Current Events

  • Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather
    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong corr...Read more

    x

    Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather

    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period. Data analyzed in this study cover the period from 431 to 1649, during which time up to 48 volcanic eruptions are identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. You can find the study (open access), published on 6 June 2013 in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article. Find out more about how volcanoes can influence climate.
  • EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US
    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, acco...Read more

    x

    EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US

    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, according to the National Weather Service in Norman Oklahoma. The tornado, which remained on the ground for 40 minutes and reached 2.6 miles across (4.2 km), took the lives of 18 people including storm chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young. For more information on the tornado, visit http://ow.ly/i/2hfDG.
  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

    x

    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.


Roger the Rock

Summary:
Students will write and illustrate a children's book to demonstrate their knowledge of the Rock Cycle. Materials:
  • Paper
  • Pen or pencil
  • Art supplies like construction paper or markers if students are working on book in class

Worksheets:

Purchase PDF/PPT versions

Source:
Adapted Exercise from Casey Knoop, Huron High School, Ann Arbor, MI
Grade level:
6 - 12
Time:
Preparation time is the teaching of the rock cycle and students could be given 3 class periods for in class work
Student Learning Outcomes:
  • Students will show their understanding of the Rock Cycle by writing and illustrating a children's book.
Lesson format:
Writing and artwork exercise

National Standards Addressed:

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Copy the Roger the Rock Student Worksheet. Hand one to each student.
  2. Go through this worksheet with the class to explain what will be expected of each student. Stress important points.
  3. Allow students as much in class time to work on children's book as you would like.

ASSESSMENT:

Suggested Assessment Worksheet

Do keep in mind that the rock cycle is nonlinear so that Roger the Rock could take any of a variety of pathways through the cycle (i.e., there are many "correct" answers to the students' stories).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

It has often been said that the best way to demonstrate one's knowledge of a given area is to teach someone else about that area. Students are given that chance here while creating a storybook about Roger the Rock.

Collect good student examples of the book from year to year. It is helpful to show students examples and have them aspire to do great work!

Additionally, this is an excellent opportunity to have older students teach younger students about the rock cycle through their books. Suggesting a service learning/mentoring project with younger students could add significant depth to this assignment.

All rock (except for meteorites!) that is on Earth today is made of the same stuff as the rocks that dinosaurs and other ancient life forms walked, crawled or swam over. While the stuff that rocks are made from stays the same, the rocks do not. Over millions of years, rocks are recycled into other rocks. Moving tectonic plates help to destroy and form many types of rocks.

RELATED SECTIONS OF THE WINDOWS TO THE UNIVERSE WEBSITE:

OTHER RESOURCES:

Last modified February 28, 2006 by Jennifer Bergman.

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

Shop Windows to the Universe

Check out the fun Earth science related bumper stickers in our online store! Express yourself!

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation and NASA, our Founding Partners (the American Geophysical Union and American Geosciences Institute) as well as through Institutional, Contributing, and Affiliate Partners, individual memberships and generous donors. Thank you for your support! NASA AGU AGI NSF