Introduction to rocks
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain that rock occurs naturally and can be used for different purposes.
Key learning points
- A material is a substance from which something is made.
- Rock is a solid material that occurs naturally in Earth.
- Materials such as concrete, tarmac and brick are made by humans and are not rock.
- We use different rocks for different purposes.
Keywords
Material - A material is what we use to make things from.
Rock - Rock is a naturally occurring material made up of one or more minerals.
Earth - Earth is the planet we live on.
Natural - A natural object or material has not been made or changed by humans.
Quarry - A quarry is a place where rock is dug out of the ground.
Common misconception
May have confusion around classification of rock – thinking rocks in the ground and materials such as concrete, tarmac and bricks are a type of rock.
Help children to understand the material ‘rock’ is a natural material and not an object, and that materials like brick, tarmac and concrete are human-made and therefore not the same as natural rock material.
Teacher tip
On the rock hunt make sure you look at materials that can cause a misconception such as brick, tarmac and concrete and show film clips of rock being quarried and tarmac/concrete/bricks being made in a factory to illustrate that rock is natural and sourced from Earth and others are human-made.
Equipment
See additional materials for further guidance.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - equipment
Risk assessment required - equipment
Exploration of objects
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these is a type of material?
Q2.Match the object to the material it is often made from.
glass
rock
metal
wool
paper
Q3.Which of these are natural materials?
Q4.We can use the of a material to describe what it is like, for example: hard, shiny and rigid.
Q5.Which of these are properties of metal?
Q6.Which of these materials are human-made in factories?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.A is what we use to make things from.
Q2.Match the object with the material it is often made from.
tarmac
paper
concrete
glass
metal
rock
Q3.Rock is not made by humans. It is a material which is found in Earth.
Q4.Which of the following would be a good use for rock?
Q5.Which statements describe rock?
Q6.Where do rocks come from?
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Introduction to rocks, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Introduction to 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 2 science lessons from the Rocks and soils unit, dive into the full primary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.