Lesson 1.5: Modeling: Sedimentary Rock Formation

Grade 4 | Earth’s Features
Lesson 1.5: Modeling

Sedimentary Rock Formation
© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Lesson 1.5: Modeling Sedimentary Rock Formation 15 MIN
Activity 1
Reading About
Rock Formation

Lesson 1.5: Modeling Sedimentary Rock Formation Activity 1
Remember that we are investigating

this question:
How does sedimentary rock form?

Turn to page 6 in Clues from the Past.
Let’s reread this

section together.

We are working as
geologists to figure out
how the fossil came to be
in this canyon.
To do this, we are
investigating how
sedimentary rock forms.

You will make your own models of how

sedimentary rock forms to help
you investigate.
You will use the illustrations and the text in
the book to figure out how this process
happens.

Turn to page 16 in your notebooks.
You will make a list of

the steps in the process
of sedimentary rock
formation so you can
show those same steps
in your model.
Turn to page 7 in Clues from the Past.
Next to each illustration of

how sedimentary rock
forms is a description of
two steps in the process.
You will record these
steps in your own words.
Look closely at the first illustration.
What are the first two

steps in the process of
sedimentary rock
formation?

Let’s record the first two

steps of the process of
Sediment sinks through
water and builds up in
environments with water.
sedimentary rock
formation.
More sediment builds up
and pushes down on
sediment below.


Discuss and record the
and pushes down on
sediment below.
rest of the steps of the
process of sedimentary
rock formation.

What did you record?

and pushes down on
sediment below.

Vocabulary
compact
to press together

Vocabulary
cement
to stick together in the process of forming rock

Activity 2
Sedimentary Rock
Formation Model

Sedimentary rock can take thousands or

millions of years to form. Since this process
takes such a long time, we can’t observe
it happening.
However, we can use a model to observe
and better understand the process.

Vocabulary
rock layer
a thick sheet of rock formed from the same material

We will make models

that show how a
sedimentary rock layer
forms using cups with
gravel, cups with sand,
cups with plaster-water
mixture, small clear cups,
and spoons.
Turn back to page 16 in your notebooks

and review the first step you recorded.
How could you use these

materials to make a
model of the first step?

Continue discussing
how you will make a
and pushes down on
sediment below.
model of each step.
Then, record your plan
for each step.

Next, you will make your

models.
Once you have your
materials, I will pour
some plaster-water
mixture for each group.

Sedimentary Rock Formation Model
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Choose either gravel or Use the steps you Label your cup with
sand for your model recorded on your your initials and the date.
based on the plan notebook page to make
you recorded. your model.

Activity 3
Analyzing the Model

This is our class model of Sedimentary

Rock Formation.
What do you notice?

Models show some parts of the real

world well, and other parts not as well.
What parts of rock

formation does this
model show well?
What parts does it not
show well?
In this model, the rock

hardens overnight, but
it can actually take
thousands or millions of
years for sediment to
become rock.

As the sedimentary rock layer forms

over time, it gets thicker.
What could we do with

our class model to show
the step “the rock layer
gets thicker over time”?

To be able to compare
the thickness of the
original layer and the
thicker layer, I will draw
a line at the top of each
layer and record the
date.

Now I will add to our

Class Sedimentary Rock
Formation Model.

More and more

sediment continues to
build up as sedimentary
rock forms. When this
happens over long
periods of time, the rock
layer gets thicker and
thicker.
What will happen to this

wet sediment over
time?
What will happen to this
rock layer made of
gravel over time, as
sediment continues to
© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. build up?
We will return to our

class model and your
models throughout the
unit to keep thinking
about how sedimentary
rock forms.

Activity 4
Revisiting the Rocks and

Fossils Chart

When we return to our

initial thinking and
questions about a topic
after investigating, it can
help us reflect on
our learning.

Let’s return to the initial thoughts you

had about rocks and fossils.
Which things listed

here did you learn more
about by reading and
investigating?

What new information

do you have about rocks
and fossils?

Can we answer any of

our questions yet?
What new questions do
you have about rocks?
What else do you
wonder about them?

Key Concept
A sedimentary rock layer forms when sediment

sinks and builds up in water, compacts under
more sediment, and cements over time.

Key Concept
Over time, a rock layer becomes thicker as

sediment continues to build up.

In science, we consider how things

change and stay the same over time.
Day by day, what could

change in this place?
Over thousands or
millions of years, what
could change?
Even though this place

looks like it wouldn’t
change very much each
day, we know that over
thousands or millions of
years, new rocks form.

Lesson 1.5: Modeling Sedimentary Rock Formation
End of Lesson
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Grade 4 | Earth’s Features

Lesson 1.5: Modeling

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Remember that we are investigating

How does sedimentary rock form?

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Turn to page 6 in Clues from the Past.

Let’s reread this

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

You will make your own models of how

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Turn to page 16 in your notebooks.

You will make a list of

Turn to page 7 in Clues from the Past.

Next to each illustration of

Look closely at the first illustration.

What are the first two

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Let’s record the first two

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Sediment sinks through

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

What did you record?

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

to stick together in the process of forming rock

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Sedimentary rock can take thousands or

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

a thick sheet of rock formed from the same material

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

We will make models

Turn back to page 16 in your notebooks

How could you use these

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Next, you will make your

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Sedimentary Rock Formation Model

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Analyzing the Model

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

This is our class model of Sedimentary

What do you notice?

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Models show some parts of the real

What parts of rock

In this model, the rock

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

As the sedimentary rock layer forms

What could we do with

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Now I will add to our

© The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

More and more