3-Day Lesson Plan: The Study of Rocks

Day 1 – Introduction to Rocks & the Rock Cycle

Objective: Students will classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic and explain how they form within the rock cycle.
Standards Alignment:

• HS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to illustrate Earth’s internal and surface processes that form rocks.

Activities:

1. Engage (10 min):
   • Show a short video or slideshow of landscapes (mountains, volcanoes, riverbeds). Ask: “What do all these places have in common?”
   • Brainstorm what students already know about rocks.
2. Explore (20 min):
   • Rock samples (or photos) are passed around. Students observe and record textures, colors, grain sizes.
   • Teacher introduces the three main rock types with real-life examples.
3. Explain (15 min):
   • Guided notes: Rock cycle diagram.
   • Students identify processes: cooling, weathering, erosion, compaction, heat, and pressure.
4. Exit Ticket (5 min):
   • “Which process could turn a sedimentary rock into an igneous rock?”

Homework: Complete a labeled rock cycle diagram.

Day 2 – Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks in Depth

Objective: Students will analyze characteristics of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and connect them to formation processes.
Standards Alignment:

• HS-ESS2-1 & HS-ESS2-2: Construct explanations based on rock properties and environments.

Activities:

1. Review (5 min): Quick recap with rock cycle warm-up.
2. Hands-On Stations (30 min):
   • Station 1: Igneous Rocks – Identify intrusive vs. extrusive (texture, crystals).
   • Station 2: Sedimentary Rocks – Identify clastic, chemical, organic (layers, fossils).
   • Station 3: Metamorphic Rocks – Compare foliated vs. non-foliated.
   • Students rotate in groups, fill out a classification chart.
3. Discussion (10 min):
   • Groups share what evidence helped them identify each rock type.
   • Connect back to Earth processes (volcanoes, rivers, mountain building).
4. Exit Ticket (5 min):
   • Write one real-world example where humans use each rock type.

Homework: Rock classification practice worksheet.

Day 3 – Applying Rock Knowledge: Interpreting Earth’s History

Objective: Students will use rock evidence to interpret past environments and geologic processes.
Standards Alignment:

• HS-ESS2-3: Analyze data to identify relationships between Earth’s surface processes and rock features.

Activities:

1. Engage (5 min):
   • Show picture of the Grand Canyon or similar rock layers. Ask: “What story do the rocks tell?”
2. Group Investigation (25 min):
   • Each group receives a “Rock Record Scenario” (packet of sample photos or descriptions, e.g., sandstone with ripple marks, granite, coal, marble).
   • Students determine rock type, environment of formation (beach, volcano, swamp, mountain), and sequence of events.
3. Explain & Share (15 min):
   • Groups present interpretations. Teacher connects to uniformitarianism and geologic history.
4. Assessment (10 min):
   • Short quiz: Students identify rock types and link to formation processes.

Extension/Closure:

• Discuss careers that use rock knowledge (geologists, engineers, architects).
• Preview fossils and Earth history as the next unit.