Materials 1.5 Rocks and Weathering
Sc 3: Materials and their
Properties
1.5 Rocks & Weathering
P.O.S.
Key Stage 2 Sc3: 1d, 3a
Key Stage 3 Sc3: 2d, 2e, 2f
Materials 1.5 Rocks and Weathering
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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To know that rocks and soils are natural materials
To know how rocks and minerals can be very useful to us
To sort rocks and soils by their appearance and texture.
To know that water passes through some rocks and not others and that it passes through soils at different rates.
To group rocks by their hardness.
To group rocks by how they were formed.
To understand how sedimentary rocks were formed.
To recognise examples of sedimentary rocks
To understand how igneous rocks were formed
To recognise examples of igneous rocks
To know that metamorphic rocks were made when rocks were heated or squashed
To know that if a rock is heated and cooled lots of times it eventually cracks
To understand how repeated freezing and thawing of water can make cracks on rocks bigger
To know that rain and wind can cause the weathering of rocks.
ICT
LINKS
VOCABULARY
Spreadsheet package to record results
Video
Internet
Geography
Soil, rock, natural, man-made, crystal, hard, soft,
scratch, shiny, dull, igneous, volcano, magma, lava,
core, sedimentary, layers, fossils, metamorphic,
changed, heated, squashed, expand, crack, water,
freeze, thaw, weathering, acid, acid rain, limestone,
granite, coal, clay, flint, chalk, marble
ACTIVITIES
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Visit to look at the different types of rocks in a local environment, emphasising that rocks are
naturally occurring but bricks are not.
Video clips or other secondary sources about the uses of rocks.
Pupils dig a hole (quite deep – 60cm or so) and observe changes in soil colour, size of particles
and presence of rocks and stones. Pupils must wash hands after handling soil unless gloves are
used.
Shake soil up in a jam jar with water and allow to settle. Draw results and compare soils from
different areas – sandy, clay etc.
Test different soils to see how much water passes through them and how much is absorbed.
Compare the rate at which water passes through different type of soil.
Using hand lenses to observe what rock samples look like. Pupils can record the colour,
RESOURCES
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Trowels, spades
Jam jars with lids
Long plastic tubes, or
cut off lemonade
bottles to pack with
soil samples.
Clamp stands to
support them.
Measuring cylinders
Stop clocks
Soil sieves
POINTS TO NOTE
Materials 1.5 Rocks and Weathering
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whether it is rough or smooth, whether they can see crystals and if it is shiny or dull. The
information can be put on “Rock Data” cards.
Using microscopes (light or digital) to observe different types of rocks.
Using “Bioviewers” to look at various rock types.
Test for hardness of rocks by scratching – scratched by fingernail are very soft, scratched by iron
nail are soft, scratched by steel knife are hard, cannot be scratched by steel knife very hard.
Risk assessment needed when using sharp objects with class. Take care that the particles do
not go in the pupils’ eyes.
Test the rocks to see if they break easily – wrap in cloth, put it on floor and push down with heel
to see if it breaks.
Test the rocks to see if they soak up water – use a pipette to drop water on a sample and
observe.
Use diagrams, models and CD ROMs to demonstrate a volcano and show how igneous rocks
form.
Look at the crystals and bubbles in igneous rocks.
Demonstrate the formation of sedimentary rocks by pouring a mixture of polyfilla powder and
sand down a long tube into a tank of water and allowing to settle. Pupils can draw the resulting
layers.
Sequencing activity (words, pictures or both) to explain how sedimentary rocks form.
Use of video clips, internet images and other secondary sources to identify rock formations
which are sedimentary.
Use hand lenses to look for fossils and layers in limestone.
To demonstrate the formation of metamorphic rocks, warm up three balls of playdough, flatten
them and roll them together. The layers cannot be separated.
Use expansion apparatus, e.g. the breaking bar experiment, to demonstrate the forces involved
with expansion and contraction. Only do this as a demonstration- use safety screen and eye
protection
Demonstration of plastic bottle filled with water – put in the freezer to show expansion of water
on freezing.
Use of secondary sources to show how the wind can carry sand and result in weathering of
rocks.
Visit or use of photographs to observe weathered surfaces.
Show the effect of dilute hydrochloric acid (or lemon juice) on limestone and marble. Pupils must
wear eye protection. Use dilute acid no stronger than 1M.
Set up an acid rain simulation with sodium metabisulphite solution in a jar, inside a tank
containing various metal and rock samples. Take care that the tank is completely sealed as
some individuals are very sensitive to sulphur dioxide gas produced.
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Gloves
Soil keys
Hand lenses
Rock samples – can
be obtained from
Stibbington Centre for
environmental
education- needed
throughout topic.
Microscopes and
slides.
Bioviewers and
appropriate slides
Iron nails
Steel knife
Cloths to wrap rock in
Dropper pipettes
Books, CD ROMs
and other secondary
sources about
volcanoes
Samples of pumice
and granite
Polyfilla and sand
mixture
Clear tank
Long tube (quite
wide)
Books, CD ROMs
and other secondary
sources about
sedimentary rocks
Samples of limestone
– with fossils in.
3 different colours of
playdough
Expansion apparatus
e.g. the breaking bar
Materials 1.5 Rocks and Weathering
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OWN ACTIVITIES
POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIONS
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Does soil contain water?
How much water do different rocks absorb?
How quickly do different sediments settle? Use sand, clay and gravel in a jar of water.
Is sand carried as far as gravel?
Does the distance sand travels depend on the width of the channel?
Plastic milk container
Images of weathering
Dilute hydrochloric
acid (no more than
1M)
Eye protection
Sodium
metabisulphite
solution (Chempro
SDP – from brewing
shops)
Clear tank with well
fitting lid
Metal and rock
samples
Materials 1.5 Rocks and Weathering
Name:
Date Record Began:
Outcomes: NC Level 1  NC Level 4
1
1+
2
2+
3
3+
4
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Can name one use of a rock
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Can use everyday words to describe rocks e.g. shiny, rough
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Can identify where a rock has been used e.g. for building
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Knows that rocks belong to the group of natural materials
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Knows that soil belongs to the group of natural materials
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Can sort rocks using given criteria e.g. sort rocks into rough and smooth
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Can give a crude hardness measurement by scratching
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Can identify differences in rocks and begins to sort them using own criteria
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Observes and concludes that some rocks will absorb water but others will not
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Can identify some differences between soils.
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Can use the scratching test to rank rocks according to their hardness.
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Understands that rocks were formed in different ways and can explain one way in
which rocks formed
Can identify a sedimentary rock by the fossils or layers
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Can identify an igneous rock by the bubbles or the crystals
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Understands what will happen to a rock if it is repeatedly heated and cooled
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Can explain one way in which rocks can be weathered
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Describes changes in rocks and building materials over time.
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Can explain simply how sedimentary rocks formed
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Can explain simply how igneous rocks formed
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Understands how some rocks have been changed over time (metamorphic)
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Can Identify conditions under which rocks will fragment
Further Comments