Core Sampling
Objectives

Students will identify and describe the rock cycle.

The student will identify and label the three different types of rocks in the rock cycle.

The student will identify and interpret how landforms are the result of constructive and destructive
forces.

The student will identify the age of rock layers due to core sampling.
Suggested Grade Levels
4th -8th
Subject Areas
Science
Timeline
One class period
Standards
Science
NSS.5-8.1 Science as Inquiry
 Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
 Understanding about scientific inquiry
NSS.5-8.4Earth and Space Science
 Structure of the earth system
 Earth’s history
 Earth in the solar system
Background
The moon has a very close geologic tie to the Earth. If the Impact theory of the creation of the moon proves
to be true, it explains why the composition of the moon is very similar to that of Earth. The moon’s geologic
history was very violent racked with volcanic eruptions.
Because of this close tie to the Earth, the moon has many valuable minerals. In order to find these minerals
we must understand how the moon’s geology is constructed. To do that, we can study the Earth’s geology.
We can also do core sampling on the moon.
Core sampling is a process of drilling into the surface of the moon and removing a cylindrical sample of the
area. This core sample will tell us the geologic history of the area and provide scientists valuable clues as to
the chemical make-up of the sampled area.
Vocabulary
Core sample, igneous rock, metamorphic rock, rock cycle, sedimentary rock, volcano
Materials
Play-dough® (four colors)
Permanent marker for each group
Paper towels
Very small cups
Baking soda
Vinegar
Straws
Toothpicks
3 ft. x 3 ft. piece of cardboard or tag board for each group
NASA Planetary Geology Teacher’s guide downloaded from:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/58263main_Planetary.Geology.pdf
Lesson
1. Explain to the students that today they are going to be planetary geologists. They are going to
learn about volcanoes, the rock cycle, and different types of rocks. When they have mastered
those areas, they will do a hands-on activity involving volcanoes.
2. Use the Major Recorded Geologic Events on Earth from pages 9-11 of the Planetary Geology
Teacher’s Guide (use only the volcanic and earthquake references from those pages).
3. Have students mark these events on the map on page 12 of the guide or have them put sticky
notes on a classroom pull-down map.
4. Discuss with the class about tectonic plates, and how these plates move and collide creating
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, faults and, mountain regions.
5. Ask the class to identify where the Ring of Fire might be located on Earth. This is an area of the
most active plates on Earth.
6. Discuss and identify the three types of rock on Earth:
 Igneous-results from the cooling of magma
 Sedimentary-results from the deposition of sediment in layers
 Metamorphic-results from other rocks being heated or compressed
7. Ask the class to identify where the Ring of Fire might be located on Earth. This is an area of the
most active plates on Earth
8. Discuss with students the rock cycle.
 Igneous rock is formed when magma erupts from a volcano and the lava cools.
 The forces of nature weather the igneous rock and the sediment is eroded and deposited
in layers in other locations. This results in the formation of sedimentary rock.
 As more layers of sediment are deposited in layers, the oldest layers are forced down
toward the mantle. At this point if the minerals are unstable and there is enough heat and
pressure the rock changes into a metamorphic rock.
 As the rocks get pushed farther into the mantle, the rocks melt and are turned back to
magma.
 The cycle perpetuates itself by releasing the magma back to the Earth’s surface to
become an igneous rock.
9. As the students which rocks in the rock cycle would be the oldest? Answer: The layers closest to
the mantle.
10. The students will now begin the hands-on core sampling part of the lesson. Divide students into
groups of 3-4.
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Place the cup with a tablespoon of baking soda in the middle of the cardboard or tag board.
Have the students pour vinegar into the cup until the solution flows onto the cardboard.
With the permanent marker, draw an outline around the lava flow in every direction.
Wipe off the cardboard with paper towels.
Have students choose one color of Play-dough® and spread it around so that it covers the entire
lava flow. Be sure students keep track of colors that they use for each eruption.
Have students put another tablespoon of baking soda into the cup. Again, pout vinegar into the cup
to create another lava flow.
Use the permanent marker to identify the areas covered by the lava flow.
Special attention should be pad to the depth of the lava flow in each area. If the flow pooled in an
area and was deep, the Play-dough® should be added in a deep layer. If there was very little lava,
then a thin layer of Play-dough® should be added.
Not all areas will be covered by each lava flow.
Repeat the process two more times.
When students have completed the fourth eruption and put down the Play-dough®, each group will
rotate to a different group’s volcano.
Each group will use the straw to take six core samples of the eruption site. Their task is to
determine in which order the eruptions occurred.
When a sample has been taken, blow the core sample out f the straw.
Put a toothpick into the Play-dough® next to the sample site and place the core sample on top of
the toothpick in the same direction as the straw (the bottom layer will be on the bottom of the core
sample).
Each group must take a good sampling from various points around the volcano to get the best
representative sample.
When each group is finished with its samples, write on a piece of paper in which order they
believed the eruptions occurred.
Leave the paper at the eruption site and return to their own volcano to see if the planetary
geologists that sampled their site were correct.
Extensions
Have students draw and label the rock cycle. They may also draw and label the history of their volcano.
Evaluation/Assessment
Discuss and share the observations made by each group. Did any group correctly predict the eruptions?
What was difficult about predicting the eruptions? Have students draw and label, with correct colors, the
eruption site that they sampled.
Resources
NASA’s Planetary Geology Educator Guide
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/58263main_Planetary.Geology.pdf