A material is what we use to make things from.

Rock is a naturally occurring material made up of one or more minerals.

Things that are natural are found in nature and have not been made by people.

A quarry is a place where rock is dug out of the ground.

Introduction to rocks 

Science

In this Rocks and soil unit, pupils learn to describe in simple terms how fossils are formed. In the Evolution and inheritance unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to recognise that things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.

In the Uses of everyday materials unit, pupils learnt to identify and compare the suitability of materials, including rock. In this Rocks and soils unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to compare and group different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties.

Rocks and soils 

Physical activity and equipment requiring safe use

Use of equipment that may require supervision for safety, e.g. scissors in KS1, needles, paint, knives, cooking.

Activity that requires collection of items from an area (room, building).

A {{}} is what we use to make things from.

Match the object with the material it is often made from. 

Rock is not made by humans. It is a {{}} material which is found in Earth. 

Which of the following would be a good use for rock?

Brick, tarmac and concrete are different types of rock.

Brick, tarmac and concrete are not examples of rock.

Match the object to the material it is often made from.

We can use the {{}} of a material to describe what it is like, for example: hard, shiny and rigid.

Which of these materials are human-made in factories?

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment

Exploration of objects

Adult supervision required

Starter Quiz