This Collected Learning Experience deals with the rock cycle.
Description: In this investigation, students explore the processes in the rock cycle that result in new rocks being formed. Through hands-on investigation, students learn about the formation and properties of the different types of rocks.
Learning intentions
Students will be able to:
An online resource to help reinforce the concepts of the rock cycle.
The resource provides a worksheet that gets students to create a flowchart of the rock cycle using cut-out cards.
The cards are included with the resource.
Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U04 (Year 8)
This online resource looks at the geomorphology of Australia.
The resource is a PDF that was developed by the AGSO (Australian Geological Survey Organisation), a Commonweallth advisory body established in 1992 to provide information on the earth sciences and mapping of mineral resources in Australia. The PDF provides information on the processes of weathering, erosion and deposition for science and geography teachers under a creative commons license.
This interactive simulation looks at the Earth's rock cycle.
The resource looks at evolution of rock types with an emphasis on students learning to identifying the different types of rock that occur as part of the cycle.
This interactive provides valuable visualisations that allow students to explore highly abstract concepts and apply their understanding to natural features of the landscape.
Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U04 (Year 8)
This online resource explores Australia's mineral wealth.
The resource is an interactive that allows students to trace the origins and distribution of the country's extensive mineral resources.
The interactive examines the exploration process and explores different mining methods and the processing of ores.
Environmental issues relating to the management and rehabilitation of mine sites and the range of uses for minerals in everyday life are also investigated.
This online resource looks at the properties of different rock types.
The resource details a hands-on activity demonstrating the importance of using the different types of geological rocks for different aspects of buildings.
In this activity, the students build three different sand castles and test them for strength and resistance to weathering. They can then discuss how the buildings are different and what engineers need to think about when choosing the rocks, soils and minerals used for construction.
Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U04 (Year 8)
This online resource supports Year 8 Earth and chemical sciences.
The teaching package provides hands-on activities with teacher support materials to support the Year 8 Earth and Chemical Sciences components of the Australian Curriculum.
The activities are organised into three topics:
Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S7U06 (Year 7), AC9S8U04 (Year 8)
This online resource has general information about the rock cycle.
The resource is an interactive website where students can learn all about rocks and geology: the science of rocks.
They can learn how rocks can be identified, how they are formed, and how they change over time.
Students can also learn how to identify the three major kinds of rocks and learn how to tell them apart.
They can also learn what kind of changes can happen to rocks, and about the processes that cause these changes.
This online resource has been created to support the teaching of earth science in Australian schools.
The Earth Science Western Australia (ESWA) website is easy to use and the PDF resources are free to download. They include full lesson plans, teacher support notes, answers, activities and links to other great ESS resources.
This online resource demonstrates how to simulate the rock cycle.
The resource is a step-by-step YouTube video guide for using wax crayons to demonstrate erosion and creation of sedimentary rocks as well as the link between sedimentary and metamorphic rock.
A worksheet is also available for students to use when replicating this task in class.
Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S8U04 (Year 8)
