THE FORMATION OF A SEDIMENTARY ROCK

Ana, our scientist of the week, showed us how to make (yummy) sedimentary rocks!  Perfect timing, since we're learning all about rocks. Sedimentary rocks are made up of many different layers.  Ana combined layers of graham crackers, vanilla wafers, chocolate chips, and coconut shreds.  We tried to hold these layers, but they just kept crumbling in our hands and they were hard to eat!

So...Ana asked us how we could make them more rock like.  We came up with some great ideas.  First we thought we should let it sit for a few years and come back to take a look!  We were too hungry to wait.  Then we thought we should add something sticky, like maple syrup or butter.  Then we thought we should stick it in the oven to meld it all together.  Turns out we were right.  When we added butter and sweetened condensed milk the snack stuck together.  Then after a short time in the oven they were the most delicious rocks we've ever tasted.  Thanks Ana!

Sedimentary rocks are created over lots of time, under lots of pressure, and with lots of heat. The dry ingredients are the layers (dirt, sand...), the wet ingredients represent pressure. And the oven added the heat.

We're keeping a detailed Rock Observation Notebook so we remember all of these cool facts!

Next up, Igneous and Metamorphic rocks.  Do you think those are tasty too?  We sure hope so!