Fellow name: Cam Macris Title of Lesson: The Inquiry Based Crayon ...

Fellow
name:

Cam
Macris
Title
of
Lesson:

The
Inquiry
Based
Crayon
Rock
Cycle
Grade
Level:
6 th
Subject(s):
Earth
Science
Crayon
shavings
representing
weathered
rock.
Summary:
This
activity
is
a
hands‐on
introduction
to
the
rock
cycle
using
crayons.

Crayon
wax
has
the
ability
to
broken
into
small
pieces
(weathered),
heated,
cooled,
and
compressed
much
like
rocks.

We
will
safely
simulate
the
rock
cycle
and
the
processes
that
form
and
change
rocks.
Using
crayons
and
some
other
common
items,
the
students
will
create
sedimentary,
metamorphic,
and
igneous
crayon
rocks.
Time
Required:
55
minutes
Group
Size:
Six
groups
of
six
or
so
students
Cost
to
implement:

~
$50
Learning
Goals:
After
this
lesson,
students
should
be
able
to:
1)
Describe
and/or
demonstrate
how
any
type
of
rock
can
become
any
other
type
of
rock.
2)
Draw
a
diagram
of
the
rock
cycle.
3)
Describe
the
processes
that
form
each
type
of
rock.
Introduction
/
Motivation:
The
students
should
already
have
been
introduced
to
the
different
types
of
rocks
and
should
have
a
general
background
on
the
rock
cycle.

The
teacher
should
have
large
samples
of
each
rock
type
to
show
the
students.

They
are
going
to
make
their
own
rocks
today
‐
crayon
rocks,
that
is!

They
are
going
to
speed
up
the
rock
cycle
and
simulate
processes
that
form
rocks
deep
in
the
earth.

They
each
start
with
an
‘igneous
crayon’
and
a
set
of
tools
on
a
tray.
Procedure:
Make
a
sedimentary
crayon:
1. Ask
the
students
how
sedimentary
rocks
are
formed
from
igneous
rocks.

They
should
answer
that
the
igneous
rocks
are
weathered
and
eroded
to
form
sediments,
which
are
then
deposited,
buried,
and
compacted
to
form
sedimentary
rocks.

Then
ask
them
how
they
can
use
the
tools
in
front
of
them
(pencil
sharpener,
plastic
knives,
popsicle
sticks)
to
create
sediments.
Allow
them
to
discuss
with
the
group
their
ideas,
then
allow
them
to
experiment
with
their
ideas.

After
they
create
a
pile
of
‘sediments’,
remind
them
to
pick
up
the
sediments
and
move
them
to
simulate
erosion.
2. Ask
the
students
what
they
can
do
with
their
sediments
to
deposit
and
compact
them?
3. They
should
come
up
with
the
idea
to
drop
sediments
into
the
wax
cupcake
cups
and
fold
into
a
packet
to
simulate
deposition.
4. Apply
pressure
to
the
packet
by
pressing
down
on
it
to
simulate
compaction.
5. Open
the
packet
and
observe
your
sedimentary
crayon.
6. Take
a
moment
to
begin
drawing
the
rock
cycle
using
what
the
students
just
simulated
to
go
from
an
igneous
rock
to
a
sedimentary
rock.
Make
a
metamorphic
crayon:
1. Ask
the
students
how
sedimentary
rocks
become
metamorphic
rocks.

Now
ask
them
how
they
can
simulate
those
processes
using
the
tools
in
the
classroom.
Guide
them
to
place
a
small
pile
of
sedimentary,
metamorphic,
or
igneous
crayons
into
an
aluminum
foil
cupcake
cup.
2. Float
this
foil
on
hot
water
and
watch
as
heat
from
the
water
transfers
to
the
foil
and
to
the
crayons.

3. The
crayons
will
start
to
melt,
but
remove
the
foil
from
the
heat
source
when
the
wax
is
soft
to
the
touch
(use
a
popsicle
stick
to
probe,
not
your
finger).

Don’t
allow
the
wax
to
melt
completely.
4. As
the
wax
cools
you
may
choose
to
again
apply
pressure
to
simulate
metamorphism
by
partial
melting
and
pressure.
5. Open
the
packet
and
observe
your
metamorphic
crayon.
6. Take
a
moment
to
add
these
processes
to
your
rock
cycle.
Make
an
igneous
crayon:
1. Ask
the
students
how
metamorphic
rocks
become
igneous
rocks.

Now
ask
them
how
they
can
simulate
those
processes
using
the
tools
in
the
classroom.

Guide
them
to
place
a
small
pile
of
sedimentary,
metamorphic,
or
igneous
crayons
into
an
aluminum
foil
cupcake
cup.
2. Float
this
foil
on
hot
water
and
watch
as
heat
from
the
water
transfers
to
the
foil
and
to
the
crayons.
3. The
wax
should
be
allowed
to
melt
until
a
smooth
liquid
forms.
4. Observe
your
igneous
crayon
form
as
the
melted
liquid
cools.
5. Complete
the
rock
cycle
diagram.
Materials
List
Each
group
will
need:
‐enough
crayons
for
each
person
to
get
at
least
one
‐a
couple
of
pencil
sharpeners,
plastic
knives,
or
other
grating
utensils
‐a
Styrofoam
cup
or
bowl
‐enough
foil
and
wax
cupcake
cups
for
each
student
to
get
one
To
share
with
the
entire
class:
‐source
of
hot,
but
not
boiling
water
Safety
Issues:
The
students
will
be
working
with
hot
water,
so
they
should
be
instructed
to
be
careful.
Lesson
Closure:
Ask
the
students
how
they
could
make
their
igneous
crayon
into
a
metamorphic
crayon,
then
ask
them
how
to
make
that
into
a
sedimentary
crayon.

The
point
is
that
they
realize
that
any
rock
can
become
any
other
type
of
rock.
Is
this
lesson
based
upon
or
modified
from
existing
materials?
If
yes,
please
specify
source(s)
and
explain
how
related:

This
lesson
is
based
on
modifying
and
combining
a
couple
of
online
lesson
plans
also
entitled
“The
Crayon
Rock
Cycle”.
References:
http://www.mysciencebox.org/crayonrock
http://www.exo.net/~emuller/activities/Crayon‐Rock‐Cycle.pdf
http://www.mysciencebox.org/book/export/html/232
List
CA
Science
Standards
addressed:
Grade
6
1. Plate
tectonics
and
earth’s
structure
a. Students
know
evidence
of
plate
tectonics
is
derived
from
the
fit
of
continents;
the
location
of
earthquakes,
volcanoes,
and
midocean
ridges;
and
the
distribution
of
fossils,
rock
types,
and
ancient
climatic
zones.
2. Shaping
earth’s
surface
b.

Students
know
rivers
and
streams
are
dynamic
systems
thate
erode,
transport
sediment,
change
course,
and
flood
their
banks
in
natural
and
recurring
patterns.