A Piece of the Rock
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rocks have been on Earth for over 5 billion years! Rocks are everywhere we go. The outer layer of the Earth is called the crust. It is made out of rock. The three main types of rocks are called igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock. Rocks come from deep beneath the surface from magma. Rocks do not last forever in their original form, but are broken apart, washed away, buried under oceans and compacted into sedimentary rock. If it were not for fossils found in sedimentary rock we wouldn't know about extinct plants and animals. They tell the story of Earth long before there were people. Rocks follow the rock cycle. Most rocks break apart by weathering and erosion. The main agents of these changes are wind, water, and ice. Earth is always changing and rocks tell the history of this change.   

As long as rocks have been on Earth, men have been interested in them. That is because we use them in many ways. We use them for toothpaste, medicine, jewelry, technology, and industry. We also recycle rocks in the goods we make from them. For instance, we use recycled glass to make tiles and window panes. Recycling is important so we can look after our planet. You could make a case for recycling when we use rocks in jewelry. There is a long history behind gemstones. People have often been attracted to their color and luster. Gemstones can be identified by the shape of their crystals. People are often identified by their birthstones, which are gemstones.  We hope from reading this you come away with "a piece of the rock". Let's rock n'roll!

Artwork by Ayanna

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