Name _____________________________
Edible Rock Cycle Lab
The rock cycle is a never-ending process. During this lab, you will model how one type of rock
has the ability to go through all of the processes involved in the rock cycle. Read the directions
carefully, follow the procedures, and fill in the answers as you work through the lab.
Materials:
Starburst candy
Chocolate chips
Vanilla chips
butterscotch chips
Ziploc bag
aluminum foil
scissors
freezer or cooler
book
*hot plate- be cautious because it can burn you!
1. Get one starburst. This represents an IGNEOUS ROCK. How do igneous rocks form?
__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Now it is time to change the igneous “rock” to sediment. What is the process called
when rock is broken down into smaller pieces? __________________________
3. Unwrap the starburst then, using the plastic knife, break the igneous “rock” down into
pieces of sediment by CAREFULLY cutting it into smaller particles.
4. Sediment comes from all sorts of different rocks that are broken down and CARRIED or
_____________________ to different places possibly by wind, rain, or running water.
5. Eventually the sediment stops moving, settles out, and is ____________________. Pick
up your igneous sediment and carry it to the Ziploc bag then drop it off inside the bag.
6. Now add some different colored “sediment” to the bag by picking up a few of the
various colored chips and drop them into the bag.
7. What two processes in the formation of sediment did you just model? Carrying the
“sediment” = _____________ dropping the “sediment” off in the bag = _____________
8. Now it is time for your sediment to change into a sedimentary rock. This process is
known as lithification and involves two actions. First the sediment is squeezed or
__________________________ together by the weight of the other deposited
sediments.
9. Next a natural cement forms which acts as “glue” to hold all of the sediments together.
This process is known as ________________________.
10. Model the process where sediments are compacted by squeezing together the sediment
in the Ziploc bag. As you squeeze, the starburst sediment should soften and begin to
hold together all the pieces of sediment together to model cementation.
11. You should now have a sedimentary rock. Leave it in the bag! Are you able to see the
different particles of sediment in the “rock”? It is made up of sediment from your
original igneous rock along with other “sediment” you picked up along the way. What
type of sedimentary rock does this resemble? _____C______________
12. Now it is time to make a metamorphic rock. What two processes must a rock go
through to change into a metamorphic rock? ____________ and _______________
13. Using heat from your hands, squeeze the sedimentary “rock” more until you can visually
see the particles in the rock changing shape.
14. To model pressure being applied to the rock, put the bag on the table, then put a
science book on top of the bag and carefully press on the book. DO NOT jump up and
down, as we do not want the book to break.
15. Take the book off of the bag and observe your metamorphic rock. What does the word
metamorphosis mean? ________________________________________ Are you able
to observe that this happened to particles in your metamorphic rock? _______________
16. Before you begin the next step, take some aluminum foil and shape it into a bowl.
Write your name on the side of the foil.
17. Now it is time to change your metamorphic rock into magma. What process must a rock
go through to change into magma? _______________________________________
18. Take the metamorphic “rock” out of the ziploc bag. It will be sticky. Try not to make
too much of a mess. Put your rock into the aluminum foil.
19. Raise your hand to let the teacher know you are ready to melt your metamorphic rock.
Your rock will be put on a hotplate by the teacher and begin to melt. This might take a
little while so be patient.
20. Once your rock melts, the teacher might call you over to observe your new magma.
Next, the teacher will attempt to turn your magma back into an igneous rock by putting
it in a freezer. What process must happen to change magma into an igneous rock?
____________________________________________________
21. You might have to wait until tomorrow to observe your new igneous rock.
22. What did you do to model weathering, erosion, and deposition? ___________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
23. What did you do to model compaction and cementation when you made the
sedimentary rock? ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
24. What is the difference between what you did to create the sedimentary rocks and the
metamorphic rocks? _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
25. What did you do to create the magma? _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
*Did you enjoy this lab? Why or why not?