Lesson Plan Template
ETAP 524
Spring 2013
Name: Teresa Dobler
Module: 5
Lesson Plan Title
Rocking with the Rock Cycle
Discipline and Topic
This lesson fits into the unit on Landforms and the changing Earth for the 6th grade general
Science classroom. Students will complete this lesson after learning about volcanoes, erosion
and deposition, and other related processes. The students have also previously learned how to
categorize rocks as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic based on properties. After this
lesson, students will learn how Scientists decode rock layers to draw conclusions about past
events on Earth. This will then lead into a discussion of fossils.
Target Population
General Characteristics
This lesson is for 6th grade students in a general Science class at a urban public charter school.
The students are on average 11-12 years old and are approximately an even mix of males and
females. The classes are all heterogeneous in terms of ability and socioeconomic status. Each
class contains several students who have IEP or 504 plans and two classes have students who are
English Language Learners. All students have been in this Science class since August, receiving
50 minutes of Science instruction each day.
Entry Competencies
The students are already able to pull key facts out of an informational text through strategies of
pulling out main ideas and supporting details. Students are also able to annotate a written text.
The students have some limited experience with decoding images from a previous ecosystems
unit, so students should be able to pull key details out of photographs and diagrams. Students
also have discussion skills and have been trained in respectful disagreement, building on ideas,
and defending claims with evidence. The students will also have previously learned about the
processes of erosion and deposition, volcanoes, and the three key types of rocks in the previous
lessons. This information will be applied to the rock cycle lesson.
Learning Styles
While individual learning styles vary, on average the students are interpersonal learners; they
prefer to work in groups and discuss what they are learning. The students are also visual and
kinesthetic learners, preferring to view models and diagrams to support the knowledge rather
than just read. This is evident as students refer back to previous labs, demonstrations, videos, and
images to support written work later.
Curriculum Alignment and Standards
This lesson fits into the Earth Science curriculum for the 6th grade. It is a continuation of the
landforms unit and fits into the study of how earth has changed over time.
NYS Common Core Learning Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
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
Writing Standards (Grade 6) – 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection,
organization, and analysis of relevant content.
o This standard is met when the students create the digital story. The students
took what they learned and need to write an informative piece that conveys
the information.
Speaking and Listening Standards (Grade 6) – 1. Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on other’s ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
o This standard is met when the students participate in the small group
discussion about the rock cycle song. The standard is also met when the
students are working within the small groups on the digital story and
accompanying story board.
Speaking and Listening Standards (Grade 6) – 2. Interpret information presented in
diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it
contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
o This standard is met as students learn about the rock cycle from the lecture,
the model and picture they have created, and the song they listen to. They
also learn by listening to the conclusions of their peers. They have to
interpret and synthesize this information.
ISTE NETS Standards
NETS-Student:
 2. Communication and Collaboration. A. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers,
experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media
o This standard is met when students post their story board drafts on the blog
for their classmates to comment on. It is also met when the students publish
their final stories to the classroom website.
NETS-Teacher:
 2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments. A. Design or
adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to
promote student learning and creativity.
o This standard is met when the teacher incorporates the visual (PowerPoint), the
model (cut and paste), the song, and the digital story board project to help
students master the rock cycle.
Goals
Students will be able to explain how the rock cycle changes rocks from one form into another
over millions of years.
Objectives (State)

The 6th grade students will be able to accurately label the parts of the rock cycle when

given a rock cycle with blanks and a word box with 8 out of 10 labels correct.
The 6th grade students will explain the journey of one rock through the various phases of
the rock cycle, earning a “meets expectations” or higher for each criterion on the
provided story rubric.
Underlying Educational Theory
The rock cycle story project is an example of collaborative learning. The students have to work
as a team cooperatively in order to complete the project. The students have individual as well as
group accountability. Students will get to rate their group members, which helps build the
individual accountability and count toward each students class participation score. The students
are also constructing knowledge as they link what they already know about erosion and the types
of rocks and applying it to the new situation.
Materials Description and Timing
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A PowerPoint is used to model the cut and paste activity the students complete during the
first day of the lecture. This was chosen because the teacher is able to animate the slide
so that one image appears at a time. This lets the students and teacher discuss each part of
the rock cycle as it is added rather than look at the entire thing at once.
The Rock Cycle Song, by Mr. Parr is available for free on YouTube. This catchy song, to
the tune of “Life is a Highway” helps students remember the parts of the rock cycle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53lMdHzvGCQ This song is selected because the
content is grade level appropriate, the words go at an appropriate speed (not too fast), and
the song is easy to catch on to.
PowerPoint is used to create a digital story book because it is already loaded on the
student computers and it is a program the students are familiar with.
The students will be using school MacBook computers. The school has 8 MacBooks that
are signed out by teachers for classroom use. These are the only available computers for
student use.
Blogspot was used to facilitate the online discussion. This site was selected because it is
easy for students to type a comment on without having to know a log in password. The
comments are also in a what you see is what you get format, so students do not need to
know any special codes. Lastly, unlike a wiki, students can not accidently (or
purposefully) change the post of another. They merely have to click the link on the
classroom wiki page to access the blog. This site is also free to use, and is linked to my
school email address so I can get an email whenever a student comments.
Supplemental Materials/Links
Students will have access to various books within the classroom library related to the Rock
Cycle and types of rocks.
Students will be able to view samples of types of rocks.
This interactive website from Learner.org has information about the types of rocks and the rock
cycle, including animations of each process that changes rocks. The link to the site is posted on
the wiki as a suggested resource for students who may be struggling.
http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/diagram2.html
Lesson
Time
Student Role
Day 1: 50 Minute Block
Warm Up
(5 minutes)
Introduction
(5 minutes)
Rock Cycle
Lecture
(20 Minutes)
-Get materials ready for class
-Answer warmup questions in
notebook. Students should use
notes to help them if they do not
remember.
-Students copy down the definition
of rock cycle in their notes
-Students answer questions about
conservation of matter
-Students will follow along with
their own cut and paste model of
the rock cycle.
-Students will answer questions
based on what they have learned
about rocks and the changing earth
-Add igneous rock to chart.
-Answer: “From lava or magma”
-Add magma to chart.
-Answer: “Cooling”
-Students cut out and add cooling.
-Answer: “Melting”
-Students cut out and add melting.
-Students add sediment to chart.
-Answer: sediments are the small
bits and pieces of rocks
-Answer: Weathering and erosion
-Answer: Because weathering and
erosion are the factors that break
down rocks to form rivers,
canyons, and caves
-Cut out and add weather and
Teacher Role
-Display warmup questions on
PowerPoint: How do igneous rocks
form? How do sedimentary rocks
form? How do metamorphic rocks
form?
-Prompt students to copy definition
of rock cycle.
-Facilitate discussion of where we
have seen conservation of matter in
previous units
-Facilitate discussion of rock cycle
-Use Powerpoint to model along
with students
-Display an igneous rock: “How do
igneous rocks form?”
-“I am going to put magma leading
up to the igneous rock, since we
know magma comes before
igneous rock.”
-“Look at the different process
words on your sheet. Which
process word describes how
magma becomes an igneous rock?”
-Model where to add cooling.
-“What if I wanted to go the other
way? That means I wanted to
change the igneous rock back into
magma. Which process word
would describe this?”
-Model where to add melting.
-Model where to lay sediment.
-“What is sediment?”
-Show some sediments.
-“Look at your process words. How
might I get from an igneous rock to
sediments?”
-“Why do you think this?”
-Model where to lay weathering
and erosion
erosion.
-Answer: a sedimentary rock
-Add sedimentary rock.
-“What will sediment eventually
form?
-“Since sediment only leads to one
box, I know where to put
sedimentary rock.”
-Model where to put sedimentary
rock.
-Answer: compacting and
-“What process causes sediment to
cementing
turn into a sedimentary rock?”
-Add compacting and cementing
-Model where to put compacting
and cementing
-Show compressing the sediments
(sand) and explain that over time
this compression makes them a
rock.
-Answer: weathering and erosion
-“What if I wanted to reverse this
-Add weathering and erosion
process and turn my sedimentary
rock back into sediments? Which
process would that be?”
-Model where to put weathering
and erosion.
-Answer: metamorphic
-“What other type of rock do we
-Add metamorphic rock
need to add to our chart?
-Model adding metamorphic rocks
to the last opening.
-Answer: heat and pressure
-“Which process would change a
-Answer: inside the earth, in a
sedimentary rock into a
subduction zone
metamorphic rock?”
-Add heat and pressure to the
-“Where might we find the heat
model
and pressure necessary to transform
a rock this way?”
-Model where to add heat and
pressure.
-Answer: between igneous rock
-“Where else on our diagram would
and metamorphic rock
we also see a change caused by
-Add heat and pressure
heat and pressure?”
-Model where to add heat and
pressure
-Students cut and place melting and -“Try to fill in the remaining two
weathering and erosion.
processes on your own, based on
-Students verbally justify their
what you know about rocks. For
choices
now, just set them where you think
-Students glue last two processes in they will go. After we discuss it,
place.
you can glue them.”
-Discuss placement of melting and
Guided Practice
with Rock
Cycle
(5 minutes)
Small Group
Practice
(10 minutes)
Wrap Up
(5 minutes)
Homework
-Use their rock cycles to answer
questions asked by the teacher.
Students raise their hand when they
know the answer, then when
prompted all say the answer at
once.
-Work with partners or groups of 3
to fill out worksheet using rock
cycle
-Listen to rock cycle song.
weathering and erosion.
-Model where to add them.
-Asks direct questions about
connections in the rock cycle – eg:
what process changes an igneous
rock to a metamorphic rock
-Circulate between groups,
informally assessing students
facilitating discussion as needed
-Introduce rock cycle song. Explain
that they will use this song for
homework tonight.
-Distribute lyrics to students.
Listen to the rock cycle song – you
can find it posted on the wikispace.
Answer Question: Identify and
explain connections between this
song and the rock cycle.
Day 2 – 50 minute block (Friday)
Warm Up
(5 minutes)
-Listen to rock cycle song again.
Review answers to last night’s
homework silently.
Small Group
Discussion
(5 minutes)
Storyboards
(35 minutes)
-Discuss connections between song
and rock cycle.
Introduction to
Blog Program
(5)
-Students follow along.
-Discuss what makes a comment a
“good” comment.
Homework
-Students will visit blogspot and
comment on at least 3 story boards
for other groups. Each comment
should include 2 compliments and
2 pieces of advice.
-Work in small groups on the story
board for their rock cycle project.
-Prompt students to listen to rock
cycle song again and then to look
over their homework responses in
preparation for a discussion.
-Walk among groups, informally
assessing students and facilitating
discussion as needed.
-Introduce story project.
-Walk between groups, helping as
needed.
-Models for students how to
comment on a blog post.
-Teacher explains weekend
homework and models good
commenting.
Day 3 – 50 minute block
Warm Up
(5 minutes)
-Students answer rock cycle
questions. Students may use their
rock cycle to help them.
-Teacher displays questions about
rock cycle for students to answer.
Digital Story
Book Demo
(10 minutes)
Digital Story
Book
(35 minutes)
-Students follow along and set up a
digital story book.
-Students review comments on
blog, make edits to story board as
needed, and then begin their digital
story books.
-Teacher models how to create a
digital story book using
PowerPoint.
-Walk among groups, helping as
needed
Day 4 – 50 minute block
Digital Story
Book
(40 minutes)
-Students work in small groups to
finish digital story book.
Rock Cycle
Assessment
(10 minutes)
-Students fill in the blanks in the
Rock Cycle without using any
notes.
-Walk among groups, helping as
needed
-Help students publish final stories
to classroom website
-Distribute assessment.
Assessment of Students
Rock Cycle Fill in Sheet: After learning about the rock cycle, students will be given a rock cycle
worksheet with 8 of the steps blank. Students must use their knowledge (without notes) and the
given word box to fill in the blank spaces accurately. Since these answers are either correct or
incorrect, there is not a rubric for this assignment. Rather, students are considered to have met
the expectations if they are able to successfully fill in 8 of the 10 blanks. The worksheet, a
student sample, and the answer key are attached as separate documents.
Rock Cycle Story: Students will work in small groups on creative presentations that summarize
the process of the rock cycle in a digital storybook. Students must include all the parts of the
rock cycle in their story, as well as all the given vocabulary words (igneous, sedimentary,
metamorphic, rock, heat, pressure, erosion, sediment, magma, compaction, melting, cooling,
weathering). The students will begin brainstorming with a storyboard, then will move into the
creation of the digital storybook using Microsoft PowerPoint. The students will be assessed
based on the story rubric below.
Scientific
Vocab.
Words
(x1)
Scientific
Accuracy
(x2)
Exceeds (20
pts)
Includes all
13 relevant
vocabulary
words from
the given list
Consistently
synthesizes
relevant and
complete
details to
support
vocabulary
Meets
(16 pts)
Approaches
(14 pts)
Below
(10 pts)
Includes 11 of
13 relevant
vocabulary
words
Includes 7-10
relevant
vocabulary
words
Includes 1-6
relevant
vocabulary
words
Consistently
includes
relevant and
complete
details to
support
vocabulary
Includes
relevant
details to
support at
least half (7)
of the
vocabulary
Includes
relevant
details to
support at
least 1 of the
vocabulary
terms.
0
(0 pts)
Includes
none of the
relevant
vocabulary
words
Does not
include any
relevant
details.
terms
Focus on
Assigned
Topic
(x2)
The entire
story is
related to the
assigned
topic and
allows the
reader to
understand
much more
about the
topic.
Most of the
story is related
to the assigned
topic (more
than 80%).
The story
wanders off at
one point, but
the reader can
still learn
something
about the
topic.
Some of the
story is
related to the
assigned
topic (more
than 50%).
The story is
somewhat
related to the
assigned
topic (less
than 50%
related), but
a reader does
not learn
much about
the topic.
No attempt
has been
made to
relate the
story to the
assigned
topic.
Evaluation of Students and Lesson
One way I will know this lesson was successful is if 85% of my students are able to earn a meets
expectations or higher on the rubrics above. This will tell me that the majority of my students
have mastered and can present the content learned. In addition, I will know I was successful if
85% of my students correctly fill in 8 of the 10 blanks on the assessment on day 5 without
referring to notes.
I will also informally assess my students by asking them to identify what they have learned and
what they are working on. Based on informal questioning, I should be able to see which students
have a thorough understanding of the process and which need reinforcement.
I can use the information gained through the assessment rubrics and through the informal
questioning to determine if my students are ready to move on or if we need to reexamine cave
formation from a new angle.
Low Tech Modification
If the technology fails on the first day, I will model the cut and paste project on the white board
rather than with the PowerPoint, displaying a larger version of each image the students have on
their papers. If the technology fails for the song, we can use the lyric printouts to sing it without
the background music. If the technology fails for the digital story book, students can create a
traditional paper story book. Lastly, if the technology fails for the blog posts, students can either
access blog posts from a library or other technology source or if we are unable to post them,
students can take some time in class to view the storyboards of other groups and comment on
them.