Lesson Plan Rocks 6th Grade Science

Objectives:

The students will be able to explain the differences between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

The students will be able to give examples of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

The students will be able to examine and explain the rock cycle.

California State Standards Covered:

  1. Plate tectonics accounts for important features of Earth's surface and major geologic events. As a basis for understanding this concept:
  2. Students know evidence of plate tectonics is derived from the fit of the continents; the location of earthquakes, volcanoes, and midocean ridges; and the distribution of fossils, rock types, and ancient climatic zones.
  1. Topography is reshaped by the weathering of rock and soil and by the transportation and deposition of sediment. As a basis for understanding this concept:
  2. Students know water running downhill is the dominant process in shaping the landscape, including California's landscape.
  3. Students know rivers and streams are dynamic systems that erode, transport sediment, change course, and flood their banks in natural and recurring patterns.
  1. Sources of energy and materials differ in amounts, distribution, usefulness, and the time required for their formation. As a basis for understanding this concept:

b. Students know different natural energy and material resources, including air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and know how to classify them as renewable or nonrenewable.

c. Students know the natural origin of the materials used to make common objects.

  1. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will:
  2. Develop a hypothesis.
  3. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.

d. Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations.

e.. Recognize whether evidence is consistent with a proposed explanation.

Materials:

2 samples of sedimentary rocks, 2 samples of igneous rocks, 2 samples of metamorphicrocks, 1 sample of a non-rock material such as a piece of cement or brick, hand lens, student lab paper. (Additionally other various samples of rock for extension section of lab.)

Procedures:

Explore and Explanation

  1. Students will be given a question of the day that will review the rock cycle from yesterday’s class. “Using the diagram of the rock cycle, explain how igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks are formed?”
  2. Additionally, the teacher will review that rocks are non-manmade materials consisting of a variety of minerals and other fragments of rocks.
  3. Teacher will review the background information of the lab paper with students. “What are the physical characteristics of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks?”
  4. Teacher will review the procedures of the lab and students will perform the lab comparing six different rocks and one non-rock material. The objective of the lab is for students categorize each object as an igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock or non-rock material. (Refer to student’s lab paper.)
  5. The students will complete and finish the lab. (Refer to student’s lab paper.)

Extension:

  1. Students will examine other examples of rocks and identify them as an igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock.
  2. For extra credit, students can bring to class rocks they find near their house and identify them as an igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock.

Evaluation:

  1. Students will write a three to four paragraph paper about what they learned in the rock lesson.
  2. The teacher will evaluate and score the student’s lab paper.