Wesleyan College Lesson Plan Template - Revised 4/17/13

Educating Exemplary Teachers

Lauren N Grnaiela
Friday, October 25th, 2013
Metamorphic Rock Unit: Lesson 5 Compare & Contrast; Rock Cycle Bars
45mins
6th Grade
EDU 380

Rationale / Purpose for Lesson:

Relate content literature, reading guides, diagrams and exploration, to reference
and study content
Apply use of different study procedures
Synthesizing the interlocking connection of each rock of the rock cycle

Summary of Lesson:
Recreate the rock cycle with edible rock bars
Review and discuss similarities and differences between the cook rocks, the actual
rock cycle, and the notes with the triple Venn diagrams previously made.

STANDARDS
SUBJECT AREA STANDARDS
IRA/NCTE/NSTA/NCTM/NCSS
(Circle the one that applies)
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies
to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and
appreciate texts. They draw on their prior
experience, their interactions with other
readers and writers, their knowledge of
word meaning and of other texts, their
word identification strategies, and their
understanding of textual features (e.g.,
sound-letter correspondence, sentence
structure, context, graphics).

GEORGIA COMMON CORE

STANDARDS OR GEORGIA
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
1. GPS:
S6E5. Students will investigate the
scientific view of how the earths
surface is formed.
c. Classify rocks by their process of
formation.

2. ELACCGPS:
L6-8RST1: Cite specific textual
evidence to support analysis of
science and technical texts.

NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS (NETS)

NA

Learner Outcomes / ObjectivesStem:

Students will be able to. . .
a. Relate content literature, reading guides,
diagrams and exploration, to reference and
study content
(Synthesis)

ASSESSMENTS/ EVALUATIONS
a. Join discussion during cooking
process, and in class discussion
reviewing the Venn diagram

b. Relate the cooking ingredients and

process to real rock formation
(Knowledge)
RESOURCES/MATERIALS/SETTING, AND GROUPS
1. McDougal Littell. (2005). Earths Surface. Houton Mifflin Company. Evanston, IL.
Section 3.4: Metamorphic rocks form as existing rocks change, pg. 96-97
Section 3.1: The rock cycle shows how rocks change, pg. 78-80
2. Metamorphic Rocks Content to Know: Reading Guide
3. Metamorphic Rocks Triple Venn Diagram: Teacher Guide
4. Metamorphic Rocks Triple Venn Diagram
5. Sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rock bars:
1. gram crackers: bedrock / existing rock layer
2. chunky peanut butter: clay and rocks
3. chocolate chunks: rocks
4. animal crackers: animal remains / fossils
5. granola: sediments (pebbles, plant remains, sands)
6. chocolate chips and honey: magma
7. storage tins
8. pan
9. spatula
10. rolling pin
11. cake cutter
12. stove
MOTIVATION Opening (Motivation/Anticipatory Set/Hook/Building or Activating Schema):
We will be making then comparing and contrasting metamorphic rock with sedimentary and
igneous rocks, reviewing our Triple Venn diagrams to help us map out the similarities and
differences. While we do this, pay close attention to how the ingredients and process are
similar to real rock formation in the rock cycle.

PROCEDURES OF THE LESSON

Phase 1
Sedimentary Bars (no bake; students participate)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

gram crackers: bedrock / existing rock layer

chunky peanut butter: clay and rocks
chocolate chunks: rocks
animal crackers: animal remains / fossils
granola: sediments (pebbles, plant remains, sands)

In a tin, place ingredients in the order listed above.

Discuss what each ingredient represents.
Add PRESSURE: mush down the layers with fist or rolling pin
Discuss that pressure is a formation condition of sedimentary rock.
Place tin in refrigerator to speed up cementation.
*save a portion to use for metamorphic bars
Discuss how minerals cement rocks together
Cut bars
Discuss the layers that sedimentary rocks characteristically have.

Phase 2
Metamorphic Bars (stove top heat; students observe)
*Use a portion of previously made sedimentary bars.
Discuss how sedimentary rock can be parent rock to metamorphic rock, as well as
igneous and metamorphic rock.
Place sedimentary bars in a heated tin on the stove top.
Discuss heat as being one condition for metamorphic rock formation
Press and mush the bars, until all ingredients are mixed.
Discuss pressure as being one condition for metamorphic rock formation
Place tin in refrigerator to speed up recrystallization.
*save a portion to use for metamorphic bars
Discuss recrystallization; mineral atoms bonds break, and join bonds differently.
Old crystals Bigger crystals
Old crystals New minerals

Phase 3
Igneous Bars (stove top heat; students observe)
1. chocolate chips and honey: magma
2. *Use a portion of previously made metamorphic bars.
Add honey and chocolate chips to a pan and melt.
Discuss how rocks heated and melting in magma are a formation condition of
metamorphic rocks.
Add a portion of previously made metamorphic bars, mix until melted through.
Discuss how magma melts rocks.
Place tin in refrigerator to speed up crystallization.
Discuss that though recreation of true crystallization is hard, crystal forms differently
with intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks
intrusive igneous rocks: form from magma; molten rock within the earth
extrusive igneous rocks: form from lava: molten rock that reaches the earths surface
Phase 4
Classroom. Discuss Venn Diagrams and rock bars, reviewing their similarities in
process and ingredients, and reiterating important content that could not be modeled by
the activity.
Exp: Crystallization, Recrystallization, Foliation, etc
ACCOMMODATION/MODIFICATION/DIFFERENTIATION
To be addressed as the need arises.
Gluten and dairy free products for student dietary needs.
Class management; remind of and guide focus.
Closure:
By reading and seeing how rocks are formed we can better understand the rock cycle. Rocks
constantly continue to change into other rocks. Sometimes their components stay the same,
sometimes they change and mix
HOMEWORK:
Review Reading guide