Rock your world assessment
You will work in a small group to make a travel presentation on a famous
Australian landform. Your presentation needs to convince people to travel to the
landform by explaining the science behind the formation of the landform. Your task is to:
1. Choose one of the following landforms:
 Devil’s Marbles (Northern Territory)
 The Great Dividing Range (New South Wales)
 Jenolan Caves (New South Wales)
 Kiama Blowhole (New South Wales)
 The Three Sisters (New South Wales)
 Uluru (Northern Territory)
 Wave Rock (Western Australia)
2. Make a travel presentation on the landform by doing the following:
 Describe the landform
 Explain why people would want to visit there
 Explain how the landform had formed, including the impact of weathering,
erosion and/or deposition
 Describe the significance of the landform to the local Aboriginal people
3. Choose a tool or a combination of tools to make and present your TV show in:
 Adobe Captivate
 Adobe Premier Elements
 GoAnimate!
 Google Earth
 Microsoft PowerPoint
 Voicethread
 Windows Movie Maker
Your travel presentation needs to be 3 to 5 minutes long.
This assessment will be marked by your teacher and your classmates.
Teacher mark
CATEGORY
4
3
2
Includes essential
information about the
topic but there are 1-2
factual errors.
1
Content
Covers topic in-depth
with details and
examples. Subject
knowledge is excellent.
Includes essential
knowledge about the
topic. Subject knowledge
appears to be good.
Content is minimal OR
there are several factual
errors.
Organisation
Content is well organised
using headings or
bulleted lists to group
related material.
Uses headings or bulleted Content is logically
lists to organise, but the
organised for the most
overall organization of
part.
topics appears flawed.
Presentation
Well-rehearsed with
Rehearsed with fairly
smooth delivery that
smooth delivery that
holds audience attention. holds audience attention
most of the time.
Delivery not smooth, but
able to maintain interest
of the audience most of
the time.
Sources
Source information
collected for all graphics,
facts and quotes. All
documented in desired
format.
Source information
collected for all graphics,
facts and quotes. Most
documented in desired
format.
Source information
Very little or no source
collected for graphics,
information was
facts and quotes, but not collected.
documented in desired
format.
Attractiveness
Makes excellent use of
font, color, graphics,
effects, etc. to enhance
the presentation.
Makes good use of font,
color, graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance to
presentation.
Makes use of font, color,
graphics, effects, etc. but
occasionally these
detract from the
presentation content.
There was no clear or
logical organisational
structure, just lots of facts.
Delivery not smooth and
audience attention often
lost.
Use of font, color,
graphics, effects etc. but
these often distract from
the presentation content.
Student mark
CATEGORY
4
3
2
Includes essential
information about the
topic but there are 1-2
factual errors.
1
Content
Covers topic in-depth
with details and
examples. Subject
knowledge is excellent.
Includes essential
knowledge about the
topic. Subject knowledge
appears to be good.
Content is minimal OR
there are several factual
errors.
Organisation
Content is well organised
using headings or
bulleted lists to group
related material.
Uses headings or bulleted Content is logically
lists to organise, but the
organised for the most
overall organization of
part.
topics appears flawed.
Presentation
Well-rehearsed with
Rehearsed with fairly
smooth delivery that
smooth delivery that
holds audience attention. holds audience attention
most of the time.
Delivery not smooth, but
able to maintain interest
of the audience most of
the time.
Sources
Source information
collected for all graphics,
facts and quotes. All
documented in desired
format.
Source information
collected for all graphics,
facts and quotes. Most
documented in desired
format.
Source information
Very little or no source
collected for graphics,
information was
facts and quotes, but not collected.
documented in desired
format.
Attractiveness
Makes excellent use of
font, color, graphics,
effects, etc. to enhance
the presentation.
Makes good use of font,
color, graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance to
presentation.
Makes use of font, color,
graphics, effects, etc. but
occasionally these
detract from the
presentation content.
There was no clear or
logical organisational
structure, just lots of facts.
Delivery not smooth and
audience attention often
lost.
Use of font, color,
graphics, effects etc. but
these often distract from
the presentation content.
Famous Australian Landforms
Here is a list of famous Australian landforms:
 Devil’s Marbles (Northern Territory)
 The Great Dividing Range (New South Wales)
 Jenolan Caves (New South Wales)
 Kiama Blowhole (New South Wales)
 The Three Sisters (New South Wales)
 Uluru (Northern Territory)
 Wave Rock (Western Australia)
Activity 1 – Use the drawing tools to mark each of the above landforms on the Australian
map below.
Activity 2 – Construct a table to show the following information for each of the famous
landforms:
 Name of landform
 State the landform is located
 Photo of the landform
 Traditional owners of the landform
 Aboriginal perspectives for the creation of the landform
You will also need to record a list of the websites you have used as your bibliography.
Technical Writing – The Earth
Science books and websites use a mixture of photographs, diagrams, text and
tables. You need to read and understand these sources of information if you are going to
make the best use of scientific information.
Your Task
1. Look closely at the diagram of the structure of the Earth below. Use the information
on the diagram to design and complete a table which shows each layer of the
structure of the Earth, the thickness of that layer and a description of each layer.
2. Use the information from the completed table to write a brief description of the
structure of the Earth.
Marking criteria
Criteria
Mark
Table
4
3
Table has appropriate headings; is presented in columns
with correct information about each layer of the Earth
Description
4
3
Topic is well defined at the beginning of the writing, the
phenomena is well described, ideas are succinct; most
spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct
Teacher comments:
2
1
0
2
1
0
Make a model of the Earth
Materials required:
Cardboard, scissors, ruler, glue, pencil, coloured pencils, compass
What to do:
1. The crust of the Earth is made of many plates that “float” above the mantle. The
crust is thicker and lighter at the continents and thinner and denser at the ocean
floor.
 Draw a 22 cm circle, cut it out and colour it blue. This will represent the crust.
2. The mantle lies below the crust. It is a thick layer of partially molten rock. Many
scientists believe that the mantle transfers heat from the core to the surface.
 Draw an 18 cm circle, cut it out and colour it brown. This will represent the
mantle.
3. The outer core is made of molten iron and nickel. It is much denser than the rock
layers above it. The temperature of the outer core is 4000 °C to 6000 °C.
 Draw a 15 cm circle, cut it out and colour it yellow. This will represent the
outer core.
4. The inner core is made of solid iron and nickel. These materials sank to the centre of
the Earth while it was still in molten form.
 Draw a 7 cm circle, cut it out and paint it black. This will represent the inner
core.
Questions


Why is a model like this a good way to learn about the layers of the Earth?
What are the problems and limitations associated with this model?
Modelling the Earth’s structure
Cut an apple in half and take a look at the inside structure. There are four layers of an
apple – the skin, the pulp, their core and the apple’s centre or inner core.
The Earth, like the apple is made up of four layers.
1. The crust, which is the thinnest and contains all the Earth’s landforms.
2. The mantle, which is thicker and lies beneath the crust.
3. The Earth’s metallic core.
4. The inner core.
outer
core
inner
core
crust
mantle
1. Use this information to label the diagram of the Earth’s structure.
2. Why is using a model like this a good way to learn about the layers of the Earth?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________
3. What are the limitations of using an apple as a model of the Earth’s structure?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
__________________
Prac activity – Rocks and minerals
Activity 1
In this activity you will look at five rocks with a hand lens. Look very carefully at
each rock and draw a table to show your observations. The table should have the
following headings:
 Name of rock
 What I saw when it was magnified
 Diagram of rock when it was magnified
Remember all diagrams in science must be drawing in pencil.
Activity 2
Read the following text and then answer the questions that follow.
With the magnifier you were able to see smaller bits and pieces that make up rocks. In
some rocks, like conglomerate, these bits and pieces are simply smaller pieces of other
rocks. On the other hand, if you looked at an igneous rock like granite, you would have
seen quite a different picture. Granite shows us clearly that all rocks are made up of other
substances that are crystallised together. These other substances are called minerals. A
mineral is a chemical compound which occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust. Minerals may
be found separately, or combined with other minerals. When they are combined with
other minerals, we say they form a rock.
Questions - True or false
1. Another term for magnifier is hand lens.
2. Conglomerate rock is made up of
minerals.
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
3. Granite is a rock composed of minerals.
_________________________________________
4. Minerals occur naturally in the mantle
of the Earth.
_________________________________________
5. All rocks are composed of minerals.
_________________________________________
Growing crystals
Activity A - Making small crystals
1. Dissolve sodium chloride in a small amount of water to make a concentrated
solution.
2. Evaporate most of the water by heating it over a Bunsen burner.
3. Leave the beaker and contents to stand overnight.
4. Look at the crystals under the microscope. Draw what you see.
Activity B - Making larger crystals
1. Dissolve copper sulfate in a small amount of water to make a concentrated
solution.
2. Leave the beaker and the contents to stand until all the water has evaporated.
3. Look at the crystals under the microscope. Draw what you see. Compare them with
the crystals in the last experiment.
Activity C - Even larger crystals
1. Dissolve enough copper sulfate in water to make half a beaker of a saturated
solution.
2. Tie a string around one of the best crystals you have from
the last experiment.
3. Dangle the crystal in the saturated solution and leave it
for several days.
4. Look at the crystal you get and draw it. Compare it with the crystals you got in the
two previous experiments.
Questions
1. In which activity, A, B or C, did the crystals have a chance to grow for a long period
of time? ______________
2. In which activity, A, B or C, did you obtain the largest crystals? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. Your teacher will give you two rock samples. Use a hand lens to observe them
carefully. One of these formed as lava flowed out onto the surface of the Earth. The
other formed deep under the ground.
(a) Describe the crystals of the two rocks.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(b) Which rock do you think formed on the surface of the Earth? Which formed
under the ground? Explain your answers.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Using QR codes in the science classroom
Topic: Rocks
Equipment required: iPods and/or iPads, Rocks app, QR reader app
Activity:
1. Organise samples of basalt, granite, gabbro, geniss, phyllite, schist, slate,
conglomerate, limestone and shale to be placed around the lab. Label the
samples 1, 2, 3, etc.
2. Place the corresponding QR code card next to each sample.
3. Organise students into small groups and have each group start the activity with a
different sample.
4. Each group is to read the clues on the QR code card and use the rocks app to
identify the sample rock. The group then scans the QR code to reveal the answer.
The teacher may want to use the activity sheet.
5. Each group rotates through the samples until they have completed all samples.
Extra info:
QR codes in order: Basalt, Granite, Gabbro, Gneiss, Phyllite, Schist, Slate,
Conglomerate, Limestone, Shale
What am I?



I am an igneous rock.
I am rich in iron, magnesium, calcium,
aluminium and silicon oxides.
My main silicate minerals are
pyroxene and plagioclase.
What am I?




What am I?



I am an igneous rock.
I am formed when magma crystallises
slowly deep in the Earth.
I am rich in magnesium, calcium, iron,
aluminium, silicon and oxygen.
I am an igneous rock.
I contain quartz, feldspar and other
minerals.
I am often used as an ornamental
polished stone.
I can be grey, white, pink or reddish.
What am I?



I am a metamorphic rock.
I can look like granite.
I am in the same family as slate,
phyllite and schist but I have been
subjected to higher temperatures
and deformation.
What am I?



I am a metamorphic rock.
I am a very common rock world-wide
I am suitable to be used for flooring.
What am I?



I am a metamorphic rock.
I am thin, strong and long-lasting.
I am formed from fine-grained
mudstone or siltstones.
What am I?



I am a metamorphic rock.
I have large crystals of mica.
My crystals produce a sparkle.
What am I?



I am a sedimentary rock.
I contain can be a combination of
any rock type.
I am usually found as distinct layers
with sandstone and shale.
What am I?



I am a sedimentary rock.
I am rich in calcium carbonate.
I am used to make cement.
What am I?



I am a sedimentary rock.
I am rich in aluminous clays and
quartz.
I am an important source of clays for
ceramics and bricks.
Identifying rocks
Sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
What is my guess?
What rock is it actually?
Am I correct?
Writing about rocks
Scientists need to communicate their understanding clearly. One such way is
to write an information report.
Your Task - You are to write an information report for other Year 7 students on the three types
of rocks on Earth (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic). You need to describe how each
type of rock is formed and examples of each type of rock.
You will need to complete the report scaffold below before you write your final report.
General statement –
defines the topic to the
reader
Description – a series of Paragraph 1
paragraphs, each
describing different
aspects of the
topic/subject
-Each idea needs to
be in a separate
paragraph
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Conclusion – a
statement giving the
usefulness of the topic
Marking criteria
CATEGORY
4
3
Amount of
Information
All topics are
addressed and all
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about
each.
All topics are
addressed and most
questions answered
with at least 2
sentences about
each.
All topics are
addressed, and
most questions
answered with 1
sentence about
each.
Quality of
Information
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It includes
several supporting
details and/or
examples.
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic. It provides 1-2
supporting details
and/or examples.
Information clearly
Information has little
relates to the main
or nothing to do with
topic. No details
the main topic.
and/or examples are
given.
Organisation
Information is very
organised with wellconstructed
paragraphs and
subheadings.
Information is
organised with wellconstructed
paragraphs.
Information is
organised, but
paragraphs are not
well-constructed.
The information
appears to be
disorganised.
Paragraph
Construction
All paragraphs
include introductory
sentence,
explanations or
details, and
concluding sentence.
Most paragraphs
include introductory
sentence,
explanations or
details, and
concluding
sentence.
Paragraphs included
related information
but were typically
not constructed well.
Paragraphing
structure was not
clear and sentences
were not typically
related within the
paragraphs.
Mechanics
No grammatical,
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Almost no
grammatical,
spelling or
punctuation errors
A few grammatical
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Many grammatical,
spelling, or
punctuation errors.
Teacher comments:
2
1
One or more topics
were not addressed.