How to teach the chemistry of the rock cycle at 11–14

Three photos of different rocks

Source: From left © Bencemor/Shutterstock; © Canadastock/Shutterstock; © QQ7/Shutterstock

Develop your teaching practice with the ultimate guide to teaching the chemistry of the rock cycle including resources, misconceptions and teaching ideas

The rock cycle is a key topic on 11–14 science curriculums. This article suggests ideas and resources for your classroom, as well as pointing out common misconceptions and how to tackle them. It also comes with a simple, downloadable board game to help students avoid the misconception that there is only one set path through the rock cycle.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor. 

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

  • unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
  • teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
  • applications for funding to support your lessons

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.