5E Rock Cycle Lesson Plan Topic: Rock Cycle Date: October 23, 2012

NSES: Grade level: 5

SOL: The student will investigate and understand how Earth’s surface Subject: Geology

is constantly changing. Key concepts include

b) the rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur; Daily Question:

How do rocks change over time?

Procedures for Learning Experience

Guiding Questions Materials

Needed

Evaluation

(Assessment)

Approximate

Time Needed

Engagement: Have students watch the Brain

Pop video on the rock cycle.

What are the different

types of rocks discussed in

the video?

Brain Pop

video

Formative

assessment through

questioning

5-8 minutes

Exploration: Have students model the

processes of the rock cycle by completing the

“Crayola rock cycle”. This takes students

through weathering, erosion, lithification,

sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, and

igneous rocks.

How do we classify rocks?

How is each rock type

formed?

What are the properties of

each rock type?

Aluminum

foil, crayons,

hot plate, wax

paper, tongs,

paper plates,

aluminum

pan, hand

held pencil

sharpener.

Observation sheet

of each step of the

rock cycle

30- 40 minutes

Explanation: Have 5 sheets of chart paper

labeled with each step of the rock cycle.

Break students up into 5 groups and have

each group responsible for explaining a stage

of the rock cycle. Have each group discuss

their observations for each step. Handout

interactive notes.

What did you observe in

each stage of the “Crayola

rock cycle”?

What differences did you

observe between the 3

types of rocks?

Chart paper,

blank rock

cycle

assessment

handouts,

interactive

notes

Fill in the blank

rock cycle

assessment

10-15 minutes

Extension: Ask the students to go home and

bring in different type of rocks to classify the

next day.

What types of rocks are

you expecting to find?

Do you think you will find

all 3 types of rocks?

Do you think weathering

If the students bring

in rocks to class the

next day and

actively participate

in classification

5 minutes

2

and erosion occur in your

backyard? Is there

evidence?

discussion.

Notes:

Differentiation: Each student was given the opportunity to participate equally in each activity. The students

were grouped in three to five person groups with a focus on ensuring that each student had an individual

responsibility in success of their tables “Crayola Rock Cycle”.

Safety: In this lesson the students are not allowed to use the hot plate. A student teacher will be responsible

for using the hot plate. Every student will be required to wear goggles for eye safety.