Rocks: Metamorphic

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

All throughout the Rocks series, you have learned about sedimentary and igneous rocks.

If you missed or need to review those Related Lessons, check them out in the right-hand sidebar.

• Did you know these types of rocks can change into a new type of rock?

In this lesson, you will learn about how sedimentary and igneous rocks transform into metamorphic rock.

Metamorphic rocks can form in many ways.

Think about melting ice cream. When igneous and sedimentary rocks face extreme heat, they can be transformed into metamorphic rocks. They don't melt like ice cream does, though; instead, they become very hard and more compact!

Heat from magma can change sedimentary rocks into metamorphic rocks like marble and quartzite! Below, you can see a picture of quartzite:

Metamorphic rocks can be transformed by extreme pressure, too.

When sedimentary and igneous rocks get buried far beneath the surface, the pressure from the weight of everything above these rocks causes the rocks to change. This will make the compacted rocks more dense.

Slate and gneiss are examples of metamorphic rocks that are transformed by pressure. You can see a picture of gneiss below:

You learned about two ways sedimentary and igneous rocks can be transformed into metamorphic rocks.

• What are the two ways?

Take a look at all the rock pictures and find some things they have in common and some things that make them different.

Then, move on to the Got It? section to look at more types of metamorphic rocks.