Geology Rocks: Comparing Rocks

Contributor: Meghan Vestal. Lesson ID: 11102

A rock is a rock, right? No big deal. Actually, rocks are all different, from how they are formed to how they look! Learn to become a rock detective, and make trading cards!

categories

Earth Science

subject
Science
learning style
Visual
personality style
Lion, Beaver
Grade Level
Middle School (6-8)
Lesson Type
Dig Deeper

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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  • Can you determine what type of rocks are displayed in the image above just by looking at them?

Guess not all rocks are alike!

There are three classifications of rocks.

  1. igneous
  2. metamorphic
  3. sedimentary

Each type of rock is formed differently and has different characteristics. In this lesson, you will compare and contrast rocks.

Copy the following chart onto a sheet of paper.

Rock Type How Is It Formed? Where Is It Formed? Characteristics Examples How Do We Use These in Everyday Life?
igneous          
sedimentary          
metamorphic          

 

Complete the chart using the following resources as well as the lessons found under Additional Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

Geologists — people who study rocks and fossils — can quickly examine the characteristics of rocks and determine what type of rock they are looking at.

Watch the video below to discover how.

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Look back at the rocks at the top of the lesson.

  • Can you determine which of those rocks are igneous? Sedimentary? Metamorphic?
  • What characteristics caused you to draw those conclusions?

Continue on to the Got It? section to practice your rock hound skills!

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