Weathering and rocks
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the different types of weathering.
Key learning points
- There are three types of weathering; biological, chemical and physical weathering.
- Biological weathering is when rocks are broken up by the roots of plants or from animals burrowing into them.
- Chemical weathering is when rocks are broken up by acids in rainwater or when air reacts with minerals in the rocks.
- Physical weathering is when rocks are broken up by changes in temperature, such as when ice forces apart cracks in rock.
Keywords
Biological - relating to living organisms
Chemical - relating to the interaction of substances
Weathering - the process of being worn down by long exposure to the atmosphere
Common misconception
Weathering and erosion are the same process.
Students will be informed that erosion is the process of Earth’s surface, e.g. rock or soil, being worn away and transported from its original site, whereas weathering is the process of wearing or being worn by long exposure to the atmosphere.
Teacher tip
If teaching this lesson in person, you could bring in small rock samples or use a visual demonstration to show how weathering works. For example, use sugar cubes to illustrate chemical weathering by dissolving them in vinegar or place wet sponges in a freezer to mimic freeze-thaw weathering.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is geology?
Q2.Which type of rock forms from cooling lava or magma?
Q3.What is soil made from?
Q4.Why is geology important in our daily lives?
Q5.Which process helps recycle rocks over millions of years?
Q6.Put these units of geological time in order; longest to shortest.
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.How do weathering and erosion differ?
Q2.Which of these is not a type of weathering?
Q3.What is an example of physical weathering?
Q4.Why is weathering important?
To help you plan your 8 geography lesson on: Weathering and rocks, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 geography lesson on: Weathering and rocks, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Rocks, weathering and soil: Why is geology important? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.