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ROCKS, ROCKS, AND MORE ROCKS
MASTER TEACHER Lucinda Munoz
GRADES 3-5
OVERVIEW
In this lesson and its extensions, the students will have the
opportunity to learn about the formation of rocks, types of rocks and the rock
cycle. The students will learn the characteristics of different rocks and
group rocks into the 3 major categories: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
The students will make their own pet rocks from sand, glue and water. They
will bring rocks to school and study the different characteristics each have.
Using various tools the students will measure, weigh and compare their rocks.
ITV SERIES
Bill Nye The Science Guy #144: Rocks and Soil
Reading Rainbow: The Magic School Bus " "Inside the
Earth""
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students should be able to:
*identify the phases of the rock cycle
*describe the 3 types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic
*predict rocks circumference, weight and length
*collect data on their own rocks, texture, weight, length, and
colors
Materials
for table of 4
"Make Own Rock" Activity
20ml elmer's glue
225 gr. sand
1 gallon water container
plastic containers 1 cup per student
paper towels
butcher paper
500 ml beaker
"Pet Rock" Activity
Materials for groups of 4
1 metric ruler
1 scales
1 gram weights
1 set markers
4 nails
1 eye dropper
1 gal water container
1 magnifying glass
ball of yarn
1 rock per student
PRE-VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Teacher Vocabulary
rocks-a solid mixture of minerals
rock cycle-continuous changes of rocks from magma, to
igneous-sedimentary-metamorphic rock
cycle-a single occurrence of an event or series of events that
is regularly repeated
igneous rocks-Originate when molten material called lava cools
and solidifies. Coarse grained rocks such as granite are produced by
slowly cooling underground. Others such as basalt, obsidian, and pumice
cool quickly on the surface.
sedimentary rocks-formed by the compression of sand and sea
shells which settled to the bottom of lakes and oceans. The word comes
from Latin and means "settle". Sediment such as sand, clay and
gravel can be cemented together by water pressure forming sandstone and shale.
It is also formed from living things such as plants(ex. coal). A third
formation is caused by chemical change (many forms of limestone). Fossils
are common in sedimentary rock particularly near the ocean.
metamorphic rocks-rocks that change from its original form due
to pressure, heat, gas, or water. Exam(Ex. are slate and schist.)
geology-the study of rocks
geologist-a person who studies rocks
Prior to starting this unit, have students bring a rock own
from home. Explain that the rock should be bigger than their thumb and
smaller then their fist. Encourage them to bring interesting and unusual
specimens, perhaps a rock collected on a vacation. This rock will be used
for the second activity of the lesson. Have the room set up in cooperative
groups of four, either have tables or put four flat top desks together to form a
table. Cover table with paper that can just be picked up and thrown away.
Place a water container in the middle. In a separate basket have glue and
sand with beakers ready for students to measure ingredients that will form their
rock. Have a 30 cm x 40 cm strip of paper for each student to place the
rock they will make on and put their name on it. They will place this
paper with the rock on the shelf to dry as we view the video. Before
viewing the video the students will complete activity one making their own rock
by combining 20 ml of glue and 225 grams of sand. They are to mix the
ingredients well and form their mixture into a rock, any shape the students
want. Place the rock on their strip of paper with their name on it.
Place it on a shelf to dry while they view the video.
Hand out to the students the two worksheets. Worksheet 1
will have the rock cycle to be filled in as they view the video. On
worksheet 2 students will fill in the characteristics of the different types of
rocks seen in Bill Nye the Science Guy.
FOCUS FOR VIEWING
To give students a specific responsibility while viewing tell
students to look for the different phases of the rock cycle. As they view
the video, the rock cycle will be discussed and students will fill in the
appropriate blanks for each phase of the rock cycle on worksheet 1. On the
second worksheet students will record each rock type and how it is formed.
VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Begin the video Bill Nye, Rocks and Soil, right after the song
of Soil Bars just after the introduction. The screen will show the Soil Bar with
lettering at the bottom, right before Bill Nye enters a door. Pause when Bill
puts the metal lid over the bubbly rock. Ask "What did Bill say all
rocks were originally?"(molten rocks) "Where do molten rocks come
from?" (earth's core) Have students fill in the first phase of the
rock cycle. (Lava) Have students list the characteristics of lava on the
rock above that land. Resume the video and ask students to listen as he
explains the formation of rocks in further detail.
Pause the video where the boy explains how the sandwich has
all kinds of stuff stacked on top of each other like rocks do. Ask
"How did the video explain rocks forming?" (magma cooling) "What
does the student compare the rocks to?" (a sandwich and its ingredients)
Resume video and ask students to listen as he explains the formation of igneous
rocks.
Pause right after Bill explains about lava cooling and
forming rocks like granite. Ask "What was the second type of rock
Bill introduces?" (igneous) "Where does the word igneous come
from?"(the word for fire, ignite) "How are igneous rocks formed?"
(when hot lava drips down the outside of a volcano and cools) "What are
some characteristics of an igneous rock?" (has holes, coarse grained) Have
the students write the characteristics of the igneous rock on the next rock
described on the worksheet rock cycle and also write the first phase of the rock
cycle in the appropriate place. Resume the video listen for the third type of
rock explained.
Pause immediately where the screen shows the river.
Bill has just explained why the sedimentary rocks have layers. Ask
"What is the third type of rock?" (sedimentary) Fill in the third
phase of the rock cycle. "What is sediment?" (silt, mud, and
sand in rivers) "How is the sedimentary rock formed?" (When a river
that dries up and leaves sand, silt or mud behind. The sand is heavy and
crushes itself together to where eventually all water is drained away and a
layered rock appears.) "How long does it take for a sedimentary rock to
appear?"(a few thousand years) "Where do you think we would find the
best fossils?" (sedimentary rock bed) "Why do you think this?"
(because animals and plants would be caught between the layers that formed the
different minerals that make sedimentary rock.) Resume the video and have
students listen for the description of the metamorphic rock.
Pause where the screen shows Bill looking towards something
coming at him. He has just explained how the fourth type of rock is
formed. Ask "What is the fourth type of rock?"(metamorphic)
"What does metamorphic mean?" (changed, metamorphisized)
"Describe the formation of this rock in comparison to the other two."
(It is a combination of igneous and sedimentary rocks formed by the heat and
pressure) Have the students fill in the last phase of the rock cycle and
the characteristics on the fourth rock.. Resume the video and listen to
the explanation of the rock cycle once more.
Pause where Bill finishes showing the two cookies as the
tectonic plates of the earth. Review with the students what the movement
of the plates cause. Resume the video and have students listen for the
final explanation of the rock cycle. Stop it where Bill says "Thank
you for joining me on "Consider the Following." Eject the video.
Recall the phases of the rock cycle.
As closure insert the video Reading Rainbow Series "Inside
the Earth." Start the video at the beginning after the introduction
and listen for the rock cycle phases and Pause after Miss Frizzle explains about
sedimentary rocks and how they are formed. The screen shows one student
holding a rock with an imprint on it. Review what Miss Frizzle said about
the sedimentary rocks. Resume the video and ask students to listen to Miss
Frizzle's explanation of metamorphic rocks.
Pause where the students are in the cave and metamorphic
rocks are described. Review with the students the characteristics of the
metamorphic rock. Resume. Have students listen for Miss Frizzle's
explanation of igneous rocks.
Pause where the students are at the bus and they have just
explained about igneous rocks. Have a short discussion to recall this rock
and Resume the video and listen for the final explanation of the whole rock
cycle. Stop the video where one girl is showing a rock in the right hand
and says "Where Rocks Come From" by Wanda.
POST VIEWING ACTIVITIES
Say "remember what you just saw. How are rocks formed?
What are some things to look for when trying to decide what type of rock you
have?" Discuss further, prepare to begin the next activity. Have the
students recall the making of their own rock. Discuss how the sand is made
of many different minerals and when put together a rock appears. Ask
"What do you think will happen when the rock completely dries and is put in
a jar of water?"(accept all answers) Tell them that you will get back
to this question the next day to give the rock plenty of time to dry.
It is now time for each student to get their rock they
brought from home, name it and place it in front of them. Have each
student name his/her rock and place the name beside it on "My Pet
Rock" sheet. As a group you will predict which rock has the greatest
circumference. Line up your rocks on the table from least to the most
cicumference. Have each student get a piece of yarn and measure around
his/her rock. Cut the yarn where it meets the beginning piece of the yarn.
Using the meter stick measure the length of the yarn to give you the
circumference of the rock. Do this to each rock and write the actual
length on the activity sheet where it asks for it. Compare your
predictions to the actual measurements and see how accurate or inaccurate you
were. (You may extend the lesson by subtracting the prediction from the actual
circumference length and that will give the students a more vivid picture about
their predictions.)
Next, observe each rock, lift it and predict its weight.
Have the students line up their rocks again on the table from least to greatest
weight. Have them write their predictions on their paper. Now get
the gram weights and scales so that you can weigh each rock and record data next
to their name and prediction. Compare their actual weight to your
predictions and again observe your accuracy.
Last repeat all the steps you have previously done with
circumference and weight but this time using the metric ruler just measure the
length of the rock as it sits. Again predict and do the actual measuring.
Document your data on the data sheet. Once all the groups have completed
the tasks have them discuss what their findings were. Discuss the data of each
group and how accurate were their predictions. Did they get better or
worse? Did any of the rocks have the same weight, length or circumference?
Ask various questions about all the data gathered by the students.
ACTION PLAN
Have a geologist come speak to the students about the different
rocks that we may find around the area. If possible have him bring rocks from
his collection to share with the students.
Have the Rock Hound Group from one the nearby universities
come in to your school and have them reinforce the lesson objectives we have
discussed with the students.
You may also want to take a field trip to the university and
the Rock Hound Group will have a class set up for the students and discuss in
more details the different types of rocks. They will expose the students to the
different rocks and minerals.
EXTENSIONS
Reading
Reading-;Everyone Needs a Rock and discuss how the rock
can be a pet just like an animal.
Language Arts
Read ;Sylvester and the Magic Pebble; by William Steig.
Pretend the rock you made is your pet. Write directions for
taking care of your pet rock.
The rock you made is now on a trip through the rock cycle. Write
a story about your rock's adventure through the cycle. Describe what it saw and
it confronted.
Math-Subtract the actual measurements from the prediction
measurements and determine who in the group is able to make the best
predictions.
Make a Graph showing the circumference and weight of rocks.
Updated: April 01, 2008
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