This Planet Really Rocks

Rock Cycle Activity

This activity will show you the changes rocks go through in the rock cycle.
NOTE! THIS ACTIVITY MUST BE DONE UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION!

You will need to gather these ingredients:

    crayons and crayon sharpener
    2 pieces of wood
    candle
    aluminum pie pan
    goggles
    ruler
    heavy duty aluminum foil
    hammer
    clothespin
    water
    matches

Steps:

  1. Cut two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil about 20 cm by 10 cm. Lay one inside the other so that you have double thickness.

  2. Make crayon shavings by sharpening crayons with a crayon sharpener. Use different colored crayons. (These shavings will represent sediments.) You need enough crayon shavings of different colors to have a pile of "sediment" about 6 cm by 6 cm and 1 to 2 cm thick.

  3. Place the crayon sediment inside the double thickness of aluminum foil and fold over. Fold the edges in so that all the crayon "sediment" is inside the foil and none can fall out.

  4. Place the aluminum foil packet of crayon "sediment" between the two boards. Then hammer on the top board to flatten the crayon shavings.
    BE SURE TO WEAR YOUR GOGGLES.


  5. Open the foil packet and examine your crayon "sediment". Record what you observe. What type of rock does this represent?

  6. Rewrap the crayon "rock" and place it between the boards again. Now, hammer on top of the board again to make more pressure. Examine your crayon rock again. Notice the changes and record what you see. What kind of rock have you made this time?

  7. Rewrap your crayon "rock" and hold your packet over a candle with a clothespin.
    WEAR YOUR GOGGLES!


  8. Heat your crayon "rock" for several minutes. Let it cool, then unwrap your rock and record what you observe. What kind of rock did you make when you added heat?

Conclusion:

Write a report explaining how this experiment is like the changes a rock goes through as it goes through the rock cycle.

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