Rock Cycle - Rocks (3A) Pre Lab

Rock Cycle - Rocks (3A)
Pre Lab
OBJECTIVES: Students learn the meaning of the
words igneous, sedimentary, and
 Comparing sedimentary, metamorphic.
igneous, and metamorphic
rocks.
 Exploring the etymology of
sedimentary, igneous, and
metamorphic.
VOCABULARY:
 igneous
 metamorphic
 sedimentary
MATERIALS:
Schist, a metamorphic rock in thin section.
 Mineral and Rock Kit
 Rock Cycle (Overview)
BACKGROUND:
Minerals make up rocks. Rocks are formed in many environments upon and within
the Earth's crust. There are three types of rock, each formed in a different way.
Igneous rock , formed by the cooling of magma (molten rock) inside the Earth or on
the surface. Sedimentary rocks, formed from the products of weathering by
cementation or precipitation on the Earth’s surface. Metamorphic rocks, formed by
temperature and pressure changes inside the Earth. All three types of rock make
up the Earth’s lithosphere, the outermost layer. The lithosphere averages about
100 kilometers in thickness.
All igneous rocks began as magma (molten rock) which cooled and crystallized
into minerals. Geologists classify igneous rocks based on both their crystal size
and composition. Igneous rocks may look different because they may have cooled
at different rates and the "mother" magma (original melted rock) was of a different
composition. Variations in these two factors have created many different types of
igneous rocks. When the magma cools at different rates, it creates different sized
minerals. Quick cooling magmas have small minerals (with the exception of
obsidian, which is actually composed of silica, but has no crystalline structure).
Basalt, for example, has small minerals, most of which can only be seen under a
microscope. Quick cooling lavas are called volcanic rocks. Magma that cools
slowly creates rocks like granite, which have large minerals that can be seen with
the naked eye. These igneous rocks cool inside the lithosphere, and are called
plutonic rocks.
Sedimentary rocks form at the Earth’s surface in two main ways. Clastic material
(pieces of other rocks or fragments of skeletons) may become cemented together
and chemical precipitation and evaporation can form sedimentary rocks.
Sedimentary rocks are usually associated with liquid water (which facilitates
erosion, transportation, deposition, and cementation). However, sedimentary rocks
may also form in dry, desert environments or in association with glaciers.
Metamorphic rocks are igneous, sedimentary, or preexisting metamorphic rocks

that have been changed by great pressures and temperatures within the crust and
upper mantle of the Earth. The temperatures were not enough to melt the rock,
otherwise, an igneous rock would have formed. The pressures were much greater
than those required to simply break the rocks into pieces. They were high enough
to change the chemical make up of the rock by forcing the elements in it to
"exchange partners." Different grades of temperature and pressure will cause the
same original rock to form very different metamorphic rocks. Slate, which forms
from the sedimentary rock shale, is very dense, smooth and does not contain
visible minerals. However, if more pressure and temperature are applied to a slate,
it could turn into schist, which has visible layers of minerals. If yet higher
temperature and pressure are applied, the schist could turn into gneiss, which
shows visible bands of minerals.
PROCEDURE:
1. Review with students where igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

rocks are formed using the diagram below.
2. Ask students to find words which have ign-, sediment-,

and metamorphor- roots. This may wish to use children’s dictionaries,
encyclopedias or other similar resources. This will help the students
remember the meaning of the words igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic. Here are some examples, along with suggestions for how
to explain rocks to the students.
IGNEOUS -Fire or hot rocks, form when melted rock (magma or lava)

cools. When magma cools slowly, large minerals are produced. In lava
that cools quickly the minerals can only be seen with a microscope. IGN
= Latin for fire
ignite
ignescent
ignis fatuus
ignition
ignitron
igniter
SEDIMENTARY - Sedimentary rocks are usually formed under water

when grains of broken rocks are glued together. SEDIMENT = Latin
meaning to settle
sedimentology
sedimentation
METAMORPHIC - Metamorphic rocks are rocks that once were igneous

or sedimentary rocks but have been changed by pressure and
temperature. META = from Latin and Greek meaning to transform;
MORPH = Greek meaning form
metamorphism
metamorphose

3. Students can also develop nicknames for the rocks, and they can call
the individual types of rocks: IGNEOUS - fire or hot; SEDIMENTARY -
cool, wet, fossil; METAMORPHIC - flat, squished, changed

4. Using the Mineral and Rock Kit, show the students examples of the
different types of rocks. Use the rocks in the kit to see if students
remember what formed each of them. The written packet included with
the kit should be consulted for more information on each rock.
Reference: https://msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/rc/rocks/3/rcr3_1a.html#:~:text=Sedimentary
%20rocks%2C%20formed%20from%20the,pressure%20changes%20inside%20the%20Earth.&text=All
%20igneous%20rocks%20began%20as,cooled%20and%20crystallized%20into%20minerals.

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Rock Cycle - Rocks (3A)

Metamorphic rocks are igneous, sedimentary, or preexisting metamorphic rocks

1. Review with students where igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

2. Ask students to find words which have ign-, sediment-,

IGNEOUS -Fire or hot rocks, form when melted rock (magma or lava)

SEDIMENTARY - Sedimentary rocks are usually formed under water

METAMORPHIC - Metamorphic rocks are rocks that once were igneous

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