Introduction

Rocks can be found almost everywhere on Earth, from mountains to rivers to valleys to oceans. You have probably even noticed rocks in your backyard. You might have skipped a flat smooth rock across the water or shot a round rock with a sling shot. As a kid, you may have had a rock collection or made a rock garden with different shapes, color, and texture of rocks. Rocks can be useful for anchoring or holding things down and can be a headache when digging a hole to plant flowers or make a garden.

Rocks are an important part of our Earth. In the previous lessons, you have learned about rocks' role in soil formation. In this lesson, you will learn about the different types of rocks and how they cycle through the environment to insure that soil is formed and replenished.

And to think this rock came from a volcano a long, long time ago.

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to...

  • Identify the three major types of rocks based on their physical characteristics.
  • Give examples of the three major rock types.
  • Explain the role of the three major types of rocks in the rock cycle.

Enduring Understanding:

  • Soil is constantly being replenished due to the rock cycle.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Environmental Science13

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standard: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R10, W1, W2, W3, W4, W8, W9, and W10

 

    Next Page