Rock Unit
Earth Science UNIT 4
Stage 1 – Desired Results
Established Goals:
S6E5. Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed.
b. Classify rocks by their process of formation.
c. Describe processes that change rocks and the surface of the earth.
d. Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption, gravity) on
geological features including oceans (composition, currents, and tides).
g. Describe soil as consisting of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material.
h. Explain the effects of human activity on the erosion of the earth’s surface.
i. Describe methods for conserving natural resources such as water, soil, and air.
Essential Questions:
 Why do Earth’s rock change?
 How would Earth’s surface be different if weathering did not exist?
 How does climate affect the rate of weathering?
 Why is soil important?
 How is the erosion and deposition of sediment affected by man-made structures?
Enduring Understandings:
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(Students will understand that…)
The rock cycle illustrates the principle of conservation of matter.
The rock cycle is always occurring as various processes in different parts of the crust and on Earth’s surface.
Rocks are classified based on formation and composition.
Weathering causes rocks to crumble and shapes many landforms.
Many natural features were shaped by erosion.
KNOW
Students will know that…
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The rock cycle is continuous.
Rocks are classified based on their formation
Any given rock can change into any of the three major rock types
Weathered rock becomes soil
Soil is eroded by wind, water, gravity, and glaciers
Relevant Terms:
Rock, mineral, elements, rock cycle, erosion, weathering, compaction, cementation, sediments, magma, lava, sedimentary
rocks, igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, soil, sand, glaciers
SKILL
Students will be able to …
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Distinguish between a rock and a mineral.
Describe the rock cycle and the changes that a rock could undergo.
Classify rocks based on formation process.
Explain the effects of erosion, deposition, and gravity.
Describe soil as consisting of weathered rocks and decomposed material.
Explain the effects of human activity on erosion.
Describe methods for conserving.
Model the formations of the three types of rock.
Collect and analyze soil samples.
Identify human activities that lead to erosion.
Describe some origins of sand.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
Adapted from “Solid Rock University” at http://tripforteachers.org/Webquests/Quests/SolidRock/Solid%20Rock%20WebQuest.htm
TASK: You are an entering freshman of 3rd Rock University and your advisor has enrolled you in Rockology 101.
Rockology 101 is an introductory course into the world of rocks, the rock cycle and the forces that cause rocks to change.
This is a course that must be completed by all 3rd Rock University students.
As you progress through your course work here at “Rock U,” you will gain the skills and knowledge needed in
obtaining the coveted E.S. degree. As a student of “Rock U” you will be engaged in and challenged by a variety of
activities, most of which will require you flexing your research and publishing “muscles.”
Your work in Rockology 101 will involve graphically presenting and verbally interpreting the rock cycle, identifying
the three types of rocks and providing a list of examples, determining the formation of the types of rocks, and describing
the likely locations the rocks are found. Upon the completion of your research you will then be required to compile the
information into booklet form and publicly defend it at the 1st Annual WE ROCK Conference. The contents of your booklet
and the validity of your research will also be evaluated by other researchers in your field as well as viewed by local
elementary school children within the area.
Other Evidence:
Quizzes
Test
Teacher Assessments of selected activities
Peer Assessments of selected activities
Self Assessments of selected activities
Suggested Informal/Daily Assessments (merely suggestions)
Observations (during activities)
Dialogues with students
KWL Chart (the “L”)
Science Journal Entries
“WILT” (What I Learned Today)
“YTM ITY” (You Teach Me, I Teach You)
“Tickets-out-the-Door”
“What I Know BINGO”
Poetry, Songs, Re-enactments
Modeling
Flash Cards
Notes/Notebook
Concept Maps
Comic Strip
“Talk about…” Board Game
Foldables
Worksheets
Homework
Computer Assignments
Internet Assignments
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
Day 1:
(HOOK) What can you tell me about rocks? (Science Journal Entry)
QA time – “What are rocks?” “What are minerals?” “What are elements?” etc.
Create a flow chart to show the connection between elements to minerals to rocks.
Define each.
Create a graphic organizer for notes.
Discuss the difference between rocks and minerals using some of the following:
Hands On Earth Science: Is It a Rock or a Mineral? http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/geosurvey/edu/hands11.htm
Rocks and Minerals Page http://www.artwaredesign.com/BeaverStars/rocks/rocktype.htm
The Stupid Page of Rocks http://www.geocitites.com/RainForest/Canopy/1080/?200521
Complete Notes.
Make cooperative group flash cards. (Divide up the characteristics among group members.)
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
“Ticket-out-the-Door”
Day 2:
(HOOK) Use power point to reveal today’s expectations (learning goals.)
Have students read, review and then write the questions as they appear.
Have them place the questions on a 3-column notes handout - ?/What I Think/What I Discovered
Questions: What kinds of rocks are there? What makes them different? How are they formed?
What causes them to form? Etc.
Use the following sites to complete graphic organizer.
Rock Hounds: Discover How Rocks are Formed! http://sln.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/create/index.html
Rocks and Soils http://elu.digitalbrain.com/dbmaterial/web/learning%20objects/ls/Year%203%20Science%20Rocks/home/
The Rock Cycle (Experiments) http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/rockcycle.shtml
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 3:
(HOOK) Read “Rock to Rock: A Fantastic Journey” page 3 of http://fga.freac.fsu.edu/misc/rock.htm
Reflection on Literature (as a Science Journal Entry)
Introduce and explain today’s activities.
(Cooperative groups will be “halved” to assemble and then execute experiments.)
Rock Cycle 1 Activity (Using Handout)
Rock Cycle Activity (using crayons) from http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/rcycleact.html
Communicate results with cooperative group.
Then communicate results with whole group.
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 4:
(HOOK)
“Journey through the Rock Cycle” Game (with all processes present)
“Journey through the Rock Cycle” Game (with some processes missing)
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 5:
(HOOK) Hold up a piece of chalk. Ask, “What is this?”
(Students should record their responses on scratch paper, place their name on it, fold it up and place it in a
basket.)
Ask, “If you could choose to be a rock, which type would you be? Why?” (Science Journal Entry)
Share responses.
Single out the students who chose sedimentary rocks.
Ask them “What are you made of?”
Have all students look at the Rock Cycle from TB p.
“What happens to sedimentary rocks?”
Prepare for Weathering Notes. (Concept map maybe)
Discuss the two types of weathering – concept map – then show the following websites:
Weathering
http://www.prairiehill.org/Kids/7th/earth/WEATHER.HTM
Slides of Weathering
http://www.geo.duke.edu/geo41/wea/htm
PowerPoint about the effects of weathering in cemeteries http://www.eos.duke.edu/geo41/Cemetary_files/frame.htm
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 6:
(HOOK) “Walk around the track. Record evidence of weathering.
Weathering Discussion continued
Weathering Chalk Activity TB page 202-203
Communicate results.
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 7:
(HOOK) “What is the difference between dirt and soil?”
Explain today’s learning goals and computer lab expectations.
Soil
Soil Texture Analysis http://weather.nmsu.edu/Teaching_Material/soil456/soiltexture/soiltext.htm
Ask the Answer Worm (about soil) http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/squirm/skQstns.htm
“The Dirt on Soil” (interactive) http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/soil/down_dirty.html
Begin research for Performance TASK
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 8:
(HOOK) How does soil form? How does it move?
Explain today’s learning goals and computer lab expectations.
Erosion
Weathering and Erosion for Kids http://www.marshfield.k12.wi.us/science/biology/eproject/erosion/ero~weather.htm
Weathering and Erosion http://powayesd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/pusdmvms/Faculty/Downs/EarthScience/erosion/erosion.htm
Weathering and Erosion http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu/people/jhw/GLG101/Weathering.html
Research for Performance TASK
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 9:
(HOOK) “Walk around the track. Record evidence of erosion.”
Computer Lab
WebQuest
Research for Performance TASK
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 10:
(HOOK)
Computer Lab
WebQuest
Research for Performance TASK
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 11:
(HOOK)
Computer Lab
WebQuest
Research for Performance TASK
Science Journal Entry – “What I Learned Today” (“WILT”)
Place entry on a “little paper” and then add it to the “Wall of Knowledge.”
Day 12:
(HOOK)
Presentations
Peer Assessments
Self Assessments
Teacher Assessment
Day 13:
(HOOK)
Presentations
Peer Assessments
Self Assessments
Teacher Assessment
Day 14:
(HOOK)
TEST
Day 15:
“Walk in the Park” – We will walk through our neighboring state park and record evidence of weathering and
erosion. We will also record the causes for each category. (Another option would be visiting a neighboring
cemetery and record the same type of evidence. This approach ties in well as an interdisciplinary activity.)
Resources:
This Planet Really Rocks! http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/index.html
The Stupid Page of Rocks http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/1080/?200521
Rocks and Minerals Unit Online http://www.clunet.edu/BioDev/marcey/assi_03/clancy.htm
Rock Hounds: Discover How Rocks are Formed! http://sln.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/create/index.html
Rock-Forming Animation
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0602/es0602page02.cfm
The Rock Cycle (diagram) http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/K12/rkcycle/rkcycleindex.html
Rock Cycle (Overview) http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/rc/rocks/1/rcr1_1a.html
The Rock Cycle Experiments http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/rockcycle.shtml
Rock Cycle 1 Handout Activity
Rock Cycle Activity (using crayons) http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/rcycleact.html
Rocks and Soils http://elu.digitalbrain.com/dbmaterial/web/learning%20objects/ls/Year%203%20Science%20Rocks/home/
Rocks and Minerals Page http://www.artwaredesign.com/BeaverStars/rocks/rocktype.htm
Rock Cycle Fudge http://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/PScienceRockCycleFudge58.htm
The Sweet Taste of Sugar Rock Cycle http://www.npx.gov/brca/Geodetect/Rocks%2020&%20Minerals/rock%20cycle.htm
Weathering http://www.prairiehill.org/Kids/7th/earth/WEATHER.HTM
Slides of Weathering http://www.geo.duke.edu/geo41/wea/htm
PowerPoint about the effects of weathering in cemeteries http://www.eos.duke.edu/geo41/Cemetary_files/frame.htm
Weathering and Erosion for Kids http://www.marshfield.k12.wi.us/science/biology/eproject/erosion/ero~weather.htm
Weathering and Erosion http://powayesd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/pusdmvms/Faculty/Downs/EarthScience/erosion/erosion.htm
Weathering and Erosion http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu/people/jhw/GLG101/Weathering.html
Soil Texture Analysis http://weather.nmsu.edu/Teaching_Material/soil456/soiltexture/soiltext.htm
Ask the Answer Worm (about soil) http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/squirm/skQstns.htm
“The Dirt on Soil” (An interactive learning activity on soil)
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/soil/down_dirty.html
Classifying Sediments (Mini-Lab) TB p. 104
Comparing Components of Soil TB p. 192
(Mini-Lab) Modeling Slump TB p. 225
Journey through the Rock Cycle Activity/Game
Create a comic strip
Metamorphic Rock Activity (bubble gum)
Art Connection: Mosaics
“A Walk in the Park” (Walking Field Trip through our neighboring state park observing evidence of weathering and erosion)
The Rock Cycle – A WebQuest http://www.geocities.com/tonyswebquests/webquest_rockcycle
Introduction to Rocks and Minerals (webquest) http://www.lewiston.k12.id.us/dkuntz/WebQuest/HTML/intro.htm
Rocks and Minerals Scavenger Hunt
http://www.whps.org/school/websterhill/library/scavenger%20hunts/Rocks%20and%20Minerals%20Scavenger%20Hunt.htm
Student Task (Scavenger Hunt) http://www.tlt.ab.ca/projects/Div1/Grade3/rocks/task.html
Mt. Rockalot WebQuest http://logan.k12.il.us/les27/rocks/rocktop.htm