Rock Cycle:
The Story of a Rock
Grade Level: 9-12

Summary: Story telling can be used to help students understand the changes a rock undergoes as it passes through the rock cycle. In this activity, students will use more creative story telling to describe the rock cycle. This activity is intended to be used at the end of a unit on rocks and minerals, and may even constitute an assessment of the unit.

View the Lesson Plans for this Unit
View the Content Standards

Download Related Documents:
Student Instruction Sheet

Activity 1:
The Rock Story

Students learn about the rock cycle and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.

Featured video clips in this activity:

Mountain Building in the Desert - Part 3 During the Mid-Tertiary Deformation, the mountains of southern Arizona were profoundly stretched and thinned.

Geology of the Gem State Prehistoric geological forces are responsible for forming the numerous gems and stones for which Idaho is famous.

Hiking in Canyon Sin Nombre The slot canyons and rugged terrain of Canyon Sin Nombre offer many examples of how water and erosion have transformed the desert landscape.

Activity 2:

Rock Around the Rock Cycle
Students illustrate their stories by creating a digram of their rock's pathway through the rock cycle.

Activity 3:

Identifying Rocks (optional)
Some additional activities that students to enhance and expand their rock stories and diagrams.