NATS-1020-02
3.1f/3.2f | Exploring Earth: Rocks & The Rock Cycle
Name: Rose Aguilar
Date: 03/03/25
NGSS Standards: 4-ESS1-1: Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in
rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
MS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy
that drives this process.
Materials: Starburst Candies, Plastic Bag, Plate, Cup, Plastic Knife, Aluminum Foil, Hot Water
(For Melting Material)
Procedure & Documentation:
1. Gather supplies for the lab
2. Cut the Starburst Candy into tiny pieces, these tiny pieces will serve to show as
sedimentary rocks
3. After finishing showing sedimentary rocks, compress pieces of candy together on
aluminum to mimic compaction and cementation
4. Heat a cup of water in order to melt the starburst
5. When melted it will form an igneous rock
6. Lastly, take a photo of all the forms to show the rock cycle
Science Concepts
1. What are the three main types of rocks, and how do they form?
The Main forms of rocks are sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks.
Sedimentary: These forms of rocks are created when layers of sand, mud, and pebbles
compress over time.
Metamorphic: These forms of rocks are created when other forms of rocks merge
together through heat and pressure and turn into a new rock.
Igneous: These forms of rocks are also known as magmatic rocks and they form when
molten rocks, magma (lava), cools and then it solidifies.
2. How does heat and pressure change sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock?
Heat and pressure turns sedimentary rocks into metamorphic when sedimentary rocks
get together and form a larger rock. Once these rocks form together, they can merge with other
rocks which will turn into metamorphic rocks.
3. How does melting and cooling create igneous rock?
When rock melts it later cools down then crystallizes and solidifies which turns into an
igneous rock.
4. What real-world examples of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks exist?
Sedimentary: Sandstone, Chalk, Coal, and Limestone
Metamorphic: Marble, Slate, and Soapstone
Igneous: Granite, Obsidian, and Scoria
5. How does this activity represent the actual rock cycle?
The activity represents the rock cycle as it talks about the different phases which a rock
goes through to form and how this cycle can repeat.
Reflection
1. Which method did you choose (Starburst or crayons), and why?
I chose the starburst method since I went to campus and also it was fun to merge candy
together to show the rock cycle.
2. How well did your rock transformations turn out?
My rock transformation turned out well as I listened to the instructions and it resembled
the rock cycle pretty well.
3. What did you notice about how the materials changed at each stage?
I noticed that the materials such as starbursts changed colored and were much easier to
mix together rather than when they were solid.
4. If you were to do this experiment again, what would you modify or improve?
If I did the experiment again I would try the crayon version of this lab as I’m interested in
using crayon instead of candy.
5. How would you explain this activity to elementary students to help them
understand the rock cycle?
I would explain this activity to elementary students by using words that are more simple
and easier explaining
- Refer to sediments rocks as small bits of rocks
- Sedimentary rocks are rocks which are made from rocks, sands, other stuff mixed
together
- Metamorphic rocks are squished together and formed into new rocks with heat
- Igneous rocks are when volcanoes erupt and they cool they form rocks from the lava that
volcanos erupt.
