5E Lesson Plan

6th Grade Science

Rock Cycle
Zainab Anjum 1A &1B
 Introduction

Unit: Science- Geology

Grade Level: 6th

Length of Unit (days/class periods): 5 Days/5 Class Periods

Materials/Resources: (art supplies, props, etc.)

-Half-sheet of paper, sticky notes
-Starburst lab: 3 starbursts (different colors), grater, paper towel, aluminum foil,
cupcake liner, textbook
-Rock cycle doodle notes
-Color pencils and pencils
-Rock Cycle game worksheet and stations
-Rock cycle quiz
-Exit ticket

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 Technology/Essential Questions/TEKS

Technology:
Projector (doodle notes), Chromebooks (stations-save paper)
Essential Questions:
1. What if Plate Tectonics never existed? How would the rock cycle be affected?
2. Why do rocks go through the rock cycle?
3. Which step in the rock cycle is the most crucial in forming rocks?

TEKS/Lesson Targets:
10D: describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events.
10B: classify rocks as metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary by processes of their
formation.

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 Pre-Assessment: What do the students already know? How
did you determine this?

Think-Pair-Share-Students will be asked these five questions. They’ll go around the room
looking for a partner to talk to. Once everybody has found a partner, the teacher will ask
the question. Partner A will have 30 seconds to share and Partner B will listen, and then
roles will be reversed. Teacher will go around the room to judge student understanding.
Questions are based on prior knowledge of plate tectonics.
-What is the relationship between Plate Tectonics and rock cycle?
-How does the movement of plates influence rock formation?
-Would the rock cycle exist without Plate Tectonics? Explain.
-What process/step keeps the rock cycle going?
-Why is it important for rocks to get “recycled”?
-How does the movement of plates govern other natural processes (e.g. mountain
building, ocean basin)?

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 Lesson Plan Key

Highlight Kagan Strategies in Yellow and denote like this: Kagan Strategy- You must have
at least 2 within your 5E Plan, but it can be your choice as to which two you will use.

Multiple Intelligences:
Logical-Mathematical

Spatial/Visual

Bodily Kinesthetic

Special Education Accommodations:

SPED

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 Engage (15 min.)

1. Students will be given a half sheet of paper and asked to write about the types of
rocks they know. They will need to describe their textures, shapes, and sizes.
Students will write about how they think rocks form.
2. Teacher will collect papers and then check for student understanding. She will
have students write their name on a sticky note and stick it on the side that says
“I know what the rock cycle is”, “I kind of know the rock cycle”, or “I don’t know the
rock cycle.”
3. Students should ask themselves: What do textures suggest about a rock’s
formation? How does the rock cycle work? Which factors cause rocks to form?

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 Explore (30 min.)

Students will do Starburst Rock Cycle Lab:

https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/cms/lib8/OR01001812/Centricity/Domain/1022/6%20-%20RockC
ycleStarburstLab.pdf
-Students will cut starburst into tiny pieces and separate colors.
-They’ll layer three colors on top of each other on aluminum foil.
-They’ll fold the aluminum foil around the pile and place the textbook on foil for a minute.
When they remove the textbook and unwrap the foil, they’ll find out what happened to the
starburst. Ask: What type of rock does this represent? How do you know?
-After Exploration 2, where students will use a hot plate, ask what the melting rock
represents? What was the difference between the formation of the first one and this one?
-After Exploration 3, where students cool the rock, ask what the cooling rock represents?
Wait for the cooling rock to solidify. Ask the students to compare the rocks in Exploration 2
and 3.
-Check for Understanding: Answer conclusion questions on Starburst Rock Cycle Lab.

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 Explain (40 min.)

1. Teacher will have class do Rock Cycle Doodle Notes:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rocks-Types-of-Rocks-Doodle-and-Wr
ite-Graphic-Organizer-3024321
2. Teacher will lead and students will copy from the projector.
-Vocabulary: Intrusive, Extrusive, Igneous, Metamorphic, Sedimentary, Compact,
Weathering, Erosion, Deposition
3. SPED students will get a teacher key of notes if they need extra time to write.
4. Check for Understanding: Four Corners- Present the following statements to students
and let them decide if they agree, strongly agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. Have
them explain their reasoning.
-Movements in earth’s crust have pushed metamorphic rocks up the earth’s surface.
-Because lava cools quickly and no crystals form, igneous rocks are intrusive.
-Sedimentary rocks are formed by compacting and cementing over a short time.
-Igneous rocks have smoother surfaces than metamorphic rocks, because they do not

8 crystallize.
 Elaborate (45 min.)

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/rockingtherockcycle.pdf Students will play a

game, pretending to be rocks and undergoing the transformations of the rock cycle. The
purpose of this activity is to help them understand how life formed on planets. This game
requires students to be “scientists” and think about how life came about.
1. Teacher will lead with class discussion about what we’ve learned so far about the rock
cycle and the transformations of each stage.
2. Introduce game to students and show them how to play. Students will act as rocks and
undergo transformations (by rolling the dice), and depending on what they get, they’ll
move to the next stations. Students will analyze what happened to them: E.g. Did I
undergo heat and pressure? What could a hurricane cause a rock to do?
3. Check for understanding: Students will play several rounds and come back to discuss
their journey through the rock cycle with their classmates. Inside-outside
circle-Students in the in group stay while students in out group rotate. They each will
share 1) their rock journey and 2) how they gained a better understanding of the rock
9 cycle.
 Elaborate Con’t.

Vocabulary: mineral, rock, heat, pressure, weathering, erosion, deposition, compact,

cement, cool, melt. The vocabulary will connect to the students’ observations because
when the students roll the dice, they will get a natural disaster which will cause the rock
to change. For example, a hurricane would cause a rock to weather (break down).

The point is not just for students to memorize the rock cycle and steps in it. Through this
activity, students realize that the formation of a rock tells us a lot about the conditions
on Earth. Environmental issues that we know about through the news, such as global
warming, interact with the rock cycle on a daily basis.
E.g. Global warming is increasing the heat in this planet, and heat causes rocks to
metamorphic and igneous rocks to melt into magma.
Students have a deeper understanding of what is going on in our planet by applying their
knowledge to current issues.

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 Evaluate (15 min.)/Homework/Exit Ticket

Rock Cycle Quiz:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1983eSuZHATmW9aA_ealp_As17c5OQUvfXDcj-j6S
dZs/edit?usp=sharing

Homework: Find a rock and examine it. In 1 paragraph (5 or more sentences), identify the
rock and explain why it is that rock based on its features. You must bring the rock with
you to show me you actually did the assignment.

Exit Ticket:
Students will complete the following to show mastery of the content:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17h5DPxhJGPTSJ9KtSWeGajmP7KHelrtMIUb1TUsBB
GE/edit?usp=sharing

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