Rock Classification Lesson Plan

1) Stretch & pray.

2) Discuss Psalm 18:1-3

3) Show different colors and textures of sand/soil and review what makes them look different. Briefly discuss 3 forms of rocks and how they are each formed.

4) Make Seven Layer Bars. Explanation: Sedimentary rocks are made in layers. The layers of mud, sand, or even seashells are built up during a huge flood -- like the one during the time of Noah. The layers get squeezed and stuck together to make new rocks. This cookie is made in layers and you can still see the layers even after it is pressed and cooked.

Sedimentary Rock Seven Layer Bars Recipe:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, melted
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass baking pan). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients;press down firmly with fork. Pour condensed milk evenly over bars. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Put in refrigerator or freezer after they come out of the oven so they'll cool faster.

PERSON 1: YOU WILL NEED: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 3/4 cup butterscotch chips, ½ cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup flaked coconut, 1 cup chopped nuts, 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, 9x13 baking pan, mixing spoon, measuring cups, non-stick cooking spray, & a knife for cutting bars

5) On the "Rock Cycle" paper from "Considering God's Creation" (or just draw it on a piece of paper if you don't have this book) next to the sedimentary rock picture draw what the sedimentary "rock" we're making looked like first: Draw graham crackers, chocolate chips, etc.
PERSON 4: YOU WILL NEED: 14 copies of Rock Cycle worksheet OR paper, crayons

6) Using magnifying glasses, look at sedimentary rocks & discuss characteristics. Also drop an agate in a small cup of vinegar and watch what happens (=nothing). Drop the piece of limestone in the vinegar and watch it effervesce. Mention that most sedimentary rock was formed from the mud and living organisms that squished together during Noah's Flood. That's why you can find fossils in this type of rock. Show a piece of limestone with a shell imprint on it.
PERSON 2: YOU WILL NEED: Sedimentary rocks (limestone, agate (a few varieties), flint, bloodstone, and slate), magnifying glasses, and a small cup of vinegar

7) Make "Igneous Rock" Lollipops. (*Mom #3 will stay & stir after everyone combines the ingredients.) Explanation: Lava is hot melted rock. When the molten lava comes out from the mantle through a volcano, it cools and the rock hardens into smooth obsidian just like this lollipop will harden smoothly.

Igneous Rock Lollipop Recipe:
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons butter
2 (1/3 ounce) boxes of flavored gelatin
lollipop sticks
nonstick cooking spray
Cover cookie sheet with nonstick spray and place the lollipop sticks on sheet with one end sticking off the edge and leaving room to pour the liquid candy onto the other end. Combine the sugar, corn syrup and butter in a sauce pan over low heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly bring to a boil stirring frequently. Cook for 7 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 275 degrees. Stir in packet of gelatin and continue stirring until smooth. 5 Remove from heat and quickly spoon mixture onto one end of the sticks and cool. Put in the freezer after pouring them so they'll harden faster.

PERSON 3: YOU WILL NEED: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 4 tablespoons butter, 2 (1/3 ounce) box of flavored gelatin, 2 baking sheets, non-stick cooking spray, candy thermometer, mixing spoon, lollipop sticks, saucepan, ziplock sandwich bags for taking them home

8) (While candy is boiling) On the "Rock Cycle" paper from "Considering God's Creation" (or just draw it on a piece of paper if you don't have that wonderful book) next to the igneous rock picture draw what the igneous "rock" we're making looked like first: a saucepan with liquid in it.

9) Look at igneous rocks & discuss characteristics. Drop a piece of obsidian in water and watch what happens (nothing). Drop the pumice in water and watch it float. Talk about how it's formed when water mixes with molten lava and causes gas/bubbles to form. The rock cools so quickly that the gas doesn't have a chance to escape, so it's filled with holes and is therefore not dense.

PERSON 4: YOU WILL NEED: Igneous rocks (obsidian, pumice, feldspar, and granite), magnifying glasses, and a small cup of water

10) Metamorphic Snickers Demo.

Neatly cut Snickers bars in half. Give each child a half of the Snickers bar. Tell them this is a sedimentary rock. Have them note the different layers and then draw it on the "Rock Cycle" paper next to "metamorphic rock." Have each child lay the candy bar between 2 sheets of wax paper. Place that between 2 books (to more evenly divide the pressure). Have each child step on the book top book to smash the Snicker's bar. Tell them they are providing heat and strong pressure to their sedimentary rock. Now peel off the wax paper. Can you see those distinct layers anymore? No. The heat and pressure made the sedimentary rock into a metamorphic rock. Draw that on the other side of metamorphic rock on "The Rock Cycle" page. Eat it if desired.

PERSON 4: YOU WILL NEED: 5 snack size Snicker's candy bars, 20 sheets of wax paper, 20 books

11) Look at metamorphic rocks & discuss characteristics. Include some tumbled quartz and talk about how they become smooth by bumping around for weeks or a month.
PERSON 1: YOU WILL NEED: Metamorphic rocks (rose quartz, quartz crystal, amethysts, smoky quartz, geode with quartz crystals, tiger eye, marble, calcite, citrine, and garnet schist), magnifying glasses

12) Sing The Rock Cycle Song. *I changed some words*

Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat

SED-I-MEN-TARY rock
Has been formed in layers
Often found near water sources
With fossils from decayers.

Then there's IGNEOUS rock
Pumice, Obsidian, Granite
Molten Lava, cooled and hardened
That's how God planned it.

These two types of rocks
Can also be transformed
With pressure, heat and chemicals
METAMORPHIC rock is born.

Hand motions for sedimentary rock lines: continuously put one hand on top of the other
Hand motions for igneous rock lines: roll fingers like lava and then make fists for hardening
Hand motions for metamorphic rock lines: hold out both hands and then clasp both hands together for pressure

PERSON 4: YOU WILL NEED: Words to song printed on large piece of paper

15) Draw seven layer bars next to sedimentary rocks on "The Rock Cycle" sheet and draw the lollipops next to the igneous rocks.

16) Eat Seven Layer Bars and drink water. While children eat, divide up lollipops and remaining bars for families to take home.
PERSON 3: YOU WILL NEED: 12 small disposable cups for water, 14 napkins

17) While children are finishing Seven Layer Bars, talk about and show geodes. Talk about God choosing the ugly, poor, unworthy, etc. of this world and making us into beautiful creations - sometimes using difficult circumstances to create us into the beautiful creation He wants us to be. Go outside. Give each child a geode to open using his/her hammer. It takes a few whacks to open one.
PERSON 3: YOU WILL NEED: 12 geodes (I purchased a box of 20 geodes off ebay for $20 including postage.)

18) Start a Rock Collection: 3 OPTIONS:

• Sift some dirt with stones in it (gem mining dirt). Put a scoop of dirt in each of their colanders and let them use a hose or dip it in buckets of water to wash off the dirt. OR


• Go outside & search for rocks. OR



• Collect some rocks ahead of time and toss them around in some dirt. (Red/clay dirt is good.) Put a scoop of dirt in each of their colanders and let them use a hose or dip it in buckets of water to wash off the dirt.

Then let each child select one from their collection and describe it: rough, gray, dull, sparkly, smooth, pink, etc.

(You can purchase gem mining dirt on e-bay, though we bought ours for $25 at a ruby mine in North Carolina.)

PERSON 2: YOU WILL NEED: Gem mining dirt (optional) & 12 grocery store plastic bags (for holding rocks/gems)

19) (If you have extra time) Classify a rock using the rock detective sheet from Considering God's Creation Student Workbook.

20) Five minute review of what we learned.

Konos Curriculum
I use Konos Curriculum as a springboard from which to plan my lessons. It's a wonderful curriculum and was created by moms with active boys!

Konos Home School Mentor
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