Make learning about the earth's rock cycles interesting for your middle school students.
The rock cycle is an important facet of Earth Sciences and geology, through which students learn the life cycle of the earth and why a good deal of our planet's surface looks and feels the way it does. It can seem a very boring affair to restless middle school students, however. Games and activities help make learning about the rock cycle more engaging and contextualize knowledge.
The Rock Cycle Race
"The Rock Cycle Race" is a game designed to teach middle school students about rock formation, rock types and the rock cycle. The game, created by educators at San Diego State University, has students move along a game board with paths designed in imitation of various phases of the rock cycle. In order to advance, students must correctly respond to questions that test and reinforce knowledge of the rock cycle.
Ride the Rock Cycle
"Ride the Rock Cycle" is a rock cycle activity for middle school students proposed on online education resource Science Spot by junior high teacher T. Trimpe of Havana, IL. After learning of the rock cycle, students are asked to use their knowledge to create a comic strip, children's book or diary detailing at least three changes a metamorphic rock--called "Roger" by Trimpe--would go through in his life, such as metamorphic to igneous, igneous to sedimentary, and sedimentary to igneous.
Interactives
"Interactives" is an online educational resource with a series of interactive activities for students to learn about the rock cycle. Students are able to complete the activities individually as homework or computer lab assignments, or in groups in the classroom as a cooperative learning activity. The series begins with an introduction, continues with "Types of Rocks," "How Rocks Change," and "The Rock Cycle Diagram," and ends with a small test summarizing the materials.
Tags: middle school students, rock cycle, school students, about rock, middle school
