The Rock Cycle - Key Words & Teaching Strategies K-3

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🔤 Key Words & Teaching Strategies

1. Rock

• Explain: Rocks are solid things we find on the ground. They can be big like mountains or small like pebbles.

• Show & Tell: Pass around real rocks of different shapes and textures.

• Activity: “Rock Hunt” around the classroom or playground.

• Visual Cue: Photo of a mountain + a tiny pebble—same family!

2. Magma

• Explain: Magma is super hot melted rock that lives deep under the ground.

• Kid Tip: Like melted cheese on pizza—soft and gooey!

• Activity: Red playdough = “pretend magma,” let it flow from a paper volcano.

• Visual Cue: Lava lamp image or volcano eruption video.

3. Igneous

• Explain: Igneous rocks come from magma that cools and gets hard.

• Kid Tip: Like cookies baking and then cooling.

• Activity: “Cool It Down” game—pretend magma cooling into rocks with poses.

• Visual Cue: Rock with sparkles or crystals (e.g. granite).

4. Sediment

• Explain: Tiny bits of dirt, sand, and pieces of broken rocks.

• Kid Tip: Like sprinkles on ice cream or crumbs from cookies!

• Activity: Layer sand, pebbles, and twigs in clear cups.

• Visual Cue: Zoomed-in picture of soil or sand.

5. Sedimentary

• Explain: Rocks made when sediments pile up and get pressed together.

• Kid Tip: Like making a sandwich with layers!

• Activity: Stack layers of paper to make a “rock sandwich.”

• Visual Cue: Rock with lines or fossils inside.

6. Weathering

• Explain: Weather like wind and rain slowly break big rocks into little pieces.

• Kid Tip: Like crackers crumbling in your hands.

• Activity: Drop chalk bits in water to see crumbling.

• Visual Cue: Rainy cloud + a rock wearing sunglasses (for humor!)

7. Erosion

• Explain: Moving water or wind carries the little bits away.

• Kid Tip: Like blowing feathers across a table.

• Activity: Water table play to show moving sediments.

• Visual Cue: River flowing past pebbles or sand dunes in wind.

8. Pressure

• Explain: When something pushes really hard.

• Kid Tip: Like squishing playdough in your fists.

• Activity: Use hands to press soft materials into new shapes.

• Visual Cue: Big arrow pressing down on stacked layers.

9. Heat

• Explain: Warmth from deep inside Earth that can change rocks.

• Kid Tip: Like sun warming your skin or warm mittens.

• Activity: Touch warm rice bags (safe heat source).

• Visual Cue: Sun + red wavy lines for warmth.

10. Metamorphic

• Explain: A rock that gets squished and heated until it changes.

• Kid Tip: Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly—rocks transform too!

• Activity: “Shape Shifter” game—change rock poses with heat or pressure calls.

• Visual Cue: Before/after rock image (e.g., limestone → marble).

Would you like these turned into illustrated cards, anchor charts, or a classroom kit with labels and activities? I can help turn each word into a fun, hands-on experience kids will never forget 💡📚🧒