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Record ideas and observations about the mineral samples below.  What do they look like, how you think that they feel? Use describing words to paint a picture of each.

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Rock formations are created by the elements such as heat, wind, rain, and erosion. What nature has done with these tools on the palette of the earth is both breath taking and mind boggling. These incredible natural rock formations were created slowly over millions of years using the hardest materials. Thankfully for us, nature is a patient artist.

An overview of the most incredible natural rock formations on the planet:

Árbol de Piedra is an isolated rock formation in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve in southwest Bolivia. Known as the "Stone Tree," it is shaped like a stunted tree about 7 meters (23 feet) high. Its shape is caused by strong winds carrying sand and eroding the soft sandstone.

Externsteine, in northern Germany, has been a sacred site since prehistoric times, first used by pagans and later on by Christians. Externsteine consists of five enormous limestone pillars that are in astronomical alignment. Sometime around the end of the eighth century, monks took up residence in the caves, carving staircases and religious reliefs in the rocks. Externsteine is in a highly scenic setting, today drawing a lot of New Age followers. A chapel sits atop one of the pillars; it is reachable by footbridge.

Travelers who are into geology will enjoy a visit to Organ Pipes near Twyfelfontein, Namibia. The dolerite columns that line the sides of a small valley resemble a pipe organ, though slightly more unusually shaped, such as triangles and hexagons, and date back 120 million years when volcanic activity was the norm. Organ Pipes makes a good stop over between Twyfelfontein, with its ancient rock engravings, and Burnt Mountain, known for its piles of blackened limestone.

Man Pupu Nyor, which translates as "little mountain of the gods," is a geological wonder located deep in Russia's Ural Mountains. They're actually seven formations ranging in heights up to 42 meters (137 feet). These awe-inspiring Seven Giants, as they're called, reign over a flat plateau. Local legend says they were created when a shaman cast a spell, turning these evil giants into stone. Only the most intrepid travelers are likely to visit here, since they're accessibly mainly by snowmobiles or helicopters.

Wave Rock in Western Australia is so named because that is exactly what it looks like: an ocean wave. It forms one side of a hill that is known as Hyden Rock. The granite rocks date back 2.63 billion years. Wave Rock is known as a flared slope because of its curving shape. Both Wave and Hyden rocks are located in Hyden Wildlife Park, a nature preserve.

Devil's Town is filled with natural rock formations that resemble spindles and spires that are reminiscent of the hoodoos at Utah's Bryce Canyon Natural Park. The 202 rock formations, created by erosion, range from 2 to 15 meters (6 feet to 49 feet) high. The earthen figures, which started with volcanic action eons ago, are both picturesque and mystical. One local legend says the figures are remains of churches that were destroyed by the devil.

The Domes de Fabedougou in south-western Burkina Faso are another of Mother Nature's wonders, with each rock formation in a different shape. Some are tall and slender, others are short and fat, or vice versa; they can be close together or sometimes not. Some of the formations are shaped like rocks, others like pointing fingers. The limestone formations date back 1.8 billion years when the area was under water. Travelers who enjoy rock climbing will treasure this spot, as climbing on the domes is permissible.

The basaltic prisms, in Santa Maria Regla in Hidalgo state, are one of Mexico's natural wonders. The columns, up to 30 meters (98 feet) high, were created by cooling lava. The formations' beauty is marked by water from a dam flowing over them. Wandering around the rocks is permissible, but travelers should expect to get their feet wet in the waterfalls. Bridges and other walkways are available for close-up looks, too.

Yehliu Geopark in northern Taiwan seemingly offers a rock formation for everyone. One of Taiwan's most popular tourist destinations, Yehliu is a cape that juts out into the ocean. The mile-long wonder was formed when geologic circumstances forced a mountain out of the sea. The geopark's most famous formation is Queen's Head, perhaps because it resembles the bust of Queen Nefertiti. Other rock formations include Camel, Mushroom, Fairy Shoe and Sea Candles.

The Ennedi Desert is located in north-eastern Chad in one of the most inaccessible region of the Sahara. The plateau is full of interesting sandstone formations including many hundreds of natural stacks and arches. One of the arches, the Aloba Arch has a height of nearly 120 meters (400 feet) and is one of the most spectacular arches in the world. Apart from the geological attractions petroglyphs and rock paintings can also be found in the area.

The waterfall Svartifoss is one of the most visited sites in Vatnajökull National Park in southern Iceland. Also known as Black Fall because of its unusual lava columns that seem layered, Svartifoss has sharp rocks at the base. These rocks break off faster than the rushing waters can wear them down. It's possible to hike to the top of the 20-meter (65-foot) high waterfall, starting from the Skaftafell visitor center, but it's mostly an uphill hike.

The Wave is a spectacular rock formation that swirls across northern Arizona. The Wave undulates across the landscape like a river of chocolate, instead of the Navajo Sandstone they're made up. Alas, this phenomenon of nature is not accessible to everyone as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management only allows 20 permits a day into this area of Coyote Buttes. For those lucky enough to win the permit lottery, mid-day is the best time to get pictures.

Acacus Mountains or Tadrart Acacus is a mountain range in the Sahara Desert in western Libya. The Acacus Mountains have a large variation of landscapes, from differently colored sanddunes to arches, gorges, isolated rocks and deep ravines. Major landmarks include the arches of Afzejare and Tin Khlega. The area is also well-known for its prehistoric rock art.

Located close to the western coast of Madagascar, the Tsingy de Bemaraha reserve is a karstic landscape of sharp limestone pinnacles called tsingy. The spectacular canyon of the Manambolo river and rolling hills cut through the tsingy creating a diverse landscape. The undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove swamps of the national park are the habitat for rare and endangered lemurs and birds.

Shilin, which means "Stone Forest" in Chinese, is a set of karst formations in southwest China. The stones jut from the earth similar to the way a stalagmite does in a cave. These stones are thought to be 270 million years old. The area was an ocean floor and the flow of water created the majestic pinnacles. The stone forest receives over 2 million visitors a year.

Situated about 45 km north of the Farafra oasis in the vast Western Desert of Egypt, the White Desert is made of oddly shaped chalk formation. In clear contrast with the yellowish brown of the surrounding desert, the White Desert is stark white reminding of an Arctic landscape. The soft chalk material, at the mercy of the elements has been contoured into amazing shapes. A few of the shapes resemble marshmallows, camels, and mushrooms. The imagination goes wild in this very remote spot.

Despite the name, Bryce Canyon National Park is actually not a canyon, but rather a series of giant amphitheaters filled with colorful pinnacles. The natural rock formations were caused by wind and water erosion on limestone. The colors of red, orange, and white provide an ever changing visual treat. The pinnacles are also known as hoodoos and reach up to 61 meters (200 feet) high. Bryce Canyon is recognized for its great air quality and visibility can be up to 200 miles.

The Bungle Bungle Range is located in Purnululu National Park in western Australia. The range rises up to 578 meters (1896 feet) above sea level and consists of distinctive sandstone domes striped with alternating orange and grey bands. The banding of the domes are due to differences in clay content and porosity of the sandstone layers. The orange bands are a thin layer of iron oxide while the grey banding is cyanobacteria which grows on the layers where moisture accumulates.

Located on the Northeast coast of Ireland, The Giant's Causeway is a spectacular rock formation consisting of basalt columns formed 50 to 60 million years ago. As volcanic activity pushed the basalt through chalk, the columns shot in vertical direction. As they cooled, they cracked forming a hexagonal shape. Although the columns rise up to 12 meters (36 feet) high and are marvels to view, this causeway has another amazing feature. Many of the columns have eroded until only the tops are visible. This creates an intricate cobblestone type natural walkway, so detailed that it appears as if stone masons laid them.

Another piece of nature's artwork found in Utah, the Arches National Park is known for its inspiring natural arches. Salt beds deposited 300 million years ago from the receding ocean helped form the more than 2000 arches in the park. As the salt shifted, the rock layered on top began to move creating domes and fins. As rain and ice found its way into crevices, it eroded the top Entrada and Navajo sandstone. Add wind to the mix and over the course of millions of years, the amazing arches formed.

The Chocolate Hills are unusual geological formations that consists of at least 1,268 individual mounds scattered throughout the interior of the island of Bohol in the Philippines. The almost symmetrical and same-sized formations range from 30 to 50 meters (98 to 164 feet) high and are covered in green grass. During the dry season the grass turns brow, hence the name. Geologists have not reached any consensus on how these giant mole hills were formed. One theory holds that the Chocolate Hills are the weathered rock formations of a kind of marine limestone on top of a impermeable layer of clay.

Up to 300 meter (1000 foot) sandstone buttes and mesas make up the Monument Valley which is located on the border of Utah and Arizona. Probably the most famous example of the classic American West landscape the area has been the backdrop for numerous western movies, ranging from Stagecoach starring John Wayne to Back to the Future II. Technically it is not a valley at all, but a wide flat landscape interrupted by the crumbling rock formations. The buttes are all that is left from the sandstone layers that once covered the entire region and have vivid red tones from the iron oxide.

Cappadocia, a region famous for its weird and wonderful natural rock formations and one of the top attractions in Turkey. One of the best places to see these strange formations is the town of Göreme, which is located among a large number of tuff cones, termed fairy chimneys. The fairy chimneys have been formed as the result of wind and water erosion of two different volcanic layers. A thick layer of tuff (consolidated volcanic ash) covered by a thin layer of basalt that is more resistant to erosion. Due to the ease of carving into the tuff, many of the fairy chimneys have been hollowed out over the centuries to create houses, churches and storage facilities.

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Rock formations are created by the elements such as heat, wind, rain, and erosion. What nature has done with these tools on the palette of the earth is both breath taking and mind boggling. These incredible natural rock formations were created slowly over millions of years using the hardest materials.

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Record ideas and observations about the rock samples below.  What do they look like and how do you think that they feel? Use describing words to paint a picture of each.

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Landforms, Hey!: Crash Course Kids #17.1

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Crash Course Kids

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Weathering and Erosion: Crash Course Kids #10.2

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Journey to the Center of the Earth

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Greatest Discoveries with Bill Nye  Earth Science

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Rocks Types & Rocks Cycle  - Video for Kids by makemegenius.com

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Kids learn about the science of rocks and the rock cycle. How different types such as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic form from minerals with the help of nature.

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Fun Rock Facts for Kids - Information about Types of Rocks & Minerals

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Enchanted Learning

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rock mineral rocks minerals crystal crystal volcano volcanoes dictionary dictionary

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Rocks and Minerals Dictionary: A - EnchantedLearning.com

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ROCK AND A MINERAL?

Minerals are homogeneous, naturally occurring, inorganic solids. Each mineral has a definite chemical composition and a characteristic crystalline structure. A mineral may be a single element such as copper (Cu) or gold (Au), or it may be a compound made up of a number of elements. About 2,500 different minerals have been described.

Rocks are made up of one or more minerals.

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF ROCKS. THEY ARE:
1. Igneous Rocks : Formed from the cooling of molten rock.
A. Volcanic igneous rocks formed from molten rock that cooled quickly on or near the earth's surface.
B.Plutonic igneous rocks are the result of the slow cooling of molten rock far beneath the surface.
2. Sedimentary Rocks : Formed in layers as the result of moderate pressure on accumulated sediments.
3. Metamorphic Rocks : Formed from older "parent" rock (either igneous or sedimentary) under intense heat and/or pressure at considerable depths beneath the earth's surface.

THE INTERRELATIONSHIP AMONG THE ROCK TYPES IS REFERRED TO AS THE
ROCK CYCLE.

THERE ARE FOUR MAIN LAYERS THAT MAKE UP THE EARTH:

1. Inner Core - A mass of iron with a temperature of about 7000 degrees F. Although such temperatures would normally melt iron, immense pressure on it keeps it in a solid form. The inner core is approximately 1,500 miles in diameter.
2. Outer Core - A mass of molten iron about 1,425 miles deep that surrounds the solid inner core. Electrical currents generated from this area produce the earth's magnetic field.
3. Mantle - A rock layer about 1800 miles thick that reaches about half the distance to the center of the earth. Mantle rocks are soft and able to move plastically at great depth and pressure.
4. Crust - A layer from 4-25 miles thick consisting of sand and rock.

The core, mantle and crust of the earth can be envisioned as a giant rock recycling machine. However, the elements that make up rocks are never created or destroyed although they can be redistributed, transforming one rock type to another. See our Periodic Chart of the Elements for additional information about specific elements.

The recycling machine works something like this. Liquid (molten) rock material solidifies either at or below the surface of the earth to form igneous rocks . Uplifting occurs forming mountains made of rock. The exposure of rocks to weathering and erosion at the earth's surface breaks them down into smaller grains producing soil. The grains (soil) are transported by wind, water and gravity and eventually deposited as sediments. This process is referred to as erosion. The sediments are deposited in layers and become compacted and cemented (lithified) forming sedimentary rocks. Variation in temperature, pressure, and/or the chemistry of the rock can cause chemical and/or physical changes in igneous and sedimentary rocks to form metamorphic rocks. When exposed to higher temperatures, metamorphic rocks (or any other rock type for that matter) may be partially melted resulting in the creation once again of igneous rocks starting the cycle all over again.

As you might expect - since most of the earth's surface is covered by water - molten material from inside the earth often breaks through the floor of the ocean and flows from fissures where it is cooled by the water resulting in the formation of igneous rocks. Some low grade metamorphism often occurs during and after the formation of the rock due to the intrusion of the material by the sea water. As the molten material flows from the fissure, it begins forming ridges adjacent to it.

If we examine the rock cycle in terms of plate tectonics, as depicted in the figure above, we see that igneous rocks form on the sea floor as spreading ridges. As the rocks cool, and more magma is introduced from below, the plate is forced away from the spreading ridge, and acquires a sediment cover. As shown in the figure, in this case, the oceanic plate eventually "dives" under the adjacent continental plate. As the oceanic plate travels deeper, high temperature conditions cause partial melting of the crustal slab. When that occurs, the surrounding "country rock" (existing adjacent rock) is metamorphosed at high temperature conditions by the contact. The molten material is either driven to the surface as volcanic eruptions, or crystallizes to form plutonic igneous rocks.

In the classroom, an apple can be used to represent the structure of the earth. The peel represents the crust, the white portion of the apple, the mantle. The core of the apple represents the core of the earth. The thickness of each "layer" of the apple approximates the relative thickness of the earth's structural features. Almost all of our minerals, oil and gas come from just a thin outer portion of the crust at maximum depths of about three miles.

For individual specimens, visit our Rock and Mineral Specimens page. We also have 15 specimen collections of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks and an Introductory Rock Collection which includes 5 examples of each of the three types of rocks. Detailed information is available on our Boxed Collections page.

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A ROCK AND A MINERAL? Minerals are homogeneous, naturally occurring, inorganic solids. Each mineral has a definite chemical composition and a characteristic crystalline structure. A mineral may be a single element such as copper (Cu) or gold (Au), or it may be a compound made up of a number of elements.

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Plate Tectonics for Kids - from www.makemegenius.com

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Earth Science for Kids

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Kids learn about the Earth science subject of plate tectonics including major and minor plates, convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.

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Geography for Kids

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The basic idea behind plate tectonics is that there are eight major plates on the surface of the Earth. There are also bunches of minor plates. The plates are like the skin of the planet. They constantly move around the planet. When we say constantly moving, we're talking centimeters each year. You couldn't sit down and watch it happen. Or can you? You could watch it happen if you watched an earthquake.

These plates make up the top layer of the Earth called the lithosphere. Directly under that layer is the asthenosphere. It's a flowing area of molten rock. There is constant heat and radiation given off from the center of the Earth. That energy is what constantly heats the rocks and melts them. The tectonic plates are floating on top of the molten rock and moving around the planet. Think of it as ice floating at the top of your soda. When the continents and plates move it's called continental drift.

Think of the molten rock in the asthenosphere, not as rock, but as a liquid. It has currents and it flows just like any other liquid. When the floating plates spread apart, it's called a spreading center. When they are moving together, it's called a subduction zone. When they are forced together, it is called a zone of convergence. One of the plates usually moves under the other in a zone of convergence. As the plate moves down into the asthenosphere it begins to melt. The place where they meet has a crack or a trench. Some of the deepest parts of the oceans are these trenches.

How do we back up these ideas? Scientists have traveled all over the Earth and found evidence that supports the ideas of plate tectonics. First, they looked at the continents. Ever notice how Africa and South America look like they could fit together? Scientists did. They cut up a map, moved the continents close together, and came up with a huge landmass called Pangaea (one super-continent).

Scientists also looked at the fossils (long-dead animal bones and plants) on the different continents. They found that fossils on Australia were similar to the ones in Southern Asia. They think the same plants once lived on the continents, but when they split apart, new plants developed. When they were digging, they also looked at the types of rocks. The West Coast of Africa has very similar rock formations to those on the East Coast of South America. They are too similar to be a coincidence.

Or search the sites for a specific topic.

Fossils and Plate Tectonics (NASA SciFiles Video)

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The basic idea behind plate tectonics is that there are eight major plates on the surface of the Earth. There are also bunches of minor plates. The plates are like the skin of the planet. They constantly move around the planet. When we say constantly moving, we're talking centimeters each year.

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At Discover Kids