Journey to Mt. Rockmore

A WebQuest about the Rock Cycle

Introduction

Planet Earth has many cycles -- a cycle is a series of events that lead to one another and continue in a circle, so it is never ending. Earth has the life cycle, water cycle, even a nitrogen cycle, but one of the most important Earth cycles is the rock cycle.

The Task

You are about to embark on a "Journey to Mt. Rockmore". On your expedition, you will be taking on the role of a geologist to dissect the parts of the rock cycle and discover information on the three types of rocks and how they interact to make the rock cycle possible.

As the team's chief geologist you will:

1. Describe the word "cycle" and explain at least one everyday example of a cycle in paragraph form.

2. Write a detailed summary about each type of rock.

3. Make a sketch of the rock cycle. You may use paper or a drawing program on the computer. Be sure to label your drawing and write a paragraph to explain the drawing.

4. Compose an original song (to any tune) or write an original obituary (about its "life) concerning the rock cycle.

5. Design a flag to post at the top of Mt. Rockmore. You may use paper or a computer drawing program. The flag should include something that you learned during this journey. Be sure to write a paragraph explaining why you chose this design.

To complete the task expected of your team, please ensure the following guidelines are followed:

Your final Geologist Report needs to be turned in as a complete packet of your findings. Please title your pages according to the Link titles. For example, page 2 will be titled "Cycles". Please include a cover page as page 1. You may staple the pages together or place in a folder before turning into your teacher. Do not include your flag in the packet. It will be placed outside the classroom on the wall. However, please include your paragraph about your flag in the packet. Keep in mind the 5 items listed in the "Task" section must be included in your final report.

The Process

You are beginning your journey to the top of Mt. Rockmore. On your journey you will learn many interesting facts about cycles, rock types, and the rock cycle.

Your first step will be at the base of the mountain. Once you complete Stage 1, you will be able to advance to the next level. Good Luck!

Stage 1 (page 1): Create a title page with the title of the project, your name, date, and teacher's name.

Way to go! You made it past the first level of Mt. Rockmore. You should be very proud. Now you are ready to climb on to Stage 2. Be aware that the rocks on the mountain at this level are shifting . Be Careful!

Stage 2 (page 2): Go to "Cycles" below and read the information. From the information found at that site write a paragraph describing the word "cycle" and explain at least one everyday example of a cycle.

Okay, so now that you have advanced this far you think you're such a tough person. Just wait for the next stage. I hope you are holding on tight. This one might just knock you off the mountain.

Stage 3 (page 3): There are three main groups that geologists use to classify rocks. Read about these rock types at the Web sites listed in "Rock Types" below. Use the information to write a detailed summary about each type of rock.

Excellent! You are a great climber. Keep up the hard work and move on to Stage 4.

Stage 4 (page 4): Rocks can change forms to become an entirely different rock in an entirely different group. Read the Web sites listed at "Rock Cycle" to learn about this process called the rock cycle. After you have gained your necessary information at these sites, make a sketch of the rock cycle. You may use paper or a drawing program on the computer. Be sure to label your drawing and write a paragraph to explain the drawing.

You are nearly to the top. Can you believe that you've nearly climbed this huge mountain! This next stage is a challenge. You can do it! Move on to Stage 5.

Stage 5 (page 5): Time to be creative! Look at the Web sites at "Rock Creativity". Notice that one person wrote a song about the rock cycle. Another person chose to write an obituary for a rock which included a description of its "life" cycle. Your task is to compose an original song (to any tune) about the rock cycle or choose a rock and write an original obituary that includes its "life" cycle.

Yippee! You have reached the summit! It is now time to leave your mark. Read Stage 6, so that you can see how everyone will know that you were at the top!

Stage 6 (page 6): As a lasting legacy, you are to design a flag to post at the top of the mountain. You may use a computer drawing program or paper. The flag should be include something you learned during this journey. Be sure to write a paragraph to be included in your final report to explain why you chose your design.

Congratulations! You have reached the top of Mt. Rockmore and you can post your flag. Once you have completed your flag, hang your flag outside your teacher's room in the designated area. Then everyone will know what a gigantic climb you've accomplished!

Resources

Cycles

Cycles

Rock Types

	Igneous Rocks 1, Igneous Rocks 2, and Igneous Rock Pictures
	Sedimentary Rocks 1, Sedimentary Rocks 2, and Sedimentary Rock Pictures
	Metamorphic Rocks 1, Metamorphic Rocks 2, and Metamorphic Rock Pictures

Rock Cycle

Rock Cycle 1, Rock Cycle 2, Rock Cycle 3

Rock Creativity

Be Creative - Song and Be Creative -Obituary

Evaluation

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Organization	Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs.	Information is organized with somewhat well-constructed paragraphs.	Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.	The information appears to be disorganized.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	One or more topics were not addressed.
Mechanics	No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors	A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors.	Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Paragraph Construction	All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.	Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.
Internet Use	Successfully uses suggested Internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.

Conclusion

I bet that you never realized that there was that much to know about rocks and where they came from. By now you should have learned that there are three main types of rocks igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. You have learned that igneous rocks come from the mantle of the earth, which is comprised of molten rock. You are now aware that sedimentary rocks are either made of eroded other rocks or from coral reefs in the warm waters of the oceans. Lastly, you now realize that metamorphic rocks are made up of all three and are subjected to high heat and/or pressure after deep burial in the earth.

You may be asking what is the relevance of learning about the rock cycle. Well, here are just a few brief reasons: finding minerals and precious metals is a lot easier when you understand the rock cycle, building houses that don�t fall into sink holes, faults, or off the edges of the ocean is pretty handy, and if you are a rock hound looking for gemstones it is a great thing to understand.

Return to Class Resource Page | Return to Top