The Rock Cycle is Sweet!
Activity Summary
This activity uses candies to explore the steps and forces that work on rocks during the rock
cycle. Imagining the candy as rock you will use household items to weather, compress, and heat
the cadies to simulate what happens to rocks over time.
The Rock Cycle Song by Jam Campus could be used to augment this activity. Song can be found
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7xFfezsJ1s
Materials
• Unwrapped Starburst or other taffy like candies
• Plastic bag, plastic wrap, or warm hands
• Microwaveable plate
• Microwaveable bowl or cup
• Microwave*
• Knife or Cheese Grater
• Spoon or Spatula
* If microwave isn’t available a hair dryer can be used, results will vary.
CA UTION: Adult supervision is required for this activity. Candy will be HOT after using
the heat source, use caution as all times. Be sure candy has cooled before handling.
The Rock Cycle is Sweet!
Steps
1) Weathering
Ask participants to imagine that the candies are
rocks. Weather your rocks by either cutting the
candies into smaller pieces or grating them
2) Sedimentary Rocks
Loosely compact your sediments together so that
they stick together but are not well formed.
3) Metamorphic Rocks
Apply heat and pressure to the Sedimentary Rock
until it is well formed and smooth. This can be done
by pressing the rock with your warm hands. You can
just hold the rock in your hand and squeeze but if
you would prefer you can also place it in a plastic
bag or plastic wrap before you squeeze the rock
4)
Place the Metamorphic Rock in a small bowl of plate
and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt
the rock.
5) Igneous Rock
Being very careful not to burn yourself on the hot
candy, scoop some from the bowl and place in on
the plate to cool.
Once the rock has cooled it undergoes weathering
(Step 1) and the cycle repeats.
The Rock Cycle is Sweet!
Activity Questions
The activity leader can keep this sheet to themselves and use as a reference or guide for
discussion throughout the activity.
Step 1: Weathering
Q: What is weathering?
A: Breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals
Q: What are some things that cause weathering?
A: Water, acid, salt, plants, animals, and changes in temperature
Q: What do these small pieces of candy represent?
A: Sediments
Step 2: Sedimentary Rocks
Q: At this step, what type of rock does this represent?
A: Sedimentary Rock
Q: What processes form Sedimentary Rocks?
A: Sedimentation (erosion + deposition) and compression (pressure) over time
Q: What at some types of Sedimentary Rocks?
A: Sandstone, siltstone, shale, flint, some dolomite, and some limestone.
Step 3: Metamorphic Rocks
Q: At this step, what type of rock does this represent?
A: Metamorphic Rock
Q: What forms Metamorphic Rocks?
A: Heat and pressure over time
Q: What are examples of Metamorphic Rocks?
A: Schist, gneiss, marble, anthracite, and slate.
Step 4
Q: By applying extreme heat to a Metamorphic Rock, what have we created?
A: Magma or lava
Q: Magma versus lava?
A: Magma cools below the earth’s surface and forms intrusive igneous rocks. Lava cools
on the earth’s surface and forms extrusive igneous rocks.
Step 5: Igneous Rocks
Q: What type of rock do we have now?
A: Igneous Rocks
Q: What are some types of Igneous Rocks?
A: Basalt, obsidian, pumice, tuff, and granite.
