Flannery Kuhn

ELED 3221
EdTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Rock Types and the Rock Cycle
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Central Focus/Big Idea: Understanding the differences between the 3 types of rocks and
knowing the order of the rock cycle.
Subject of this lesson: Identifying rock types and the rock cycle
Grade Level: grade 4
NC Essential Standard(s): 4.P.2.3 Understand the composition and properties of matter before
and after they undergo a change or interaction. Students must be able to classify rocks as
metamorphic, sedimentary or igneous based on their composition, how they are formed and the
processes that create them.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): 4-ESS1-1 Identify evidence from patterns in rock
formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes over time.
21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving With this lesson, students will be
able to follow the scientific process to identify how rocks form. They will use critical thinking
during this process and will be asking questions and conducting investigations throughout the
lesson.
Collaboration Collaboration applies to this lesson because the students will be working in
groups to identify properties of rocks.
Academic Language Demand

Language Function: I chose retell as the most important language function for my
lesson because by the end of the lesson, students will be able to create the rock cycle and
list the order. They will also be able to retell the formation of the three types of rocks.

Analyze

Argue

Categorize

Compare/contrast

Describe

Interpret

Predict

Question

Retell

Summarize

Explain

Scientific Vocabulary: metamorphic, sedimentary, igneous

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to label the different parts of the rock cycle and
identify the three different types of rocks. They will be able to successfully fill out a rock cycle
chart that will be given during the explore phase. During the evaluate phase students will
complete a rock match up worksheet.

Prior Knowledge (student): Students should know the definition of a rock and generalization of
where they are found in the environment.
Content Knowledge (teacher): The teacher should know the definitions of rock types along with
how to classify them. Also be knowledgeable about the rock cycle and formations of the types of
rocks.
Accommodations for special needs: The students will be working in small groups so they will
be able to help each other out. The teacher will be walking around the class observing the small
groups and can assist groups if needed.
Materials and Technology requirements:

Computer and projector

Rocks, Rock! power point
Rock Definition worksheet (enough copies for all students)
Play-doh (three colored quarter sized pieces per student)
Rock Match-Up worksheet (enough copies for all students)
Cycle Mania cut outs.

Total Estimated Time: 40 minutes to an hour, one class period

Source of lesson: PowerPoint on rock types and cycle
Safety considerations: I will go over the rules for working in groups and individually on
worksheets and when using the Play-doh. I will make sure that the students understand the how to
use equipment responsibly or else they will not be able to participate in the activities.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: (You will use the Rocks Rock! power point for this section)
Begin by asking the students what they know about rocks. Remind them that there are different
types and each rock is formed differently and categorized by its appearance and properties. Pass
out the Rock Definitions worksheet. Students will fill out this worksheet while going through the
PowerPoint.
While going through the PowerPoint ask the following questions:

What is the definition of a rock?

How are sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks formed?
Where might you find an igneous rock?

Explore: Send students back to their desk. At this time they will flip over their worksheet and
find an empty rock cycle diagram on the back. This will be filled out over the course of the Playdoh rock cycle activity.

Give them 3 different colors of modeling clay, Play-doh(TM)

Start out with a few large chunks (quarter-sized) of clay, these will be the igneous rocks.

Pretend that the town you live in has an active volcano. It erupts every so often so there are
many rocks on the groundwhat kind of rocks do you think you see the most? (Igneous, because
most igneous rocks are formed from volcanoes). When a rock is melted by heat, then cools and
hardens, an igneous rock is formed.
Now, pretend you are nature; weathering and erosion are taking place. We are going to start
breaking apart our igneous rocks. The small grains of rocks we have now are called what?
(Sediment) Great!

Have the students break the play-doh into several pea-sized pieces, this is sand or
sediment.

Once you have all made a few pieces of sediment we will now carefully and gently press the
sediment together so they become attached but NOT smashed together.

Gently press the sand grains together so that they are attached, but not smashed
together, this is sedimentary rock.

What type of rock are we forming by pressing the sediment together? (Sedimentary rocks) Good!
Everyone show me your sedimentary rocks. When rocks become squeezed together, a sedimentary
rock is formed.
Years have one by in your town and the rocks you have created have been covered with layers of
ground material. The pressure and heat from the earth has bent and twisted the rocks you
created. At this point we are going to use the heat and pressure from our hands to create what
kind of rock? (Metamorphic). When pressure and heat is added to rock, a metamorphic rock is
formed.

To make metamorphic rock, let the students press and bend the sandstone to make twisted
layers.

Explanation: Now that the students have cleaned up their Play-doh bring the class together for a
discussion. Begin by asking:

What type of rock did we start with? (igneous)

How did we change that rock to make a sedimentary rock? (with pressure)

How would you change a sedimentary rock to make it a metamorphic rock? (with heat
and pressure)

Elaborate: During this section students will play Cycle Mania. Pass out the pre-cut game
pieces to the 5 table groups. Each group gets a set of pieces. The students will then be timed to
see how quickly they can form the rock cycle.
Questions to ask during the game:

Where would you start on the cycle?

What resources could you use while racing to put the cycle together?

Evaluate:
Summative Evaluation:
Have students go back to their desk and pass out the rock match-up worksheet. This will be their
summative assessment and will be collected at the end of the period. Students are to be able to get
at least 8 out of 10 questions correct on the worksheet. Those that do not meet this benchmark
will have to follow up with a take home worksheet that will be a review of the day.
Formative Evaluation:
Observations made as I walked around the classroom and I constantly checked for understanding
with questions throughout the lesson.
To be complete after the lesson is taught as appropriate
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: ______________________________ Date: ______________