Scientist Guide

The Crayon Rock Cycle Introduction

Soil is one of Earth’s most important natural resources. It is the bridge between the living and non- living worlds and ultimately where most of our food originates. Soil is composed of organic materi- al (humus), water, air and minerals.

Rocks are mixtures of minerals such as quartz, feldspar, mica and calcite. They are the source of all soil mineral material and the origin of all plant nutrients with the exception of nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon. As rock is chemically and physically weathered, eroded and precipitated, it is trans- formed into soil.

The rock cycle shows how rocks change over time by a variety of physical and chemical processes (see Figure 1). Natural processes that are part of the rock cycle include weathering, erosion, lithifi- cation, metamorphism, melting and cooling.

• Weathering involves both the chemical and physical IGNEOUS ROCK Weathering breakdown of rock at or near the Earth’s surface. and Erosion Cooling This results in accumulation of sediments – loose materials, such as rock and mineral fragments, or Sediment Magma pieces of animal and plant remains that have been transported. Lithification (Compaction and Cementation) Melting • Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth’s surface by exogenic SEDIMENTARY METAMORPHIC processes, such as wind or water flow, and then ROCK ROCK transported and deposited in other locations. Metamorphism (Heat and/or Pressure) • Lithification is the transformation of sediment into rock. The main processes involved in lithification are: Figure 1. o Cementation – large sediments are held together by natural cements. o Compaction – layers of sediments are compressed by the weight of layers above them.

• Metamorphism is the process by which rocks are changed by heat, pressure, shear, stress or chemicals.

Rocks are classified into three distinct groups based on how they are formed: • Igneous • Metamorphic • Sedimentary

This lesson was modified from http://www.exo.net/~emuller/activities/ An education and outreach Crayon-Rock-Cycle.pdf and http://mjksciteachingideas.com/rocks.html. program of: Scientist Guide

Activity Overview

In this activity, you will use crayons to demonstrate the various steps of the rock cycle. Crayons have the ability to be ground into small particles (weathered), heated, cooled and compressed just like rocks. However, unlike rocks, all these processes can be done safely and at reasonable tem- peratures. Using crayons, you will be able to create sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous crayons (rocks).

Materials • Crayons • Container to hold hot water (if using) • Plastic knife or popsicle stick • Aluminum foil • Hot plate or very hot water • Foil cupcake liner

Safety Precautions

• Use extreme care when performing the demonstrations with heat. • Let any hot crayon wax cool completely before handling.

Procedure Step 1: Make a sedimentary crayon rock.

• The new crayon may be considered an igneous crayon because it does not have streaks, layers or grains, all of which are typical of sedimentary or metamorphic rocks. • On your handout, in the box at the top of the circle, write “igneous rock.” • To create sediment, unwrap your crayon and create a pile of shavings on your aluminum foil by scraping the crayon with your knife. • On your handout, the arrow from “igneous rock” can be labeled “weathering and ero- sion.” The next box may be labeled “sediment.” • Layer your sediment with sediment from other scraped crayons on a single piece of alu- minum foil. • Fold the foil over the sediment and press down on the foil (this may be done by stepping on the foil); this process represents lithification – compacting and cementing sediments together. • Gently unwrap the foil and observe the new sedimentary crayon. Break the sedimentary crayon in half and observe the different layers, common in sedimentary rocks. • On your handout, the arrow from “sediment” may be labeled “lithification.” The next box may be labeled “sedimentary rock.”

An education and outreach program of: Step 2: Make a metamorphic crayon rock.

• Place your sedimentary crayon into a foil cupcake liner and place the liner on the hot plate (or float the foil liner on the hot water) and melt the crayon. • Remove the foil when the wax is soft (do not use your finger; test the wax with a knife or popsicle stick) and the colors have swirled together, but not so much that the colors are indistinguishable. • Let the metamorphic crayon cool. • On your handout, the arrow from “sedimentary rock” can be labeled “metamorphism,” heat and pressure that transforms the rock. The next box may be labeled “metamorphic rock.”

Step 3: Make an igneous crayon rock.

• Place the metamorphic crayon back on the hot plate (or float in hot water) and melt the wax until a smooth pool of liquid wax forms and the colors blend together uniformly. • Carefully remove the foil, and let the igneous crayon cool. • On your handout, the final arrow from metamorphic rock may be labeled “melting into magma, then cooling.”

Try-on-your-own Activities

• Can an igneous crayon rock be turned into a sedimentary rock? How? • Could it be turned directly into a metamorphic rock? How? • Could a metamorphic rock be turned directly into a sedimentary rock? How? • Add any additional arrows across the middle of the rock cycle to illustrate that any type of rock can turn into any other type of rock. • Experiment turning your igneous crayon into a new sedimentary, metamorphic or igneous crayon. • Try making the following igneous crayon “rocks” (with adult supervision): o Melt crayon shavings and pour the melted crayon over small ice cubes to form “pumice.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumice) o Melt crayon shavings and pour into ice cold water to form “obsidian.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsidian) o Melt crayon shavings and pour into warm water to form “granite.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite)

An education and outreach program of: Student Worksheet

The Crayon Rock Cycle

An education and outreach program of: Student Worksheet

The Crayon Rock Cycle

Name

1. The three major types of rocks are? Obsidian, granite, sandstone Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic Lithification, erosion, metamorphism Magma, extrinsic, intrinsic

2. Rocks are mixtures of such as quartz, feldspar, mica and calcite.

3.  involves both the chemical and physical breakdown of rock at or near the Earth’s surface.

4. The process by which rocks are changed by heat, pressure, shear, stress or chemicals is called? Lithification Erosion Cementation Metamorphism

5. What type of rocks are formed by the cooling of molten material from volcanic activity? Metamorphic Sedimentary

An education and outreach program of: Teacher Resource

The Crayon Rock Cycle Follow-up

Name

1. The three major types of rocks are?

2. Rocks are made up of what?

3. Briefly describe “weathering.”

4. The process by which rocks are changed by heat, pressure, shear, stress or chemicals is called?

5. How are igneous rocks formed?

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