Lesson 38 of 84 · Earth Systems
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock RealmWeathering: Breaking Down Rocks (Part 2)
Earth Systems.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Weather isn't random — it's just complicated.
Mind = Blown
🌊 The deepest part of the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you observe: what shape will it leave?
What You'll Learn
The rock cycle shows how rocks change from one type to another. Igneous rocks form from cooled magma, sedimentary rocks form from compressed sediment, and metamorphic rocks form under heat and pressure.
Key Words
- evaporation
- condensation
Materials Needed
- cups
- thermometer
- rain gauge
- cotton balls
- food coloring
- clear container
Safety First
- Handle glass items carefully to avoid breakage.
- Do not mix unknown chemicals together.
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Steps
Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.
Test rock hardness using Mohs scale: try scratching rocks with your fingernail, a penny, and a nail. Rank them from softest to hardest.
Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.
Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What causes weathering?
Where you see this in real life
This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.
For the dinner table
“What's the slowest change you can think of?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Checkout complete lesson on Earth Systems for 3rd Grade
Get the full Earth Systems track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.