Rock Cycle
Core Content:
SC-06-2.3.3 Students will compare constructive and destructive forces on Earth in order to make
predictions about the nature of landforms.
Landforms are a result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces. Collection and analysis
of data indicates that constructive forces include crustal deformation, faulting, volcanic eruption and
deposition of sediment, while destructive forces include weathering and erosion.
SC-06-2.3.2
Students will explain cause and effect relationships in the Rock cycle.
Materials found in the lithosphere and mantle are changed in a continuous process called the rock cycle,
which can be investigated using a variety of models. Cause and effect relationships should be explored
in order to draw conclusions and make evidence-based predictions of the continually changing
materials.
Unit Goals:
Student will explain cause and effect relationship in the rock cycle.
I Can:
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I CAN identify the three types of rocks and where/how they are formed.
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I CAN describe how each type of rock changes into another as it moves through the rock cycle.
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I CAN explain two characteristics of each type of rock that are used to help classify it.
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I CAN explain how sedimentary rocks record Earth’s history.
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I CAN describe how plate tectonics affect the rock cycle.
Vocabulary:
1. Minerals 2.composition 3.sedimentary rock
4.foliated rocks
5.Texture
6.metamorphic rock 7.non-foliated 8.Rock cycle
9.igneous rock
10.Intrusive
11.extrusive
12.coarse grain
13.fine grain
14.magma/lava
15.Weathering 16.erosion
17.compacting
18.cementing
Activities:
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Intro: is it a rock worksheet (over head doc camera whole group activity)
Hands on lab: students sort rocks into three categories
Notes & summary activity
-Day 1: Notes on igneous rocks, re-teach notes to partner, then identify the igneous rocks from
the sorting pile
- Day 2: Notes on sedimentary rocks, re-teach notes to partner, then identify the sedimentray
rocks from the sorting pile
- Day 3: Notes on metamorphic rocks, re-teach notes to partner, then identify the metamorphic
rocks from the sorting pile
Starburst candy lab
Dice lab (rock cycle) –late in unit & write cartoon strip (WRITING) of the trip they took by rolling
the dice
http://sciencespot.net/Media/rockcycdice.pdf
Discovery education.com:
*Sedimentary
-Intro video: “sedimentary rock” & several short video segments (show one ea. Day?)
-Explorations: 1. “Gathered & Glued” (sedimentary), 2. “Chill out, rock on” (igneous) 3. “Gniess
work” (metamorphic)
-“Rocks & minerals”: review video of sedimentary