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Rock Cycle Lesson Plan
Rock Cycle Lesson Plan
Caroline Edgar
Instructor: Donna Cucunato
Tapestry of a Liberal Studies Education, 497
23 February 2011
Task Analysis
1. Goal/Purpose
To provide 4th grade students with an understanding that the properties of rocks reflect the
processes that formed them. (4a & 4b)
To simulate three of the rock cycle’s methods of formation—weathering, erosion,
transport. (4a, 5a & 5c)
2. Transfer/Motivation
Transfer knowledge of rock properties (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and apply to
methods of formation.
Motivate students by simulating rock formation with crayon manipulation.
3. Teaching Style
Command
Lesson
1. Standards/Anticipatory Set/Pre-test
Lead Teacher: Alexandria, Assistant: Caroline
Good afternoon boys and girls. Our names are Miss Green and Miss Edgar. We are going
to have fun today learning about the rock cycle. Count off to groups of four. Please sit with your
group and leave the materials alone until it is time to use them. We are going to teach you our
quiet signal. Demonstrate two slow and three quick claps in rhythm. When you hear me clap, you
should respond by stopping what you are doing and mimicking the rhythm. Now, you try it!
Lovely.
In our last lesson, we learned about the three types of rocks that exist on Earth. Raise
your hand if you can name all three. Very good. Today, we are going to learn how the rocks
transform over time. Let’s watch this short video (90 seconds). Evan is going to teach you about
how this happens. I know he talks fast, so try to write down as many of the ways rock’s change
that you can. Are your listening ears open? Great. Let’s watch.
Raise your hands. What ways did you catch? Let’s write them on the board. Very good
listeners! It looks like we are ready to do our activity that simulates rock transformation. Can
anyone take a guess at what simulate means? Good guess. It basically means the act of copying.
In this case, we are going to copy three ways rocks transform by using crayons.
2. Teach
4. Closure
5. Independent Practice
Observation and recording of transformations on “Science Exploration” worksheet.
Critical thinking activity on backside that requires students to apply the information to the real
world and predict the missing methods of rock formation. Take home cut and paste activity that
reinforces types of rocks and these three methods of formation.
6. Subsequent Objective
Next time students will use crayon simulation for other types of rock formation—
compaction, heat and pressure, melting and cooling.
8. Source
http://mjksciteachingideas.com/rocks.html