Rock Simulation Lab Lesson Plan

Name: Jessica McCarroll Date Submitted: April 5, 2017

Grade Level: 3rd Date Taught: April 10, 2017

Essential Question:
What are the three types of rocks and how are they formed?
Arizona State/Common Core Standard(s):

Science

Strand 6: Earth and Space Science, Concept 1: Properties of Earth Materials

PO 2- Describe the different types of rocks and how they are formed:

a. metamorphic

b. igneous

c. sedimentary

English Language Arts- Writing

Production and Distribution of Writing

3.W.4- With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the
development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose.

a. AZ.3.W.4- With guidance and support from adults, produce functional

writing (e.g., friendly and formal letters, recipes experiments,
notes/messages, labels, graphs/tables, procedures, invitations, envelopes)
in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and
purpose.

Content Area Objective(s) Blooms Taxonomy:

Students will be able to describe the three types of rocks based on appearance.
Students will be able to discuss how each of the three types of rocks are formed.
Students will be able to sketch a model of the three types of rocks.
Language Objective(s):
Students will read information about the three types of rocks on PowerPoint slides
and in their reference booklets.
 Students will write and draw their observations of the rock throughout the lab.
They will also explain in writing how their model represents each of the rock
types.
Students will share aloud their prior knowledge on rocks at the beginning of the
lesson and their new knowledge at the end.
Students will listen to their peers share their thoughts throughout the lab.
New Vocabulary (2-5 words):
Simulation Igneous Sediments
Sedimentary Metamorphic
 Anticipatory Set:
To begin, the teacher will briefly ask students where theyve seen rocks and how
the rocks in those places look. After several students share, the teacher will inform
students that they will be learning about the three rock types through something
called a simulation. The teacher will define the word simulation as using a model
to help explain something.
The teacher will hold up a wrapped bite-sized candy bar and ask the class to shout
out what it is he/shes holding. The class will likely respond with the name of the
candy bar (in this instance, it will be a Snickers). The teacher will inform students
that for this lesson, the Snickers candy bar will be a rock.
The teacher will tell students that they will only be allowed to use the Snickers as
a model if they do not eat/lick it during the simulation. If a student breaks this
rule, their Snickers bar will be taken away and they will be required to just watch
as their group members engage in the simulation. The teacher will have students
raise their right hand and promise not to eat the Snickers bar, no matter how much
they may want to.
Learning Experiences (Teacher/Student Actions):
The teacher will use PowerPoint slides to introduce the three types of rocks:
sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. The slides will reveal information line by
line and will allow for the teacher to ask students questions and for students to
give input.
After the introduction to the three types of rocks, the teacher will instruct students
to unwrap their mini Snickers bar and follow the instructions on the Types of
Rocks Lab page. This page asks students to draw and write about the appearance
of their rock. From this point on in the lesson, the teacher will refer to the
Snickers bar as a rock.
Next, student assistants will help to distribute the lab materials (reference booklet,
plastic knives, cup of warm water, paper towels, and bags) to each table group.
The teacher will explain to students that they will be making changes to their rock
so that it becomes a model of each of the three types of rocks.
The teacher will lead students through the three steps on the back side of the
Types of Rocks Lab page. Throughout the lab, students will use their reference
booklet to assist them with their written response. The first step will be for
students to cut their rock in half using a plastic knife. They will draw what they
see and write what makes it a good model of a sedimentary rock. The ideal
response will be that the student can see layers in the rock.
The second step will be for students to place one half of their rock into a bag, seal
it, and place it into the warm water. After about one minute, they will take the
rock out of the bag and wait another minute. Again, they will draw what they see
and explain why it is a good model of an igneous rock. The ideal response will be
 that the student is using heat to melt the rock, then removing it from the heat and
allowing it to cool.
The third step will be for students to take the other half of their rock, place it into
a different bag, seal it, then sit on it. Students will sit on their rock for three
minutes, then they will remove it from the bag. For the last time, they will draw
what they observe and write why they think it is a good model of a metamorphic
rock. The ideal response is that students are applying heat and pressure to a rock
and changing its shape.
Students will help to clean up their tables and will meet the teacher on the rug
area with their references booklets.
Possibilities for Differentiation:
Students will be grouped with peers of various reading, writing, and speaking
abilities.
Students could participate in an alternative closing activity where they must write
a paragraph summary about how the three types of rocks are formed.
This lesson could be done with younger students by doing the demonstrations as a
whole group and using the document camera to show the Snickers/rock to
students during each step. With older students, the lesson could be modified so
that it requires more independent practice throughout the three steps, instead of
teacher-led instruction.
Closure:
As a whole group, students will discuss what they learned during this simulation.
The teacher will ask for a student volunteer to remind the class of the definition of
the word simulation. The teacher will guide the discussion by asking what kind of
rock was modeled when students cut their Snickers in half (sedimentary rock).
Then, the teacher will ask what students had to do to their Snickers in order to
model an igneous rock (they had to place it into warm water to melt it, then take
it out to let it cool). Finally, the teacher will ask why he/she had them sit on the
other half of their Snickers (to apply pressure and heat in order to model a
metamorphic rock).
Throughout the discussion, students will be encouraged to use their reference
booklet to remember important vocabulary and information about the three types
of rocks.
Finally, students will be given a new, wrapped mini Snickers bar to enjoy.
Assessment (formative and/or summative):
Formative: Teacher will assess students sketches and written responses for
accuracy to determine the degree of each students understanding of the rock
types.
 Summative: Teacher will assess for achievement of the standards by listening to
students speak about the three rock types during the closing discussion.
Materials/Resources:
Laptop, Projector
Rock Simulation PowerPoint (attached)
Mini Snickers candy bars (2 per student)
Reference Booklet (attached)
Types of Rocks Lab worksheets (attached)
Plastic knives (1 per student/group)
Cups (1 per group), warm water
Paper towels (1-2 per student)
Small sealable bags (2 per student)



























Types of Rocks Lab worksheets

N ame: ____________ __ ____

Ty p e s o f Ro c k s La b
O b s e r v e y o u r r o c k a n d d e s c r i b e i t u s i n g a s m u c h d e t a i l a s p o s s i b le .
T h e n , d r a w it in th e b o x .
_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Ty p e s o f Ro c k s La b
S te p 1: C u t y o u r r o c k in h a lf . T h is is a m o d e l o f a s e d im e n ta r y r o c k . D r a w w h a t y o u o b s e r v e in t h e b o x .
N e x t , w r ite w h y t h is is a g o o d m o d e l o f a s e d im e n t a r y r o c k .
S e d im e n ta r y _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
S te p 2 : P la c e o n e h a lf o f y o u r r o c k in to a b a g . N o w , p la c e th e b a g in to t h e w a r m w a te r . T h is is a m o d e l
o f a n ig n e o u s r o c k . D r a w w h a t y o u o b s e r v e . N e x t, w r ite w h y t h is is a g o o d m o d e l o f a n ig n e o u s r o c k .
Ig n e o u s
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
S te p 3: P la c e th e o t h e r h a lf o f y o u r r o c k in t o a b a g . S it o n it f o r 3 m in u t e s . T h is is a m o d e l o f a
m e ta m o r p h ic r o c k . D r a w w h a t y o u o b s e r v e . N e x t, w r it e w h y th is is a g o o d m o d e l o f a m e ta m o r p h ic r o c k .

M e ta m o r p h ic _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
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Reference Booklet

T h is t y p e is f o r m e d o n t h e s u r f a c e o f t h e E a r t h
w h e n la y e r s o f s e d im e n t s ( s a n d , m u d , p e b b le s )
a r e s q u e e z e d t o g e t h e r u n t il t h e y t u r n h a r d .
T h e s e r o c k s a r e f o r m e d w h e r e o c e a n s , la k e s ,
o r o t h e r b o d ie s o f w a t e r o n c e e x is t e d .
T h e s e r o c k s a r e la y e r e d a n d s o f t
lo o k in g . T h e y c a n a ls o c o n t a in f o s s i ls ! T h is t y p e is f o r m e d d e e p w it h in t h e E a r t h , w h e n
S h a le , s a n d s t o n e , a n d li m e s t o n e a r e h e a t a n d p r e s s u r e a r e a p p lie d t o a n ig n e o u s o r
e x a m p le s o f t h is t y p e o f r o c k . s e d im e n t a r y r o c k .
T h is c o m b in a t io n o f h e a t a n d p r e s s u r e m e lt s t h e
r o c k s o t h a t it lo o k s v e r y d if f e r e n t t h a n it
o n c e d id !
B a s ic a lly , m e t a m o r p h ic r o c k s f o r m f r o m
o th e r r o c k s .
T h is t y p e is f o r m e d w h e n h o t , m e lt e d r o c k b u b b le s u p M a r b le a n d s la t e a r e e x a m p le s o f t h is
f r o m in s id e t h e E a r th , t h e n c o o ls d o w n a n d h a r d e n s ty p e o f r o c k .
f o r m in g c r y s t a l s t r u c t u r e s .
S o m e t im e s t h e s e r o c k s f o r m u n d e r th e s u r f a c e o f th e
E a r th . W h e n t h e y d o , th e y c a n t a k e t h o u s a n d s o f
y e a r s t o c o o l, r e s u lt in g in la r g e c r y s t a ls .
O t h e r t im e s , t h e y f o r m o n t h e s u r f a c e a n d
c a n c o o l d o w n in a f e w h o u r s . I g n e o u s r o c k s
f o r m e d o n th e s u r f a c e c o n t a in t in y c r y s t a ls .
O b s id ia n a n d g r a n it e a r e e x a m p le s o f th is
ty p e o f r o c k .