S3E1: Students will investigate the physical attributes of rocks and soils.
Key Vocabulary:
mineral- a solid object found in nature that has never been alive
rock-a naturally formed object made of grains of one or more minerals
hardness- the measure of how difficult it is for a mineral to be scratched
streak- color left behind by a mineral when it is rubbed against a rough white tile
EQ: What are the physical attributes of rocks and minerals?
There are many different types of minerals. Minerals come in many shapes and sizes. Minerals
can be identified with tests. The Mohs Scale measures the hardness of a mineral. Diamonds are the
hardest with a rating of 10. Talc is the softest with a rating of 1. A streak test is another way to
identify minerals. Streak is the color left behind by a mineral when it is rubbed against a rough while
tile.
You’ve probably seen many different types of rocks. All of them have one thing in commonminerals! Rocks are made up of different minerals. Not all rocks are made up of the same kinds of
minerals. You can identify a rock by finding out which minerals it contains.
Key Vocabulary:
igneous rock- rock that was once melted and then cooled and hardened
sedimentary rock-rock made when materials settle into layers and get squeezed until they harden
into rock
metamorphic rock- Rock that can has changed by heat or pressure
EQ: How are rocks classified?
Over time, one kind of rock can become any other kind. The process of rocks changing from
one kind of rock to another kind of rock is called the rock cycle. Wind and water break down all
kinds of rocks to form sedimentary rocks. Any kind of rock that melts and cools can become an
igneous rock. Any rock can end of underground. That rock can be pressed and heated, which
turns it into a metamorphic rock.
Pictures of the rock cycle:
Soil Key Vocabulary:
humus- the part of soil made up of broken down pieces of dead plants and animals
sand- soil with grains of rock that you can see with your eyes
silt- Soil with grains of rock that are too small to be seen with your eyes alone
clay- Soil with very, very tiny powdery grains of rock
loam- Soil that is a mixture of humus, sand, silt, and clay
EQ: What are the similarities and differences in the various types of soils?
There are four things that make up soil. The four things are: water, air, humus, and tiny pieces of rock. Not
all soil is the same. One difference among soil is the size of the rocks found in them. The rock sizes make the
soils feel different. Clay, silt, and sand is the order of soil grains from largest to smallest grains. Soil is very
important to people for growing fruits and vegetables. The best kind of soil to grow fruits and vegetables is
loam. Most soils found on farms are loam.
(Largest Grain)
Weathering and Erosion Key Vocabulary:
(Smallest Grain)
weathering- The breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces
erosion- The movement of weathered rock and soil
EQ: How does water and wind change rocks and soil over time?
Earth’s surface is a rock. Rock wears down and breaks apart. The way rocks are broken down into smaller
pieces is called weathering. Water causes weathering. Wind also breaks rock down. Weathering happens
slowly. It can take thousands of years for rocks to be broken down to become sand and soil. After rocks are
broken down, erosion moves the pieces. Erosion is the movement of weathered rock. Moving water is the
cause of much erosion. Rainfall loosens sand and rock. It carries the sand and weathered rocks into rivers.
The rivers carry the materials downstream.
The rock formation to the right was
formed with a combination of wind and water.