Rock Cycle

Remember, Rocks tell stories!

All things being interconnected, you and the rocks around you may have be closer connected than you think. The silicon in your computer was locked up in rocks somewhere at some point. The rocks you walk on are only there because Africa, the U.S, and a few volcanic islands collided and metamorphisized the rocks around NYC a few hundred million years ago.

I have included a rock cycle picture for you to study, observe, copy, whatever! The whole point of the rock cycle is to show that any rock can become any other one. Heat from within the earth, new layers of rocks forming above, and plate movements can all change rocks below the surface. Volcanoes, weathering, and erosion can all change rocks on the surface. Nature is composed of cycles, swings in the balance, fast and slow changes that are always occurring. Enjoy the show, you are part of it!

Smith

Minerals, Where are you?

Hey Mineral Lovers,

Here is the link to the website where you can see some more examples of just where minerals are.

http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/ess05_int_mineralenv/

One Interesting thing about minerals is that they are a non-renewable resource. Non-renewable means once we dig it up and use it, thats all there is. So without recycling and other efforts towards conservation, eventually we will run out of gold for jewelry, diamonds for rings, calcium carbonate for chalk, Silica for glass, quartz for watches, coal for energy, copper for pipes, iron for building, graphite for pencil "lead," petroleum (oil) for plastics and gas, silicon for computer chips and cell phones, and the list goes on..... you are connected to the earth and its resources, be thankful!!!!! Where did the minerals on earth come from? We think that just like the rest of the solar system, these special materials are leftovers from a Supernova. Remember- we are all just stardust!