EARTH SCIENCE for STEM

Quarter 2 – Module 9:
How Layers of Rocks
(Stratified Rocks)
are Formed

CO_Q2_ESS SHS
Module 9
Earth Science for STEM
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 9: How Layers of Rocks (Stratified Rocks) are Formed
First Edition, 2021

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EARTH SCIENCE for STEM
Quarter 2 – Module 9:
How Layers of Rocks
(Stratified Rocks)
are Formed
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each

SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how they can
best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests. And
read the instructions carefully before performing each task.

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written to introduce to you a better understanding
of stratification and how layers of rocks (stratified rocks) are formed. It includes
the study of how these rocks relate to time. The learners will study Earth's history
by studying the record of past events that is preserved in the rocks.

At the end of this module, the successful learner will be able to:
1. identify different types of rocks and how they are formed
2. describe how layers of rocks (stratified rocks) are formed
3. explain the processes in the formation of sedimentary rocks

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 What I Know

Read and analyze the following questions. Choose the letter of the best
answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What are the three types of rocks?

a. weathering, erosion, deposition
b. sedimentary, deposition, igneous
c. igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
d. metamorphic, sedimentary, deposition

2. In which type of rock do most fossils appear?

a. deposition
b. igneous
c. metamorphic
d. sedimentary

3. Which type of rock is formed when bits of rocks are layered and
cemented together?
a. deposition
b. igneous
c. metamorphic
4. sedimentary Which of the following is NOT an example of
sedimentary particles?
a. gravel
b. limestone
c. sandstone
d. shale

5. Which of the following refers to a series of processes on earth's

surface and in the crust and mantle that slowly changes rocks
from one kind to another?
a. crystallization
b. erosion
c. rock cycle
d. water cycle

6. What step in the rock cycle would be required to change an

igneous rock into a sedimentary rock?
a. heat and pressure
b. melting and cooling
c. melting and pressure
d. weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction, and
cementation

7. During which process does layer upon layer of sediment build up

and exert pressure on the layers below?
a. compaction
b. deposition
c. erosion
d. weathering

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8. What is the moving of sediments from their original position
called?
a. deposition
b. erosion
c. lithification
d. weathering

9. What is the settling out of the sediment called?

a. compaction
b. deposition
c. lithification
d. weathering

10. Which of the following choices best describes the statements

below?
I. The layers or rocks are piled one on top of the other.
II. Sedimentary rocks are formed particles by particles
and bed by bed.
III. In sequence of layered rock, a given bed must be
younger than any bed on top of it.

a. Only statement I is true.

b. Only statement II is false.
c. Statements I and II are true.
d. Statements I and III are true.

11. What is the process called where sediment is glued together

when minerals are dissolved?
a. cementation
b. compaction
c. deposition
d. weathering
12. Which of the following describes the law of superposition?
a. Objects are more than 1 million years old.
b. Older layers are generally deeper than more recent layers.
c. More recent layers are generally deeper than older layers.
d. Older layers are generally thicker than more recent layers.

13. Which of the following is a process that leads to the

formation or deposition of rock layers?
a. compaction
b. metamorphism
c. sedimentation
d. stratification

14. Which of the following does NOT lead to the formation of rock
layers?
a. change in particle size
b. erosion and weathering
c. rock sediments remained on its position
d. successive lava flow

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 15. Which of the following principles states that all rock layers
are continuous until they encounter other solid bodies that
block their deposition?
a. Law of Deposition
b. Law of Lateral Continuity
c. Law of Original Horizontality
d. Law of Superposition

Lesson
How Layers of Rocks
9 (Stratified Rocks) Are Formed

Look around your backyard. A single, large rock, such as a boulder, or

little bits, such as gravel and sand, can be seen. According to
geologists, rocks are generated in a variety of ways, and the differences
between them are due to how they are formed.

What’s In

Sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are the three basic

types of rocks. Physical changes, such as melting, cooling, eroding,
compacting, or deforming, are responsible for the formation of each of
these rocks that are part of the rock cycle. The rock cycle is a concept
that describes how the three fundamental rock types are related and
how earth’s activities convert a rock from one kind to another over
geologic time. The continual recycling of rocks is due to plate tectonic
action, as well as weathering and erosional processes. Igneous rocks
are formed by melting, cooling, and crystallization of other rocks and
are results of volcanic activity, hot spots, and melting that occurs in
the mantle. Sedimentary rocks are formed by weathering, erosion,
deposition, compaction, and cementation of other rocks that are
mostly found in areas where water, wind, or gravity deposit sediments.
Metamorphism is the process through which existing rock transforms
into new types of rock, resulting in metamorphic rocks.

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 Figure1. The Rock Cycle

Activity 1
Analyze Figure 1 which depicts the transformational processes that
lead to the transition of one type of rock into another. This will show
the full formation of rocks as they change over millions of years.

Based on your knowledge in rock cycle, indicate if the given process

and rock properties lead to the formation of igneous rock, sedimentary
rock, or metamorphic rock. Use another sheet of paper in answering
the activity. Your answer should be numbered in accordance with the
number of process and rock properties listed on the table.

Process and Rock Properties Igneous Rock/Sedimentary

rock/Metamorphic rock

1. Weathering and erosion

2. Intense heating and pressure

3. Magma cools and solidifies

4. Melting of rocks

5. Cementation of grains

6. Rocks never contain fossils

7. Crystallization of magma

8. Foliated rocks

9. Rocks contain fossils of

animals and plants

10. Compaction of sediments

11. Rocks are more compact and

denser

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 Notes to the Teacher
Have the students be guided on their basic needs in
learning activities, practically necessities like materials
needed in school, at home or personal protective
equipment during such situation when they are
necessary. The teacher may share the link
https://tinyurl.com/majestyofpetra for the image of
Majesty of Petra so that the students may correctly
answer the activity in What’s New.

What’s New

The Majesty of Petra is considered as one of the New Seven Wonders

of the World located in Jordan. Petra's two most significant attractions
are the Treasury and the Monastery which are massive temples carved
into the side of sandstone cliffs. Sandstone is a sedimentary rock
composed of sand-size grains of mineral, rock, and organic material.
Layering is the most obvious feature of sedimentary rocks which is also
called stratification which can be observed in Jordan’s most-visited
tourist attraction. Study Figure 2 - The Majesty of Petra carefully then
answer Activity 2.

Figure 2. The Majesty of Petra, Jordan

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Activity 2
Match the description in column A with the appropriate term in column B. On
your answer sheet, write only the letter of your correct answer.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
_______1.Types of rocks formed by the A. Strata
accumulation
B. Stratified
or deposition of minerals or organic
particles at the earth’s surface Rocks
_______2. The type of rock The Majesty of Petra is C. Sandstone
made of
D. Stratification
_______3. It is the layering seen in the most
sedimentary rocks and it is also the E. Sedimentary
pattern of rock formation depicted in rocks
The Majesty of Petra.
_______4. A layer or a series of layers of rocks in F. Limestone
the ground
_______5. Sedimentary rocks that are formed by
accumulation and hardening of
sediments over a period

What is It

PROCESSES IN THE FORMATION OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Most of the rocks exposed at the surface of earth are sedimentary

which is formed from particles of older rocks that have been broken apart
by water or wind. The gravel, sand, and mud settle to the bottom in rivers,
lakes, and oceans. These sedimentary particles may bury living and dead
animals and plants on the lake or sea bottom.

Sedimentary rocks are those rocks formed from sediment- material

consisting of sand, gravel, mud, ions in solution derived from pre-
existing rocks or organic debris derived from living organisms.

With the passage of time and the accumulation of more particles,

and often with chemical changes, the sediments at the bottom of the
pile become rock. Gravel becomes a rock called conglomerate, sand
becomes sandstone, mud becomes mudstone or shale, and the animal
skeletons and plant pieces can become fossils.

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 1 2

3 4

Figure 3. Basic Steps in the Formation of Sedimentary Rocks

Stratification is the process leading to the formation or deposition

of layers, especially of the sedimentary rocks. The layers range from
several millimeters to many meters in thickness and vary greatly in
shape. Strata may range from thin sheets that cover many square
kilometers to thick lens like bodies that extend only a few meters
lateral.
Referring on Figure 3, you may recognize this as sedimentary rock. It.
is a rock that is formed by layers of sediment being laid down over the
course of time. These sediment layers create the banding pattern visible
in stratified rock. The sediments themselves also teach us about the
environment in which the rock is formed.

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 Figure 4. Stratification of Sedimentary Rocks

How layers of rocks are formed

The rock layers are formed by erosion and weathering of mountains
and the particles are transported and deposited in the sedimentary
basin, then the sediment particles are cemented over hundreds of years
to form layers. These sediments are deposited horizontally by gravity.

Layered rocks may also result from successive lava flow or from the
formation of extrusive igneous rocks. We study Earth's history by
studying the record of past events that is preserved in the rocks. Most
of the rocks which are exposed at the surface of the earth are called
sedimentary rocks.

Slight changes in particle size or composition result in the formation

of layers, also called beds in the rock. Layering, or bedding, is the most
obvious feature of sedimentary rocks.
Sedimentary rocks are formed particle by particle and bed by bed,
and the layers are piled one on top of the other. Thus, in any sequence
of layered rocks, a given bed must be older than any bed on top of it.

Law of Superposition is a basic law of geochronology, stating that

in any undisturbed sequence of rocks deposited in layers, the youngest
layer is on top and the oldest on bottom, each layer being younger than
the one beneath it and older than the one above it. Because at any one
location, it indicates the relative ages of rock layers and the fossils in
them.
Law of Original Horizontality was first proposed by Danish
geological pioneer Nicholas Steno in the 17th century. The law states that
layers of sediment were originally deposited horizontally under the action
of gravity. It suggests that all rock layers are originally laid down
(deposited) horizontally and can later be deformed. This allows us to infer
that something must have happened to the rocks to make them tilted.
This includes mountain building events, earthquakes, and faulting.

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 The Law of Lateral Continuity states that the layers of rock are
continuous until they encounter other solid bodies that block their
deposition or until they are acted upon by agents that appear after
deposition takes place such as erosion and fault movements.

What’s More

Activity 3
Copy the organizer and demonstrate your knowledge of the rock cycle.
Place the relevant phrases in the designated area to represent the
required process that the rock must go through. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.

Weathering and Erosion Compaction and Cementation Melting

Heat and Pressure Cementation Cooling

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Activity 4

Complete the paragraph by filling in the blank spaces with the

appropriate words or phrases inside the box. Write it on a separate
sheet of paper.

Bed by bed gravity layers igneous rocks rock layers

Fossils extrusive particle by particle deposited

Law of Superposition Erosion and weathering

The rock layers are formed by (1) _____________________ of mountains and the
particles are transported and (2) ___________________in the sedimentary basin,
then the sediment particle is cemented over hundreds of years to form layers.
These sediments are deposited horizontally (3)__________________________.
Layered rocks may also result from successive lava flow by or from the formation
of (4) ______________________. Most of the rocks which are exposed at the surface
of the earth are called sedimentary rocks.

Sedimentary rocks are (5) ______________________ and (6) _________________,

and the (7) __________________________ is piled one on the top of other . Thus, in
any sequence of layered rocks, a given bed must be older than any bed on top
of it. This (8) ______________________is fundamental to the interpretation of Earth’s
history, because at any one location, it indicates the relative ages of
(9)_________________________ and the (10) ______________________ in them.

What I Have Learned

Activity 5
Answer the following questions clearly and correctly. Write your
answers in a separate sheet of paper.

1. How do you categorize rocks?

2. Why do some sedimentary rocks have layers and how a r e these

l a ye r s formed?

3. How do we learn about Earth’s history through the formation of rock

layers?

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 What I Can Do

What stories can sedimentary rocks tell us?

Rock (no fossils)

Worn surface

Rock (No fossils)

Salt layer

Rock (No fossils)

Rock (contains fossils)

Figure 5. Rock at the Earth’s Surface

Activity 6

The labelled drawing of sediment strata above is based on the story about
rock sediments to be written by you. Arrange the given sentences below
chronologically in order to make a short story about rock sediments. On
a separate sheet of paper, copy the chronological graphic organizer and
write your answer on the space provided

ROCK SEDIMENTS
• The rivers stopped flowing again and the rock became hard.
• Much later, rivers covered the Earth’s surface again and they wore
away the rocks.
• The rivers stopped flowing and the rock became hard.
• Rivers covered the Earth’s surface.
• Sometimes, lakes formed and then dried up to form salt layers.
• Rivers covered the Earth’s surface.
• The salty water moved back.
• The Earth’s surface was covered by salty water in which there were
living organisms.

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Chronological Graphic Organizer

Assessment

Read and analyze the following questions. Choose the letter of the best
answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which is NOT true about the rock cycle?

a. Rocks are recycled.
b. It shows that rock is lost forever.
c. It shows the rock’s journey as it changes.
d. It is a summary of the processes that change rock from one
kind to another.

2. Which best defines a sedimentary rock?

a. It is formed by heat and cooling.
b. It is formed by heat and pressure.
b. It is a layered rock formed by compaction.
a. All of the above

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3. Limestone is formed from layers of sand, shells and animal
remains that have been compacted together. Which type of rock
is a limestone?
a. igneous
b. indigenous
c. metamorphic
d. sedimentary

4. What process is used to form a sedimentary rock?

a. Lava cools and hardens to form a rock.
b. Magma trapped under the Earth’s surface cools and
solidifies.
c. Bits of sand and gravel form layers that turn into rock from
pressure.
d. Extreme heat and pressure from inside the Earth turn
rocks into new rocks.
5. Which type of rock usually contains fossils?
a. all types of r oc ks
b. igneous
c. metamorphic
d. sedimentary

6. Where do sediments come from?

a. Rock weathering produces sediment.
b. There have always been sediments on Earth.
c. Sediment is transported and deposited all over the Earth.
d. Sediments accumulated as dust fell to Earth from outer
space.

7. What is the Law of Superposition?

a. a. Igneous rock is older than nearby sedimentary rock,
which is older than nearby metamorphic rock.
b. A sedimentary rock layer in its original position is older than
a. the layer above it and younger than the layers below it.
c. Metamorphic rock is older than nearby sedimentary rock
because the latter is deposited before the former.
a. d. The exact age of a sedimentary rock layer can be found
using the layers above and below it.

8. In a cliff, where are the oldest layers of rocks made of

sedimentary rocks usually found?
a. at the bottom
b. at the top
c. in the middle
d. nowhere to be found

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9. Which of the following are the processes of compaction and cementation
commonly associated with?
a. erosion
b. lithification
c. sedimentation
d. transportation

10. Which of the following do sedimentary rocks provide clues about?

a. polar climates
b. tropical climates
c. temperate climates
d. Earth surface conditions at the time the sediment was
deposited.

11. Which statement is FALSE on how layers of rocks are formed?

a. A break-down of igneous rocks forms layers of rocks.
b. Sediments are deposited vertically by gravity.
c. Erosion and weathering that occur on a flat field form layer
of rocks.
d. Sediments are cemented over hundreds of years and form
layers.

12. Superposition means that in an undisturbed sequence of

sedimentary rocks, which of the following is true?
a. the oldest rocks are on top
b. the youngest rocks are on top
c. the youngest rocks are in the middle
d. there is no way to know which layers are older

13. Which of the following causes the formation of rock layers?

a. inactive volcanoes
b. erosion and weathering
c. Rock remains on its position.
d. Particle size does not change.

14. An undeformed sedimentary layer is than the layer

above and___________then the layer below. Which of the following
pairs of words best completes the sentence?
a. older, older
b. older, younger
c. younger, older
d. younger, younger

15. Which of the following describes the Principle of Original

Horizontality?
a. In rare cases, horizontality of rock layers occurs.
b. In most cases, sedimentary beds are deposited as
horizontal units.
c. Not all layers of the rock are deposited horizontally.
d. Both b and c

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 Additional Activities

Reflect Upon: Explain how you relate the processes in the formation of
sedimentary rocks to your life from your birth up to the present in a minimum of
two (2) paragraph.

Congratulations! You have successfully finished Module 9. You may now

proceed to Module 10. Please do an advanced reading on the different methhods
on relative and absolute dating of determining the age of stratified rocks or recall
your elementary and junior high school discussions on this topic. Good lick! You
may advance to the next level.

16 CO_Q2_ESS_ SHS
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 Module 9
CO_Q2_ESS_ SHS 17
What I Know What's More Assessment
1.C Erosion And 1. B
2.D Weathering 2.C
3.C Deposited 3.D
4.A Gravity 4.C
Extrusive 5.D
5.C
Igneous rock 6.A
6.D Particle 7.B
7.A Bed 8.A
8.B Layers 9.B
9.B Law of Superposition 10.D
10.C Rock layers 11.C
11.A fossils 12.B
12.B 13.B
13.D 14.B
14.C 15.B
15.B
Answer Key
References

Books

Bayo-Ang, Roly B., Maria Lourdes G. Coronacion, Anna Mae T. Jorda and Anna
Jamille Restubig. 2016. Earth and Life Science for Senior High School.
Educational Resources Corporation.

Olivar, Jose, Raymond Rodolfo and Hillel Cabria. 2016. Exploring Life Through
Science Series. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Online Resources
Retrieved on May 30, 2020: https://www.britannica.com/science/stratification-
geology
Retrieved on May 30, 2020:http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/how-sedimentary-
rocks-are- formed/
Retrieved on May 30, 2020:https://www.barrons.com/articles/great-escapes-the-
majesty-of- petra-jordan-01559338200
Retrieved on May 30, 2020: https://study.com/academy/lesson/stratification-
definition-theory- examples.html
Retrieved on May 31,2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_8eI0H1tR0&t=8s
Retrieved on May 31,2020: https://www.rsc.org/education/teachers/resources
Retrieved on May31, 2020: https://www.usgs.gov/natural-
hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/tracking-stress-buildup-and-crustal-
deformation?qt- science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
Retrieved on May 31, 2020: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/ks3/gsl/education
Retrieved on May 31, 2020: https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/fossils/rocks-layers.html
Retrieved on August 11, 2021
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/rock-cycle/

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