ACTIVITY 1

ROCK BABY ROCK!

Objective: To identify the properties of rocks.

What you need?

5 different rock samples platform balance
Hand lens strip of colored paper for labelling
Water

Part 1. What to do?

1. Label the rock samples A, B, C, D, and E.
2. Rub your hands over each rock. Feel the texture of the surface of each rock.
3. Hold the rocks in such a way that bright light hits its surface. Observe carefully the surface.
4. Using a hand lens, examine closely the physical make-up of the rock’s surface.
5. Write your descriptions in the table below.

ROCK SAMPLE TEXTURE COLOR SIZE OF PARTICLES

(fine or coarse) (light, dark, or glassy) FOUND
(large, small, or none)
A
B
C
D
E

What happened?
1. After rubbing your fingers over the rocks, how did the surface feel?
2. When the rocks were exposed to bright light, did you see colors? What are they?
3. Using the hand lens, did you see particles on the rocks? Can you describe them?

Part 2. What to do?

1. Determine the mass of each rock sample by using the platform balance.
2. Measure the volume by applying the water displacement method.
3. Calculate the density of each rock sample.
4. Write your data on the table below.

ROCK SAMPLE MASS VOLUME DENSITY

(g) (cm3) (g/cm3)
A
B
C
D
E
What happened?
1. Which rock is most dense? Why?
2. Which rock is the least dense? Why?

What now?
1. Do rocks differ from one another?
2. What geologic findings would account for the difference in densities of rocks?
 ACTIVITY 2
HOW ARE SEDIMENTARAY ROCKS FORMED?

Objective: To discover the different processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks.

What you need?

Pebbles, water, sand, gravel, garden soil, wide mouthed transparent glass container

What to do?
1. Place some pebbles, gravel, sand, and garden soil in a wide mouthed glass container.
2. Pour water into the container. Cover it tightly.
3. Shake the container so that the materials inside mix well.
4. Leave the container undisturbed and let the materials stand.
5. Observe the size and kind of materials that are deposited from top to bottom.

What happened?
1. What happened to the different materials inside the glass container when you left them undisturbed
for a while?
2. How are materials arranged from top to bottom?

What now?
1. Draw and label the arrangement of materials as seen inside the glass container.
2. Why are the materials arranged in the said order?
3. How are sedimentary rocks formed?
 ACTIVITY 1
DO ROCKS LAST FOREVER?

Objective: To identify the environmental factors that affects the changed condition of rocks.

What you need?

3-4 different rocks, magnifying glass, 3-4 Ziploc bags, hammer, pencil

What to do?
1. Clean the rocks samples by washing them.
2. Dry them after washing.
3. Label the rocks from 1-4
4. Examine each rock using a magnifying glass.
5. Put the rocks inside a Ziploc bag.
6. Break the rocks into 2 or 3 pieces by hammering.
7. Investigate the insides of the rocks.
8. Scratch the exposed surface and the inside surface of the rock.

What Happened?
1. What is the color of the clean rock?
2. How will you describe the inner surface and the outer surface of the rocks?
3. Are the surfaces equally hard? If not, why?
4. Did you notice other things on the rocks?

What now?
1. How will you relate the effects of environmental conditions to the characteristics of the rocks?
2. What are those environmental factors that affect the changed conditions of rocks?
 ACTIVITY 2
HOT AND COLD, LET’S ROCK!

Objective: To determine if changes in temperature can break rocks.

Safety Notes:
The teacher should carry out appropriate risk assessment and orientation on safety precautions to
the students.

What you need?

Basin, a piece of rock, a piece of glass tubing, tin can, Burner, cold water

What to do?
1. Apply a strong flame to a piece of glass tubing for about two minutes.
2. Then quickly submerge the glass in cold water.
3. Heat a piece of rock for about 3-5 minutes.
4. Place the rock immediately on a basin of cold water.

What happened?
1. What did you observed on the glass tubing after it was heated and placed in cold water?
2. What happened after the rock was heated then placed in cold water?

What now?
1. How will you explain the effect to the glass tubing after it was heated?
2. How will you explain the changes on the rock after it was heated?
3. What accounts for the changes in the glass tubing and rock?
4. What kind of weathering took place?
 ACTIVITY 3
ROCK ATTACK! (SIMULATION OF PROCESSES THAT CAN AFFECT ROCKS)

Objective: What can cause erosion and mass wasting?

What you need?

Brown sugar, beaker, shallow tray or baking tray, pipette or syringe, access to sink, wooden block,
water

PART 1
What to do?
1. Let one edge of the tray hang over the sink.
2. Place a wooden block under one end so that the tray slopes down the sink.
3. Put a small mound of sugar in the middle of the tray.
4. Fill the beaker with water.
5. Use a pipette and pour water gently on top of the mound.

What happened?
1. How will you describe the effect when water was poured on the mound of sugar?
2. What other things occurred as more water was poured on it while the tray sloped down the sink?

What now?
1. What does the mound of sugar represent?
2. What is the agent of erosion in this?
3. What process or processes are involved?

PART 2
What you need?
Baking tray, sand, pipette or syringe, water, wooden block

What to do?
1. Repeat steps 1-2 of Part 1.
2. This time, place a small mound of dry sand on the tray.
3. Gently drip water onto the dry sand using the pipette or syringe.
4. Place again a small mound of dry sand on the tray.
5. This time, pour water using a beaker.
6. Repeat steps 2-4 here of Part 1, this time using a heap of sand.

What happened?
1. What did you observe on the action of water with the dry sand? With the wet sand?
2. Is there any difference? If yes, what accounts for this?

What now?
1. What does the dry sand represent? The wet sand?
2. What does pouring of water from a beaker and not from a syringe represent?
3. How will you explain the effect of water as it impacts on rocks?