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Standards: ES.6
The student will investigate and understand the rock cycle as it
relates to the origin and transformation of rock types and how to identify common
rock types based on mineral composition and textures. Key concepts include
sedimentary (clastic and chemical) rocks
Resources: N/A
Lesson Plan Outline:
Topic Sedimentary Rocks. Major concepts are the identification of
sedimentary rocks, the difference between clastic and chemical rocks, and the
maturity of sedimentary rocks.
Instructional Objective(s) The students will be able to identify various
different kinds of sedimentary rocks via composition and texture. The will
also be able to distinguish and place rocks into clastic and chemical
categories. Finally the students will be able to give the approximate maturity
of each sedimentary rock. Before the engage I will also be giving a quick
formative assessment via questions written on the board about the difference
between intrusive and extrusive rocks; the students will also be asked to give
one example of each.
Materials & Resources
A variety of sedimentary rocks, a bottle of weak HCl acid, a scratch plate, a
computer/projector and a chalkboard.

Engage http://youtube.com/watch?v=JrfDZ3XUiSA&feature=related
Video of Jurassic Park. How do we know what dinosaurs look like? The
majority of the time fossils from the past are preserved in sedimentary rocks.

Explore The students will get into groups and devise a hypothesis as to
what they think is the reason for the different mineral and textural make
up of the rocks. As rocks weather the sediments degrade both physically
and chemically. The further a sediment gets from its point of origin the
longer it has been going through this process. Therefore we can infer that
round shaped grains have gone through more weathering and are
therefore more mature than angular sediments. Also if the rock has a
universal grain size, then all the sediments have had plenty of time to
weather and it is mature. On a chemical scale, some minerals are more
resistant to breaking down than others; quartz for example is incredibly
difficult to break down. So we see quartz sandstone with universal grain
size as being the most mature of rocks. While an angular grained rock with
olivine (very reactive to chemical weathering) will be seen as immature.

Explain Then each group will explain their hypothesis and talk about why
they think the different grain sizes and mineral compositions occur.
Afterwards I will correct any mistakes and go over the accepted reasons as
to why sedimentary rocks differ from one another.

Extend Now that the students understand how the sediments distance
between its point source and where it formed into a rock affects a rocks
mineral composition and texture, they will individually go around the
room to different rocks and identify them using a provided chart and
graph.

Evaluate As the students identify the given samples I will be going
around to offer any help and check for misunderstandings or problems
with the information. Then the students will get back into their groups and
go over what they think the right answers were with each other.
Afterwards I will go over the answers and correct any mistakes the
students might be having.
Plans for Diversity For students with attention problems the constant
activities and hands on work will help them stay focused. Also for hyperactive
children the different stations will allow them to get out of their seats and
move about, expelling built up energy. For students with social anxiety the
constant group can help them get more acquainted with social settings.
Connections Sedimentary rocks make up a third of the ever important rock
SOL ES. 6 so this lesson fits in well with the course.
Safety Considerations Before the lesson I will check the first aid kit to
make sure that the proper supplies are still there in case a student gets a little
bit too aggressive with the glass scratch plates and breaks one, cutting a
finger. Also soap and running water should be handy for acid burns.
Activity Handout: Day 2, Chart 1. Day 2, Diagram 1.