Rock Cycle Facts
6th - 12th Grade Textbook
L2 Rock Cycle
Our Level 2 Rock Cycle textbook includes rock cycle facts in each of the 16 lessons. These are some of the lesson titles included in the book: Igneous Rocks, Pyroclastic Rocks, Clastic Rocks, Organic Rocks and Rock Cycle ID. Each lesson contains 3-4 pages of written material, a quiz and a kids science activity.
The textbooks are designed for middle school and high school students. Each textbook can be completed in six weeks by students who finish three lessons per week. A semester of Earth Science credit can be earned by students completing three Level 2 units in a semester. Students wishing to earn a year of Earth Science credit should complete all six units.
Video Lessons
Myrna Martin introduces each lesson in the textbook on a video that can be purchased with our complete kits, packages and courses. Myrna covers not only the main points in the lesson she also includes extra information on the topic that is not contained in the written material.
Kids Science Activities
The kids science activities included with each lesson are fun and interesting for students. They are designed to increase a student’s understanding of the information taught in the lesson. These are some of the activities included in our Rock Cycle textbook: How Magnetic is my Cereal, Sand Slides, Pressing Layers, Creating a Playa, and Popcorn Cinder Cone.
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Student Edition eBook link Teacher Edition eBook link |
Teacher’s Edition Textbooks
The teacher’s textbook is an exact copy of the student textbook. It includes the answers to the quizzes on each quiz page. A Teacher’s Notes page is located before each lesson with the following information
1. Lesson Content
2. Lesson Objectives
3. Activity information and materials needed
4. Vocabulary and definitions
5. Correlation with the National Science Standards
Rock Cycle Facts
Rock cycle facts you might not know. The rock cycle contains three major groups of rocks. Igneous rocks form when older rocks melt and collect in magma chambers. The molten rock erupts on the surface of the Earth during volcanic eruptions forming pyroclastic rocks. Magma that cools underground forms intrusive rocks with interlocking crystals. Sedimentary rocks are the second major group in the rock cycle. Clastic, organic and chemical are the three major groups of sedimentary rocks.
Metamorphic rocks are produced when crustal plates collide and minerals recrystallize into new rocks due to heat and pressure. Most metamorphic rocks form in mountainous areas like the Himalayan Mountains and in subduction zones that surround the Pacific Ocean.
Igneous rock classification
More rock cycle facts about igneous rocks. Geologists classify igneous rocks by the minerals contains in the rocks and where they cooled into solid rock. Basalt, andesite, dacite and rhyolite are the four major groups of igneous rocks. Basalt forms in the upper mantle and flows out on ocean floors as pillow basalt. It contains the lowest percentage of silica. Rhyolite contains at least 70% silica and is associated with super volcanic eruption. Andesite and dacite are created in subduction zones. Andesite contains less quartz minerals than dacite but more than basalt.
How sedimentary rocks form
Rock cycle facts about sedimentary rocks that form in three major environments. Clastic rocks form when deep layers of sediment turn into stone when enough heat and pressure is applied to lower layers. The two major types of organic sedimentary rocks are coal and limestone. Coal is plant material that has turned to rock. Coral reefs are formed when polyps extract calcite from water to form their limestone houses. Chemical limestone formations are found in playas and shallow oceans. Layers of minerals precipitate out of the supersaturated water to form rocks. Examples of these rocks are borax and salt.
What are metamorphic rocks?
Rock cycle facts about metamorphic rocks that form when continental plates collide or around the throats of volcanoes. The rocks under extreme heat and pressure recrystallize from igneous, sedimentary and other metamorphic rocks without melting. Foliated rocks from when shale turns to stone.
Marble is recrystallized limestone. Quartzite is a metamorphic rock that forms when sandstone is subjected heat and pressure that causes some of the sand particles to recrystallize between the individual sand grains.
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