Name: _______KEY____________ Date: _______________ Period: ___________ Student #: _______

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do rocks form and what is the rock cycle?

THE WHY: By the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe the
formation and classification of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks
and explain the rock cycle.

DIRECTIONS: Read textbook pages 366-377. As you are reading, annotate and
take notes below.

What is a rock?
Scientists define rock as a naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals that
may also include organic matter.
Most rock is made of minerals, but some rock is made of nonmineral material that is not
organic, such as glass.
What processes change rock?
Natural processes make and destroy rock.
They change each type of rock into other types of rock and shape the features of our
planet.
Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition
The process by which water, wind, ice, and changes in temperature break down rock is
called weathering.
Weathering breaks down rock into fragments called sediment.
The process by which sediment is moved from one place to another is called erosion.
Water, wind, ice, and gravity can erode sediments.
The process by which sediment comes to rest is called deposition.
Sediments are eventually deposited, or laid down, in bodies of water and other low-
lying areas.
Temperature and Pressure
Rock that is buried can be squeezed by the weight of the rock or the layers of sediment
on top of it.
As pressure increases with depth beneath Earth’s surface, so does temperature.
If magma reaches Earth’s surface, it is called lava.
The magma or lava eventually cool and solidify to form new rock.
What are the classes of rocks?
Rocks fall into three major classes based on how they form.
Igneous rock forms when magma or lava cools and hardens to become solid. It forms
beneath or on Earth’s surface.
Sedimentary rock forms when minerals that form from solutions or sediment from older
rocks get pressed and cemented together.
Metamorphic rock forms when pressure, temperature, or chemical processes change
existing rock.
Sedimentary
Sedimentary rock is composed of minerals formed from solutions or sediments from
older rock.
Sedimentary rock forms when the weight from above presses down on the layers of
minerals or sediment, or when minerals dissolved in water solidify between sediment
pieces and cement them together.
Igneous Rock
Igneous rock forms from cooling lava and magma.
As molten rock cools and becomes solid, the minerals crystallize and grow. The longer the
cooling takes, the more time the crystals have to grow.
Metamorphic Rock
Metamorphic rock forms when high temperature and pressure change the texture and
mineral content of rock.
Name: _____**_______________ Date: _______________ Period: ___________ Student #: _______

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do rocks form and what is the rock

cycle?
THE WHY: By the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe the
formation and classification of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic
rocks and explain the rock cycle.
DIRECTIONS: Read textbook pages 366-377. As you are reading,
annotate and take notes below.
What is a rock? (pg.368)
Scientists define rock as a ______________ ______________solid mixture of
one or more ______________ that may also include ______________matter.
Most rock is made of ____________, but some rock is made of
___________material that is not organic, such as ____________.
What processes change rock? (pg.369)
Natural processes ______________and ______________rock.
They ____________each type of rock into ______________types of rock and
shape the ______________of our planet.
Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition (pg.369)
1. The process by which water, wind, ice, and ____________in temperature
______________down rock is called ______________.
Weathering _________ _________rock into fragments called __________.

2. The process by which sediment is ______________from one place to

______________is called ______________.
Water, wind, ice, and ______________can erode ______________.

3. The process by which sediment comes to __________is called ___________.

Sediments are eventually ______________ or laid ______________, in
bodies of water and other low-lying areas.
Temperature and Pressure (pg.369)
Rock that is ______________can be ______________by the ______________of
the rock or the layers of sediment on top of it.
As ___________increases with ___________beneath Earth’s surface, so does
________.
If ___________reaches Earth’s surface, it is called ____________.
The magma or lava eventually _________and _________to form new _______.
What are the classes of rocks? (pg.370)
Rocks fall into ____________major classes based on how they ____________.
1. ______________rock forms when magma or lava _________and
__________to become __________. It forms _____________or on Earth’s
surface.
2. ______________ rock forms when minerals that form from solutions or
sediment from older rocks get ______________and
______________together.
3. ______________rock forms when ______________, ______________, or
______________processes change ______________rock.
Sedimentary (pg.370)
Sedimentary rock is composed of ____________formed from ____________or
____________from older ____________.
Sedimentary rock forms when the ____________from above __________down
on the ____________of minerals or ___________, or when minerals
___________in water ___________between sediment pieces and
__________________them together.
Igneous Rock (pg.371)
Igneous rock forms from ______________lava and magma. As molten rock
_____________and becomes _____________, the minerals _____________and
grow. The ______________the cooling takes, the more time the
_____________ have to _____________.
Metamorphic Rock (pg.371)
Metamorphic rock forms when high ____________and ___________change
the ____________and mineral ____________of rock.
Name: _____AAC_____________ Date: _______________ Period: ___________ Student #: _______

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do rocks form and what is the rock

cycle?
THE WHY: By the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe
the formation and classification of sedimentary, igneous, and
metamorphic rocks and explain the rock cycle.
DIRECTIONS: Read textbook pages 366-377. As you are reading,
annotate and take notes below.

What is a rock?
Scientists define rock as _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Most rock is made of _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What processes change rock?
Natural processes __________________________________________________
They change ______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition
1. What is weathering? _____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What does weathering do? ______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. What is erosion? ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What does erosion do? _________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. What is deposition? ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What does deposition do? ______________________________________
Temperature and Pressure
Rock ____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
As ______________________________________________________________
What is lava? _____________________________________________________
The magma or lava eventually ________and ________to form new _________.
What are the classes of rocks?
_________________________________________________________________
1. Igneous Rock ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. Sedimentary Rock _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Metamorphic Rock _______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Sedimentary
What is it composed of? ____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
How is it formed? __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Igneous Rock
How is it formed? __________________________________________________
As molten rock ____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Metamorphic Rock
How is it formed? __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________