Lesson 7: Minerals

and Rocks
Every Rock Tells a Story
PROCEDURE: Use Student Sheet 18.1, “Anticipation Guide:
Roughpoint Story” to prepare you for the newspaper article on
the next page.

1. Carefully read the newspaper article.

2. Mark whether you agree or disagree with the statements on

Student Sheet 18.2, “Intra-act Discussion: Roughpoint Story.”

3. Share your opinion about each statement and explain why

you agreed or disagreed.
Students discover rock secrets through
activities.
Create a rock collection as you learn about
the three main types of rock.

The activities are:

1. Text Activities
a. Types of Rocks
b. Key characteristics of rocks within its
three main classes.
c. Classifying and describing three
types of rocks.
d. The Rock Cycle process
2. Quick Video on Rock Cycle
Worksheet on Identifying the types of Rocks

Please write your answers in complete sentences!

 
1. What is the difference between rocks and minerals?

 
2. How many types of rocks make up the Earth’s crust?

 
3. What are the names of the 3 types of rocks?

 
4. How are igneous rocks formed?

 
5. What is another name for igneous rocks?

 
6. What is the difference between to two types of igneous rocks?

 
7. How are sedimentary rocks made?

 
8. How are metamorphic rocks made?

 
9. What does the word “metamorphosis” mean?
Classifying and describing the three types of rocks.

The students will classify some rocks based from their key
characteristics.

Questions to be asked:

1. What are the different characteristics of rocks within

its three main classes?

2. Why is it important to know the differences among

the three types of rocks?
Worksheet on Key characteristics of rocks within its three
main classes.

Please write your answers in complete sentences!

1. Which type of rocks belongs to:

A. Igneous

B. Sedimentary

C. Metamorphic
Act. A quick video presentation about the Rock Cycle.
Find out how to tell the different rock types apart, and see how rocks

change from one type into another!

Questions to be asked before the video:

1. Where do rocks come from?
2. Do you use rocks? Where? How?
3. As rocks recycle, do you do recycling? In what ways?
4. Is there any environmental impacts on our planet if we do not recycle?
How?

Questions asked after the video:

5. Explain three new things that you learned from watching this video. Why
did this ideas stand out for you?

2. Consider the cartoon graphics used in the video. How does this enhance
the message?

3. Mining industries still exist in our country. Who benefits from it? The
Act. A quick video presentation about the Rock Cycle.
Find out how to tell the different rock types apart, and see how rocks

change from one type into another!

Questions to be asked before the video:

1. Where do rocks come from?
2. Do you use rocks? Where? How?
3. As rocks recycle, do you do recycling? In what ways?
4. Is there any environmental impacts on our planet if we do not recycle?
How?

Questions asked after the video:

5. Explain three new things that you learned from watching this video. Why
did this ideas stand out for you?

2. Consider the cartoon graphics used in the video. How does this enhance
the message?

3. Mining industries still exist in our country. Who benefits from it? The
The students will create a POEM,
an ARTWORK, a JINGLE, or a
SONG about Rock and/or Rock
Cycle.
1. Benefits from ROCKS: Make a prediction
on what our world would be if there
were no rocks around.

2. Why do the Ibatan's of Batanes builds

their houses on stones? Explaine your
answer.
Why is it important to know
the characteristics and
processes that rocks
undergo?
You will have a total of six minutes to
complete this activity. First you must
correctly identify the rock's
characteristics and then you must
pick out the class to which the rock
belongs. Each question is worth one
point and you will have one chance to
get the answer right.
1. Which of these
characteristics can you see in
this rock? 2. To which of the three main classes
does this rock belong?
Crystals
Ribbonlike layers
Glassy surface Sedimentary
Gas bubbles Metamorphic
Sand or pebbles Igneous
Fossils
Skeletal fragments
3. Which of these characteristics can you see in this rock?

Crystals
Ribbonlike layers
Glassy surface
Gas bubbles
4. To which of the three main
Sand or pebbles
classes does this rock belong?
Fossils
Skeletal fragments
Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Igneous
5. Which of these characteristics can you see in this rock?

Crystals
Ribbonlike layers
Glassy surface 6. To which of the three main classes
Gas bubbles does this rock belong?
Sand or pebbles
Fossils Sedimentary
Skeletal fragments Metamorphic
Igneous
7. Which of these characteristics can you see in this rock?

Crystals
8. To which of the three main
Ribbonlike layers
classes does this rock belong?
Glassy surface
Gas bubbles
Sedimentary
Sand or pebbles
Metamorphic
Fossils
Igneous
Skeletal fragments
9. Which of these characteristics can you see in this rock?

Crystals
Ribbonlike layers 10. To which of the three main
Glassy surface classes does this rock belong?
Gas bubbles
Sand or pebbles Sedimentary
Fossils Metamorphic
Skeletal fragments Igneous
 You've learned about five processes that
affect rocks over time. Now apply your
knowledge to REAL ROCKS!

You will have a total of six minutes to

complete this challenge. For each
question, you must pick the process that
has changed the rock from one type to
another. Each question is worth two points,
and you will have one chance to get the
1. The conglomerate has disappeared! What
can turn pebbles and sand (sediment) into a
conglomerate (sedimentary rock)?
1. The conglomerate has disappeared! What
can turn pebbles and sand (sediment) into a
conglomerate (sedimentary rock)?
2. The marble is gone! What process can turn
limestone (sedimentary rock) into marble
(metamorphic rock)?
2. The marble is gone! What process can turn
limestone (sedimentary rock) into marble
(metamorphic rock)?
3. What happened to the obsidian? It's turned
into sand! What process can turn obsidian
(igneous rock) into sediment?
3. What happened to the obsidian? It's turned
into sand! What process can turn obsidian
(igneous rock) into sediment?
4. The gneiss got pushed way underground! What
process can turn gneiss (metamorphic rock) into
magma?
4. The gneiss got pushed way underground! What
process can turn gneiss (metamorphic rock) into
magma?
5. Over time, magma deep inside the earth
has turned into granite (igneous rock). What
process made this happen?
5. Over time, magma deep inside the earth
has turned into granite (igneous rock). What
process made this happen?
6. The granite has slowly been pushed to the
surface of the earth, where wind and water have
worn it down. What is the name of the process
that turned granite into sediment?
6. The granite has slowly been pushed to the
surface of the earth, where wind and water have
worn it down. What is the name of the process
that turned granite into sediment?
7. Over time, the sandy sediment has become a
sedimentary rock called sandstone. What process
turns sand into sandstone?
7. Over time, the sandy sediment has become a
sedimentary rock called sandstone. What process
turns sand into sandstone?
8. Next, the sandstone gets pushed underground
and transforms into a metamorphic rock called
quartzite. What process can turn sandstone into
quartzite?
8. Next, the sandstone gets pushed underground
and transforms into a metamorphic rock called
quartzite. What process can turn sandstone into
quartzite?
9. Finally, the quartzite gets pushed even farther
under the surface of the earth, where it becomes
magma. What turns quartzite into magma?
9. Finally, the quartzite gets pushed even farther
under the surface of the earth, where it becomes
magma. What turns quartzite into magma?
Assessment homework: Submitted next
meeting.

Each student will do research on 3 rocks

(one for each rock type). Included in the
discussion are the following: history of
formation, common environment of
formation, common textures, common
use of the rock and the localities in the
Philippines where you can find them.
 Types of Rocks

Rocks are not all the same!

The three main types, or classes, of rock
are sedimentary, metamorphic, and
igneous and the differences among
them have to do with how they are
formed.
Sedimentary

Sedimentary rocks are formed from particles of sand,

shells, pebbles, and other fragments of material.
Together, all these particles are called sediment.
Gradually, the sediment accumulates in layers and
over a long period of time hardens into rock.
Generally, sedimentary rock is fairly soft and may
break apart or crumble easily. You can often see sand,
pebbles, or stones in the rock, and it is usually the
only type that contains fossils.

Examples of this rock type include conglomerate and

limestone.
Metamorphic

Metamorphic rocks are formed under the surface of

the earth from the metamorphosis (change) that
occurs due to intense heat and pressure (squeezing).
The rocks that result from these processes often
have ribbonlike layers and may have shiny crystals,
formed by minerals growing slowly over time, on
their surface.

Examples of this rock type include gneiss and

marble.
Igneous

Igneous rocks are formed when magma (molten rock

deep within the earth) cools and hardens.
Sometimes the magma cools inside the earth, and
other times it erupts onto the surface from volcanoes
(in this case, it is called lava). When lava cools very
quickly, no crystals form and the rock looks shiny
and glasslike. Sometimes gas bubbles are trapped in
the rock during the cooling process, leaving tiny
holes and spaces in the rock.

Examples of this rock type include basalt and

obsidian.
 Here's a chart of some of the
key characteristics that can
help you identify the rocks
within these three main classes.
Crystals
Small, flat surfaces that are shiny or
sparkly, like tiny mirrors.
Fossils
Imprints of leaves, shells, insects, or
other items in the rock.
Gas bubbles
"Holes," like Swiss cheese, in the
rock.
Glassy surface
A shiny and smooth surface, like
colored glass.
Ribbonlike layers
Straight or wavy stripes of different
colors in the rock.
Sand or pebbles
Individual stones, pebbles, or sand
grains visible in the rock.
Carbonate Sedimentary rock
skeletal fragments of marine
organisms such as coral, 
foraminifera, and molluscs
visible in this rock.
Act. #1. Classifying and
describing the three types of
rocks
You are going to discover rock secrets through activities.
Create a rock collection as you learn about the three main
types of rock.
Find out how to tell the different rock types apart, and see how
rocks change from one type into another!

Classify some rocks based from their key characteristics.

Questions to be asked:
1. What are the different characteristics of rocks within
its three main classes?
2. Why is it important to know the differences among
the three types of rocks?
This rock has crystals.
This is marble. It is
formed when limestone
is pushed down into the
earth and subjected to
intense heat and pressure
for a long period of time.
Some marble is pure
white, while some has
colorful swirls. Marble is
found in mountainsides
and quarries (pits dug into
the earth) and is often
used in construction and
sculpture.
This rock has ribbonlike
layers. It is gneiss
(pronounced "nice").
Gneiss forms from other
rocks that have been
squeezed and heated for a
long time deep within the
earth’s crust. Gneiss can
often be seen on
mountainsides, where
rocks formed below the
surface have been pushed
up by movements in the
earth’s crust.
Limestone is a rock that is
often composed of the
skeletal fragments of marine
organisms such as coral,
foraminifera, and molluscs. It
was formed from small
particles of rock or stone that
have been compacted by
pressure. Its major materials
are the minerals calcite and
aragonite, which are different
crystal forms of calcium
carbonate (CaCO 3).
You can see fossils in this
rock. The fossils formed
when seashells and the
skeletons of marine
animals were compressed
into the sea floor, along
with other sediment. This
rock is called limestone,
and is often found near
oceans and lakes.
This rock has gas
bubbles. These bubbles
form when hot lava from a
volcano contains gases
that escape from the rock
as the lava cools. This is
basalt. Usually very dark
in color, basalt is the most
common rock type in
earth’s crust and makes
up most of the ocean
floor.
This rock has a glassy
surface. It is obsidian,
which is created from lava
that cools so quickly that
no crystals can form on its
surface. It can be found
near volcanic lava flows,
and was often used to
make arrowheads because
its edges are very sharp.
How Rocks Change
Introduction

Does it seem to you that rocks never change? For example, if

you find a chunk of granite today, can you expect that it will
still be granite at the end of your lifetime? That may well be
true — but only because our lifetimes are very short relative to
the history of the earth.

If we take a step back to look at geologic time (which focuses

on changes taking place over millions of years), we find that
rocks actually do change! All rocks, in fact, change slowly from
one type to another, again and again. The changes form a
cycle, called "the rock cycle."

The way rocks change depends on various processes that are

always taking place on and under the earth's surface. Now let's
take a closer look at each of these processes.
Heat & Pressure

What happens to cookie dough when you put it in the oven? The heat of
the oven produces changes in the ingredients that make them interact
and combine. Without melting the dough, the heat changes it into a whole
new product — a cookie.

A similar process happens to rocks beneath the earth's surface. Due to

movements in the crust, rocks are frequently pulled under the surface of
the earth, where temperatures increase dramatically the farther they
descend. Between 100 and 200 kilometers (62 and 124 miles) below the
earth's surface, temperatures are hot enough to melt most rocks.
However, before the melting point is reached, a rock can undergo
fundamental changes while in a solid state — morphing from one type to
another without melting.

An additional factor that can transform rocks is the pressure caused by

tons of other rocks pressing down on it from above; heat and pressure
usually work together to alter the rocks under the earth's surface. This
kind of change, which results from both rising temperature and pressure,
Melting

What happens to a chocolate bar when it gets very hot? It melts.

The same thing happens to a rock when it is heated enough. Of

course, it takes a lot of heat to melt a rock. The high temperatures
required are generally found only deep within the earth. The rock is
pulled down by movements in the earth's crust and gets hotter and
hotter as it goes deeper. It takes temperatures between 600 and
1,300 degrees Celsius (1,100 and 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit) to
melt a rock, turning it into a substance called magma (molten rock).
Cooling
What would you do to turn a melted chocolate bar back into a solid? You'd cool it
by putting it into the refrigerator until it hardens.

Similarly, liquid magma also turns into a solid — a rock — when it is cooled. Any
rock that forms from the cooling of magma is an igneous rock. Magma that cools
quickly forms one kind of igneous rock, and magma that cools slowly forms
another kind.

When magma rises from deep within the earth and explodes out of a volcano, it is
called lava, and it cools quickly on the surface. Rock formed in this way is called
extrusive igneous rock. It is extruded, or pushed, out of the earth's interior and
cools outside of or very near the earth's surface.

What if the magma doesn't erupt out of a volcano, but instead gets pushed slowly
upward toward the earth's surface over hundreds, thousands, or even millions of
years? This magma will also cool, but at a much slower rate than lava erupting
from a volcano. The kind of rock formed in this way is called intrusive igneous
rock. It intrudes, or pushes, into the earth's interior and cools beneath the surface.
Weathering & Erosion
What do dandelions rely on to separate their seeds, carry
them, and deposit them elsewhere? The wind.

All objects on the earth's surface are exposed to the wind,

along with many other elements — water, the sun,
temperature changes. Over time, these factors wear objects
down and break them apart. The resulting bits and pieces of
material are called sediment. Sediment is then transported
by wind and water, often ending up far from where it started.
These processes of breakdown and transport due to
exposure to the environment are called weathering and
erosion. Weathering and erosion affect all rocks on the
earth's surface.
Compacting & Cementing
What happens to a loose pile of garbage when it's
put into a compactor? The squeezing of the
machine produces a solid cube of compacted
garbage.

The same thing happens to sediment formed from

the weathering and erosion of rock. Over time,
sediment accumulates in oceans, lakes, and
valleys, eventually building up in layers and
weighing down the material underneath. This
weight presses the sediment particles together,
compacting them. Water passing through the
spaces in between the particles helps to cement
them together even more. This process of
 See if you can put your knowledge
of rock types and geologic
processes together to map out the
rock cycle.
You will have a total of five minutes
to answer a series of questions that
will help you complete the rock
cycle diagram. Each question is
worth two points and you will have
one chance to select the right
answer.
1. When rocks are affected by weathering and
erosion, they change into which of the following?

Lava
Magma
Sediment
2. When sediment is compacted and cemented, it
changes into which of the following?

Igneous rock
Metamorphic rock
Sedimentary rock
3. When heat and pressure are applied to a
sedimentary rock, it changes into which of the
following?

Igneous rock
Metamorphic rock
Sediment
4. When melting of a metamorphic rock occurs, it
changes into which of the following?

Igneous rock
Magma
Sediment
5. When magma is cooled, it changes into which of
the following?

Igneous rock
Metamorphic rock
Sedimentary rock
 Benefits that rocks provide mankind

sources of fuel and power

Minerals are extracted from rocks

Salt can be extracted from rocks

serve as a source of water supply

one of the beauties of nature