What is the rock cycle? | 11-14 years

A photograph showing layers of rock in the cliffs at Kimmeridge Bay in Dorset, UK

Source: © Shutterstock

Try this lesson plan and set of downloadable activities to help teach 11-14 year olds about sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks and the rock cycle.

Working in small groups, students construct the rock cycle using a set of cards, bringing together ideas about sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks and how they are linked through the cycle.

Consolidate your students’ understanding of different components of the rock cycle and boost their confidence in discussing these ideas, using interactions between ‘expert’ and ‘non-yet-expert’ groups.

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