Focus Plan
Texarkana Independent School District
GRADING
PERIOD:
WRITER:
PLAN CODE:
L. Petty
COURSE/SUBJECT:
GRADE(S):
5th
TIME ALLOTTED
FOR INSTRUCTION:
5th grade science
TITLE:
The Circle of Rocks
LESSON TOPIC:
The rock cycle and classification of matter
TAKS OBJECTIVE:
Objective 3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the earth
sciences.
4.10 The student knows that certain past events affect present and future
events. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and observe effects of events that require time for changes to
be noticeable including growth, erosion, dissolving, weathering, and
flow.
5.5 The student knows that a system is a collection of cycles, structures, and
processes that interact. The student is expected to:
(A) describe some cycles, structures, and processes that are found in a
simple system.
4.2, 5.2 The student uses scientific methods during field and
laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:
(A) plan and implement descriptive and simple experimental
investigations including asking well-defined questions,
formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using
equipment and technology.
(B) collect information by observing and measuring.
(C) analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable
explanations from direct and indirect evidence.
(D) communicate valid conclusions.
5.7 The student knows that matter has physical properties. The student is
expected to:
(A) classify matter based on its physical properties including magnetism,
physical state, and the ability to conduct or insulate heat, electricity,
and sound.
5.12 The student knows that the natural world includes earth materials and
objects in the sky. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the importance of earth materials including
rocks, soil, water and gases of the atmosphere in the local area and
classify them as renewable, nonrenewable, or inexhaustible
resources.
FOCUS TEKS AND
STUDENT EXPECTATION:
SUPPORTING TEKS AND
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
CONCEPTS
Types
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS/GENERALIZATIONS/PRINCIPLES
The student will understand that
All matter has certain properties like color and texture that can be used to classify
it.
Rocks are made of different types of matter and can be classified based on the
properties of that matter.
There are three basic types of rock: sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous.
Cycles
There are many important cycles that govern how the universe works.
Rock cycle
The rock cycle explains the continual conversion between the three types of rocks.
Matter
Rocks
I.
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES (INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES)
A.
Focus/connections/anticipatory set
Teach students the Rock Cycle Song – from
http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/curriculum/MISmart/ocean/rocksong.htm
Rock Cycle Song
(Sing to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
SEDIMENTARY rock
Has been formed in layers
Often found near water sources
With fossils from decayers
Then there’s IGNEOUS rock
Here since Earth was born
Molten lava, cooled and hardened
That’s how it is formed
These two types of rocks
Can also be transformed
With pressure, heat and chemicals
METAMORPHIC they’ll become
B.
Instructional activities
(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, art,
music, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)
Use one of the programs listed under the Technology section or give notes on the differences between
sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. Students should know how each type of rock is formed, ways
to tell the difference between the types and examples of each. Students should fill in the enclosed worksheet
Rocks.
Complete The 4 Corners Game.
C.
Guided activity or strategy
Complete any of the following activities that are included: Igneous rock , Metamorphic Rock Pancakes,
Teaching the Rock Cycle With Marshmallow Fudge, or Rock Cycle Simulation Lab. All of the
corresponding websites are documented on each activity. The first 3 activities are more fun-type activities
with little structured material to grade. The advantage is that they are done with food so the students love
them. The last activity is more structured and includes an actual worksheet for students to fill in that can be
taken for a grade. All of them give a good visual for students to use for the rock cycle. The last 2 activities
are also general and include all 3 types of rocks.
D.
Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring accommodations should be paired with a peer tutor for the worksheet section or may be
given a completed copy where they can highlight important information.
E.
Enrichment
Students requiring enrichment may be assigned as peer tutors or may be given an additional project from
the website: http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/landform/landform.html - there are some projects
listed at the end of the home page.
II.
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
A.
Description
Complete any of the included activities listed above.
B.
Accommodations/modifications
If the Rock Cycle Simulation Lab is used, student’s requiring accommodations may need some answers filled
in or may require a peer tutor to complete the worksheet part of the activity.
C.
Enrichment
Students requiring enrichment should be in charge of any group activities and should be used to help students
requiring accommodations.
III.
ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVITIES
A.
Description
Grade Rock Cycle Simulation Lab or make a short quiz or worksheet for the other activities. It would be
possible to use the discussion questions above as a quiz. Have students complete the Rock Cycle Picture.
B.
Rubrics/grading criteria
Students may receive a behavior/participation grade for Igneous Rock, Metamorphic Rock Pancakes and
Teaching the Rock Cycle With Marshmallow Fudge. For The Rock Cycle Simulation Lab, there are 15
questions and this could be graded on a percentage basis.
C.
Accommodations/modifications
Students requiring accommodations should be graded per their ARD requirements.
D.
Enrichment
Students requiring enrichment may be given an assignment to research and give examples of different types
of rocks (ex. 5 of each of the 3 types of rocks).
E.
Sample discussion questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
IV.
What type of rock has fossils? Sedimentary
What type of rock has totally melted and looks like one thing? Igneous
What type of rock has started to melt because of heat and pressure but has not become a liquid?
Metamorphic
What type of rock is formed by the deposition of soil? Sedimentary
What type of rock is lava? Igneous
Is the oldest layer of sedimentary rock on the top or the bottom? Bottom
TAKS PREPARATION
A.
Transition to TAKS context
1.
Metamorphic rocks are formed through what process?
(a) cooling
(b) crystallization
(c) heat and pressure
(d) weathering
B.
2.
Which type of rock is formed by the deposition of soil?
(a) igneous
(b) metamorphic
(c) sedimentary
(d) not here
3.
Rocks on the surface of the Earth are attacked by a process called _____.
(a) cooling and solidification
(b) weathering
(c) cementation and compaction
(d) melting
4.
Fossils are usually found in ____ rocks.
(a) igneous
(b) metamorphic
(c) sedimentary
(d) not here
Sample TAKS questions
31. In the diagram above, the label Z represents ____.
A sugar
B carbon dioxide
C nitrogen
D water vapor
18. Which force is most responsible for raindrops falling to Earth?
F Friction
G Wind
H Thrust
J Gravity
23. Which of these best shows the relationship between Earth, the moon, and the sun?
V.
KEY VOCABULARY
cementation
compaction
cycle
deposition
erosion
heat
VI.
igneous
metamorphic
pressure
sedimentary
sedimentation
weathering
RESOURCES
A.
Textbook – None needed
B.
Supplementary materials/equipment
The 4 Corners Game
Rocks
Instructor’s Copy – Rocks
Worksheet – A Rock Cycle Picture
Instructor’s Copy – A Rock Cycle Picture
Igneous rock
Metamorphic Rock Pancake
Rock Cycle Simulation Lab
Teaching the Rock Cycle With Marshmallow Fudge
C.
Technology
http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/rkcycle/rkcycleindex.html has basic info on how to tell which type
of rock a student has.
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0602/es0602page02.cfm
has great pictures of real cycle stages even though the main program is an animation.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/ gives all basic information, examples of each type of rock and
even has a 15 question quiz that gives a score and shows students which questions they missed.
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/rockcycle.htm - good pictures and explanations.
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/rocks/links.html - this site is a great source of links to other
pages dealing with rocks, the rock cycle, identifying rocks and minerals, etc.
Sci-Tech Lab – Earth Science Rocks (Level 4)
VII.
FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES
(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)
A. Cross-curricular support
Rock Cycle Fudge has measurement in British units and can be used to back up Measurement in Math.
B. Next lesson in sequence
Students may be shown examples of the 3 different types of rocks and told to complete Rocks (worksheet
enclosed). Weathering or soil texture and water retention.
VIII.
TEACHER NOTES
Before Lab:
1) Decide which guided activity you want to do and make sure you purchase materials.
2) If doing one of the activities that do not have a student worksheet, a quiz or worksheet might be made to give a
grade on the aspects of the activity you consider important.