The Rock Cycle

Grade 3 Rock Cycle Lesson Science Standards and Performances MST 4 - Describe chemical and physical changes, including changes in states of matter MST 4 - Describe the relationships among air, water, and land on Earth Performance Indicators Students: describe chemical and physical changes, including changes in states of matter. ELA Standards and Performances ELA 1 - Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. Performance Indicators Students: Select and use strategies they have been taught for note taking, organizing, and categorizing information Anticipatory Set Students are excited about rocks and minerals from a weeks worth of lessons. The class observed and felt several different rocks and minerals last lesson. This lesson they will work in small groups and become actual geologists. As they become geologists they will become a sedimentary, igneous, and/or metamorphic rock.

Objectives Students will be able to recognize the difference between an igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock. They will also realize the changes that occurred to the rock to cause it to change. Introduction Students have been studying rock and minerals for a week. We are now studying Igneous, Metamorphic and Sedimentary Rock. The class understands some properties of the 3 classes of rock. Now they will become a rock and be a part of the Rock Cycle. Procedure 1. Teacher must prepare 3 zip lock bags with different scenarios for the rock to change or not change. 2. Teacher organizes students into small groups of 3-4 people. 3. Each student will receive a piece of paper describing what kind of rock they are. 4. Teacher must thoroughly explain that each student will read their paper and go to the designated area labeled Igneous, Metamorphic, or Sedimentary.

5. Students must then pick a piece of paper out of the zip lock bag and discover if they changed to a 6.
7. new class of rock and how they changed. They will then write down in their journal how they changed and now what they are. The teacher will time each rotation for 5-10 turns. Class will be seated and we will have a class discussion about the changes they went through as a rock over millions of years. Students will talk about how some changed many times and some didnt move at all! Students will write in journal about the experience they had as a rock and the features that caused them to change.

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Materials Pencil, journal, zip lock bags, (red, black, and green rocks to decide groups), Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic station labels, tables, chairs, pieces of paper with different scenarios. Closure This lesson will demonstrate how a rock can change over millions of years. This is an essential tool for geologists to identify rocks. Formal Assessment Students will hand in journals with a short essay explaining the experience of their lives as a rock. Teacher will also notice participation by asking questions throughout lesson. Rock Cycle ScenariosYou fell into a basin. Over a period of millions of years of heat and pressure you have changed into a Metamorphic Rock. Go to the metamorphic station. You have been covered by a landslide. Over the years the heat and pressure of all the layers above you have turned you into a Metamorphic Rock. Go to the metamorphic station. You have fallen into a crack in the earth due to an earthquake. You are now located close to molten lava and the pressure has increased. You have transformed into a Metamorphic Rock. Go to the metamorphic station. You are located near an erupting volcano. The hot lava has melted you. You are now an Igneous Rock. Go to the igneous rock station. You have fallen into an underground molten river and melted. After cooling you have reformed into an Igneous Rock. Go to the igneous rock station. You have chipped away from the top of a volcano and fell inside. You melt and later settle at the bottom of a volcano mountain. You are now an Igneous Rock. Go to the igneous station. You have settled into a bottom of a river and sediment has covered you. The pressure has turned you into a Sedimentary Rock. Go to the sedimentary rock station. You are in a basin when a fish has died and settle on top of you. The pressure has created a fossil on you. You are now a Sedimentary Rock with a fossil! Go to the Sedimentary station. You are under a huge glacier. The pressure has made you into a Sedimentary Rock. Go to the sedimentary rock station.