Science Life and Earth Science 6-8
The Rock Cycle: Follow a Boulder’s Journey
Students read about the three rock types, match rock-cycle processes to their descriptions, sort common rocks and trace a granite boulder through the cycle.
THE GOAL
What students will learn
Students will classify common rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic and describe the processes that change one rock type into another.
BEFORE THE BELL
Get ready
Copy the 2-page worksheet (one per student).
KEEP THE PLAN CLOSE
Your teacher guide
Teacher directions only. Student worksheets and the answer key are in the complete PDF.
SubstitutePlans.com
Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8
SP-SCI68-005 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 2
The Rock Cycle: Follow a Boulder’s Journey
Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8 · Grades 6-8 · 50 minutes
Time needed
50 minutes (one class period)
Prep
Copy the 2-page worksheet (one per student).
Technology
None.
Student
independence
High. Students read and work alone.
Copies to make
One 2-page worksheet per student
Materials
Pencils, Worksheet
Goal for today: Students will classify common rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic and describe the
processes that change one rock type into another.
Before the bell
☐ Copy the worksheet, one per student (2 pages).
☐ Keep the answer key on your desk. You do not need any earth science knowledge.
☐ Optional: write IGNEOUS, SEDIMENTARY and METAMORPHIC on the board.
Say this to start
Good morning! Rocks are always changing, just very slowly. Today you will read about the three types of rock and the
processes that turn one into another, which is called the rock cycle. Then you will follow one boulder on a long journey.
Read first, then work quietly on your own.
Run of show
Minutes
What you do
What students do
0–5
Take attendance. Hand out the worksheet.
Settle in and take out a pencil.
5–13
Ask students to read the passage silently.
Read the passage.
13–23
Tell students to complete the matching (questions 1–6).
Match each process to its description.
23–35
Tell students to complete the two tables: Sort the Rocks
and the Boulder’s Journey.
Sort each rock into a type and follow the
granite boulder through the cycle.
35–45
Tell students to complete questions 7–12.
Answer the multiple-choice, true/false and
short-answer questions.
45–50
Read answers 1–10 from the key so students can check.
Collect worksheets.
Check answers and hand in the worksheet.
If things go wrong
• If a student cannot remember which type is which, tell them to look back at the passage; each type has a
short definition.
• If students ask whether a rock can fit two types, say it depends on how it formed and the table asks for the
best fit.
SubstitutePlans.com
Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8
SP-SCI68-005 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 3
• If students finish early, use the early finisher list.
• If the class is noisy, move to silent work until question 7.
Early finishers
• Draw a circular diagram of the rock cycle on the back of the worksheet with arrows and labels.
• Write a short story from a pebble’s point of view as it travels through the rock cycle.
Support and challenge
• Support: Let students work with a partner and complete the matching, the sorting table and questions 7–10.
• Challenge: Ask students to explain why the rock cycle has no real starting point.
Notes for the teacher (you fill this in)
Jot a few lines before you leave. A full Daily Sub Report is in the free Sub Survival Kit at SubstitutePlans.com.
How far the class got / what to pick up next:
Students who were especially helpful:
Anything the teacher should know: