Teacher Monitoring Guide
Grade 7 · Cycle 7 · Week 1 — Rock Types & Rock Cycle

Learning Goal

Students will classify rocks by formation process (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and develop a model of the rock cycle showing how energy and pressure drive transitions between rock types.

Station Checkpoints

Station 1 — Hook & Phenomenon

Look for: Students connecting the phenomenon to prior knowledge and generating testable questions

Common misconception: Rocks are permanent and unchanging — use rock cycle data to show how any rock type can be transformed into another given sufficient time, heat, or pressure

Station 2 — Investigation / Data Collection

Look for: Accurate data recording and identification of emerging patterns in the evidence

Common misconception: Metamorphic rocks are melted — distinguish between melting (produces igneous) and metamorphism (heat+pressure without melting, preserves some original texture)

Station 3 — Sense-Making

Look for: Students revising their model based on evidence collected during investigation

Common misconception: Sedimentary rocks only form in water — include desert sand dunes (aeolian deposition) and glacial till as non-aqueous sedimentary environments

Exit Ticket Monitoring

Score Range	Interpretation	Next Step
18–23 pts	Meeting target	Extend with synthesis question
10–17 pts	Developing	Small group re-teach at day start
0–9 pts	Needs support	1:1 intervention before next station

MTSS Tier 2 Supports

For students scoring below 10 pts on the exit ticket: use the sentence frames below during the next class's hook.

"I notice that _____ because _____."
"The evidence shows _____, which means _____."

Enrichment Threads (be ready to discuss)