Class Notes: Rock Cycle
Directions: Fill in the blanks below as you watch the short clip
about the Rock Cycle.
All Rocks are made from more than one ____________________.
The Earth is constantly changing and so are the rocks and minerals it
contains. They get redistributed and ________________ over and
over again in a process called the ________________
________________.
Over millions of years rocks are continually made, _____________,
and destroyed. Today, they help cover our roads, support our
buildings, and decorate our lives.
For all of this destruction, _________ rocks are constantly forming.
Sometimes this process happens quickly during events like
________________ eruptions and ______________. But most of the
time it takes millions of years.
As a result of this ongoing ____________, the Earth holds a
tremendous variety of rocks that differ in the minerals they contain.
Geologists study these rocks in search of valuable clues about the
history of the earth. Like rings in a tree, they hold information about
past environments and the events that formed them.
From Processes to Rocks
Have you ever had a rock
collection? Do you have a
favorite rock? Rocks are
everywhere and come in all
shapes and sizes. We’ve
already learned about the
processes that shape our land.
Now, we will study how these
processes relate to rocks.
KEY POINT - Rocks are grouped or classified by the processes
that form them.
Look back at the rock cycle activity. Pay attention to the order that
you traveled. Now, complete the Rock Cycle diagram using the
processes word bank below. If more than one arrow is pointing to
the same rock, magma, or sediment it is the same process.
-
Group Activity: Observing Rocks
Observe the collection of Rocks with your table group following
the directions below.
1. Which rocks look like they were formed by compaction and
cementation of sediment? Draw them and Explain.
Processes:
Melting
Cooling & Hardening
Compacting & Cementing
Weathering & Erosion
High Pressure & Temperature
2. Which rocks look like they were formed after cooling and
hardening of magma? Draw them and Explain.
3. Which rocks look like they were formed by high temperature and
pressure inside the Earth? Draw them and Explain.
Rocks and Processes Memory Tricks
MetamorPHic Rock = P___________ H__________
Igneous = Ignite = related to _____________
Sedimentary = S_________ and D__________
Also, sediment sounds like _______________
Do - First
Directions: Read the information
below and respond to the question
Have you ever had a rock
collection? Do you have a favorite
rock? Rocks are everywhere and
come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve
already learned about the processes
that shape our land. Now, we will
study how these processes relate to
rocks.
Write down an experience you’ve
had with Rocks. For example: Mr.
Lawton used different types of rocks
to help landscape his yard. The
rocks were of all different sizes, textures, and shapes.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
ROCK FINDERS - Introduction to the Rock Cycle
Answer the questions as you watch the video. Be ready to share your
answers with a table mate.
Part 1 – What is a rock?
1. How have we used rocks throughout history? _________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2. In what ways do we use rocks today? ___________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Rocks and the ROCK Cycle
3. Rocks are made of one or more ________________________.
Part 2 - How are rocks formed?
4. How are Igneous Rocks formed? ___________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
5. Write down 2 examples:
_________________________ and ____________________________
6. How are Sedimentary Rocks formed? _______________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
7. Write down 2 examples:
_________________________ and ____________________________
6. How are Metamorphic Rocks formed? ______________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
7. Write down 2 examples:
_________________________ and ____________________________
8. Fossils are _____________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
9. What are the benefits (+) of digging up and studying fossils?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Part 4 – Do Rocks last forever?
10. Breaking rocks into small pieces is called __________________
and it takes place ALL THE TIME .
11. What causes weathering? ________________________________
_________________________________________________________
12. Describe a famous example of weathering.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Part 5 – The Rock Cycle.
13. Explain how an Igenous Rock can become a sedimentary rock.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
14. Max says that, “the rocks, minerals, and soil on Earth can tell
the story of that place.” What do you think this means?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Part 3 – Fossils !!
Directions:
Read the article below. While reading, write an
annotation on the side for each paragraph. This annotation should be one
thing you learned or one interesting fact from the paragraph.
Have you ever picked up an interesting rock? Maybe you wondered
where it came from or how it was made. Look around. Rocks are
everywhere. This is not surprising. We live on the crust of Earth which
is made up entirely of rock. Some of these rocks have been around for
billions of years. Most aren’t quite so old. New rocks are slowly
formed all the time. Old rocks are slowly worn away by erosion. It
does not matter how old a rock is. They were all formed in some way.
There are three categories of rocks. They are based on the way the
rocks were formed. Volcanic action results in igneous rock. Layer
upon layer of deposited material results in sedimentary rock. Extreme
heat and pressure will cause some rocks to change into metamorphic
rock. These different processes give each rock type a different look.
This lets us classify rocks into one of the three categories.
Deep under Earth’s crust, the temperature is hot enough to melt rocks.
This molten rock is called magma. Magma in the crust slowly cools
and hardens, forming rock. Sometimes volcanic action brings magma
through the crust. When this happens, the molten rock is no longer
called than magma. On the surface, it is called lava. As the lava flows,
it also cools and hardens. Rocks that are formed by magma or lava are
igneous rocks. Granite is an example of an igneous rock.
Sedimentary rock is the second category. These rocks cover about
three quarters of Earth’s land surface. Sedimentary rocks are made of
pieces of other rocks and shells. Rain, wind, freezing, and plant roots
can all cause erosion of rocks. Erosion causes rocks to be slowly worn
away. These small pieces of rock are now called sediment. They are
eventually carried by rivers to the oceans and lakes. As the flowing
water slows down, it drops the sediments. The sediments settle to the
bottom forming layers. Over millions of years, more and more layers
of sand and mud are deposited. The weight from the upper layers turns
the lower layers of sediments into rock. This makes some sedimentary
rocks look layered. Also, there are often fossils in sedimentary rocks.
Article - Classifying Rocks
Metamorphic rocks are the third and final category. Metamorphic
rocks are the least common rock on Earth. These rocks were once an
igneous, sedimentary or even a metamorphic rock. They were changed
by extreme pressure and heat while deep inside Earth. Enough heat
and pressure will change a rock's look, structure, and composition.
This results in a change into a different rock. Granite is an igneous
rock. Granite will become metamorphic gneiss when it is placed under
heat and pressure. Limestone is a sedimentary rock. Limestone will
become metamorphic marble when it is placed under heat and
pressure. Think of metamorphic rocks as rocks that have changed.
Take a good look the next time that you pick up a rock. Think about
how it could have been formed. Was it formed by molten magma
cooling and hardening? Was it formed by layers of sediments pressing
down on each other over time? Was it changed by heat and pressure
into an entirely different rock? On Earth, there are only these three
types of rocks. Each rock is either igneous, sedimentary, or
metamorphic.
Answer the questions based on the article. When you finish, check
in with the teacher for an answer key and correct your work.
1. As a volcano erupts, it produces lava. As this lava flows, it cools
down and hardens forming a rock. How could you classify this
rock?
A. As molten magma
B. As a sedimentary rock
C. As a metamorphic rock
D. As an igneous rock
2. Sometimes fossils can be found in sedimentary rocks. Which
statement best explains why?
A. Heat and pressure from deep within Earth cause fossils to form.
B. The remains of dead plants and animals settle to the bottom of
an ocean or lake and are covered by mud. Pressure eventually
forms these layers into rock.
C. Lava may flow over an animal or plant, and as it cools and
hardens, a fossilized rock is formed.
D. Larger rocks are slowly eroded away by the elements on Earth.
3. A metamorphic rock can also be thought of as a rock that changes.
What causes the rock to change?
A. Layers of sediment building up over time and pressing
down forming rock.
B. Rain, wind, freezing, thawing, and plant roots growing
cause the rock to erode away leaving behind sediments.
C. Extreme heat and pressure from deep within Earth causes
changes to the rock’s appearance, structure, and
composition.
D. The rock slowly changes over time into a new rock.
4. Based on the context in paragraph 4, fossil refers to _____.
A. how igneous rocks were formed over time
B. the remains of dead plants and animals settle to the bottom
of an ocean or lake and are covered by mud
C. a trace or print or the remains of a plant or animal of a past
age preserved in earth or rock
D. layers of sediment building up over time and pressing down
forming rock
5. What is similar about igneous rock and metamorphic rock
formation?
A. The formation of metamorphic and igneous rock requires
extreme heat.
B. The formation of metamorphic and igneous rock occurs
deep underground.
C. The formation of metamorphic and igneous rock results in
rocks that have a similar appearance.
D. The formation of metamorphic and igneous rock requires
layering
Ask the teacher for the key and CORRECT your answers.
Science articles are an area that many of us have struggled with on
Unit Exams and Common Assessments.
KEY
Rocks and the ROCK
Cycle
Do - First
Directions: Read the information
below and respond to the question
Have you ever had a rock
collection? Do you have a favorite
rock? Rocks are everywhere and
come in all shapes and sizes. We’ve
already learned about the processes
that shape our land. Now, we will
study how these processes relate to
rocks.
Write down an experience you’ve had with Rocks. For example:
Mr. Lawton used different types of rocks to help landscape his yard.
The rocks were of all different sizes, textures, and shapes.
ROCK FINDERS - Introduction to the Rock Cycle
Answer the questions as you watch the video. Be ready to share your
answers with a table mate.
Part 1 – What is a rock?
1. How have we used rocks throughout history?
We have used rocks to build things like the pyramids, the
Great Wall of China, ancient temples in Greece, statues,
and monuments.
2. In what ways do we use rocks today?
We use rocks in steel (iron), concrete, and glass (from
sand)
3. Rocks are made of one or more minerals.
Part 2 - How are rocks formed?
Part 3 – Fossils !!
4. How are Igneous Rocks formed? Igneous rock is formed
8. Fossils are bones, teeth and other remains of animals that
from magma or lava cooling and turning into a solid.
lived a long time ago. They can be body fossils of actual
bones and teeth or trace fossils, which are impressions of
plants and animals.
5. Write down 2 examples:
Granite
and
Obsidian
9. What are the benefits (+) of digging up and studying fossils?
6. How are Sedimentary Rocks formed? Sedimentary rocks
are formed from compressed sediments, which are small
pieces of rock and sand.
Studying fossils allows us (paleontologists) to look into our
past and find clues to figure out what organisms lived before
us and how our Earth was formed and shaped!
Part 4 – Do Rocks last forever?
7. Write down 2 examples:
sandstone
and limestone
6. How are Metamorphic Rocks formed?
Metamorphic rocks because of heat and pressure from
deep inside the Earth. This heat and pressure can be
caused by plate tectonics.
7. Write down 2 examples:
Marble and
Slate
10. Breaking rocks into small pieces is called weathering and
it takes place ALL THE TIME .
11. What causes weathering? Wind, water freezing into ice,
and moving water.
12. Describe a famous example of weathering. The Grand
Canyon is a famous example of how water can wear rock
down over time.
Part 5 – The Rock Cycle.
13. Explain how an Igenous Rock can become a sedimentary rock.
An igneous rock (like Granite) can become a sedimentary
rock when weathering from water and wind breaks it into
pieces. Those pieces can then be pressed together over time
to form sedimentary rock.
14. Max says that, “the rocks, minerals, and soil on Earth can tell
the story of that place.” What do you think this means?
Rocks form because of processes. When you find a rock, you
can tell what processes occurred to form that rock and put it
in that place so it basically “tells the story of that place”.