Science Methods 2 Blog Post 9

 Lab 

In the lab we used a torch to melt starburst to represent the melting together of rocks, we also classified the types of rocks based on the melting pattern created with the starburst. We also talked about how seeing improvements and understanding in students is ten times more important than a letter grade because our whole goal as a teacher is to teach and help students learn. The big question this week is, "How and why are certain rocks formed?" 

Lecture 

In the lecture today we learned what makes a rock a rock, a rock is only a rock it was naturally made by the Earth for example cement is not a rock because it is man-made. We also learned that sand came from distant mountains and landforms, not from the ocean. In the lecture, Allison talked about the different layers of the Earth: crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. Once we found the basis of what the layers of the Earth are we talked about continental plates and oceanic plates, continental plates are larger than oceanic plates. Lastly, we connected everything to rocks and talked about how rocks can go through three different outcomes they can melt, be crushed, and lastly be reformed by heat and pressure. Extrusive rocks exit the Earth and cool fast, intrusive rocks are located inside the Earth, chemicals change rocks, mechanical and physical items do not change rocks, and water, wind, and glaciers work in the erosion of rocks. Water causes the most damage, wind causes the least damage, and glaciers are the most powerful.  

Pressbook 

I learned that "weathering is the making the mess and erosion is cleaning it up (17 Rocks and the Rock Cycle)." I thought that both weathering and erosion were a process of damage, I did not think erosion was helpful. According to the textbook, weathering is the breaking down of rocks and materials, while erosion is the process where small bits of rock are transported to a new location. 

I found this image to be the most helpful in the textbook, in the lecture today I found the rock process to be confusing but seeing this graph helped clear up my confusion and grow my understanding. I would like more information on the Earth's plates and how they work, we talked about it briefly in lecture but I still have confusion on the topic.