dull." Finally have the students now separate it by color.
You may want to ask things like "in what ways can we separate the rocks" in the
beginning to get them thinking and in a way let them design the exercise. Also mention
that there are even more ways to classify rocks such as density, scratch examples, and
chemical reactions. Now play a game where you describe what the rock looks like and
tell them what name it is so they can write it below the rock on their paper. For example,
"We are looking for the smooth, shiny, pink mineral. Everyone find it? Ok under that
write Quartz." Maybe tell them a cool fact about each one. Have them clean up by
putting the rocks back in the bags and collecting the paper for recycling.
32.5-50 minutes
Now we will address the rock cycle. Have the student come into the clear space
you have provided. Tell them that now we are going to do a special performance called
the "Rock Walk." Split them into groups of 2:2:2:4:4. Separate the groups of two into a
triangle shape with each group making a point (Figure 3). Then assign them group names
of "Volcano," "Ocean," and "Mountains." Then separate the groups of four and say that
they are "Minerals1" and "Minerals2." Put each of the members of the group in a
different body position to symbolize that they are different minerals with different
properties (Figure 4).
Tell the students that this is the beginning of the rock cycle, since all rocks are
made of minerals or other rocks. Describe an outline of the rock cycle, and that now they
will act out the rock cycle. Have group Mineral1 go to the Volcano. Explain that here the
minerals are superheated and molded together. Have the Volcano group link the arms of
the Mineral1 group together to form a new rock made of many minerals (Figure 5). Then
have the Mineral1 group go stand between the Volcano and Ocean. Now have Mineral2
group go through the Volcano, and encourage Volcano to arrange them in a different
manner then the others. Have Mineral2 go stand with Mineral1 and explain that these
are igneous rocks. They have been made molten by magma and then fused together in
cooling.
Now have both groups go to Ocean. Have Ocean pluck them apart, intermix the
groups, and put them in "layers" (Figure 6) by lining them up facing he same way. Make
sure they keep their arm positions! Have the two new rocks go and stand between Ocean
and Mountains and explain why these are now sedimentary rocks.
Next have the students go to the Mountains. Here explain that the pressures and
heat of being deep underground cause metamorphic rocks to be formed. Have the
Mineral groups stay as sedimentary rocks, but have then have Mountain change their
arms positions and move the line into different shapes (Figure 7). We see that the
sedimentary rock has changed into a metamorphic rock. Explain that this is the rock
cycle, but ask them why it is called a "cycle?" The answer is that it must go round and
round, and so do that! Have both rocks go back to Volcano, then back to Mountain, then
to Ocean, to show that the cycle can go different ways. These times you can do it faster
with less explanation so it’s quick and fun for the students. If you have time have them go
back and forth between two stations to show that a mini rock cycle could even happen.
Conclude with a last overview of the rock cycle while the students are back in their seats.
50-60 minutes
This is the time for the assessment and wrap up. Form them into groups of three
or four and hand out the Quiz Sheets. Let them work on it together for five minutes and
then go over the answers with the class. See what the students answered and why. You
can learn what topics you need to emphasis next time.
California Standards Covered:
4:4:
a. Students know how to differentiate among igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic rocks by referring to their properties and methods of formation
(the rock cycle).
b. Students know how to identify common rock-forming minerals (including
quartz, calcite, feldspar, mica, and hornblende) and ore minerals by using a table
of diagnostic properties.
Resources/ Bibliography:
* All vocab definition are provided by the US Geological Survey Website,
http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/rxmin/rock.html
Notes and Comments: Please comment here if you have preformed this lesson plan and
have found ways to improve it, effective examples, new ideas for a lesson, etc.