Earth and Life Science

Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

LESSON 4.4
Metamorphic Rocks
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objectives 2

Warm-Up 3

Learn about It 4
Formation of Metamorphic Rocks 4
Ways on How Metamorphism Can Happen 4
Types of Metamorphism 5
Types of Metamorphic Rocks 6
Foliated Metamorphic Rocks 6
Nonfoliated Metamorphic Rocks 7
The Rock Cycle 8
Classifying Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks 9

Key Points 10

Check Your Understanding 11

Photo Credits 13

Bibliography 13
 Earth and Life Science
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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Lesson 4.4
Metamorphic Rocks

Yellow gneiss

Introduction
Caterpillars undergo metamorphosis to become butterflies in their life cycle. Like butterflies,
rocks can also metamorphose.

Metamorphic rocks can be previously igneous or sedimentary that have changed into
metamorphic rock. Gneiss rock is an example of metamorphic rock, which is distinguished
by the arrangement of minerals into linear bands. This change is a result of intense pressure
and heat beneath the earth’s crust. How do rocks change their form?

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning competency should be met
by the students.
Classify rocks into igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
(S11/12ES-Ib-10).

Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Identify and differentiate the types of metamorphic rocks.
● Describe the origin and environment of formation of metamorphic rocks.
● Discuss the relationship among igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
rocks through the rock cycle.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Warm-Up

Metamorphic Crayons

Materials
● shaved pieces of crayons
● plastic medicine cup or any microwavable container
● alcohol lamp or microwave
● hammer

Procedure
1. Cut or shave pieces of different colors of crayons.
2. Layer each color of crayons in a plastic medicine cup or microwavable container.
3. Apply pressure using your thumb.
4. Put more pressure by using a hammer.
5. Put the medicine cup with layers of crayons (pressure applied) inside a microwave
oven for about 2 minutes. Make sure that it does not melt completely. You may also
melt it using an alcohol lamp or any source of heat.
6. Let it cool before you pop it out of the cup. You now have a model of metamorphic
rock.

Guide Questions
1. What do the crayons represent in this activity?
2. What are the forces that you applied to make a metamorphic rock?
3. Igneous and metamorphic rock are formed by subjecting it to heat. If they are both
subjected to high temperatures, why do these rocks still appear different?

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Learn about It
Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have been altered, changed, or transformed in the solid
state due to changes in pressure, temperature conditions, and chemical actions of hot
fluids.

Essential Question
How do metamorphic rocks form?

Formation of Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphism refers to the alteration of rocks due to different factors, like temperature
and pressure. There are many ways by which this occurs.

Ways on How Metamorphism Can Happen

Changes in minerals during metamorphism can happen in three possible ways. These are
recrystallization, neomorphism, and metasomatism.
1. In recrystallization, small crystals of one mineral will slowly convert to fewer, larger
crystals of the same mineral without melting the rock.
2. Neomorphism is the process whereby minerals not only recrystallize, but also form
different minerals from the same chemical elements
3. Metasomatism is the addition or loss of chemical elements in rocks resulting in their
compositional and mineralogical change. This is accomplished through the reaction
of fluids that invade the protolith. Example is the transformation of limestone to
marble.

Did You Know?

Romblon is termed as the “Marble Country of the Philippines” because of
the abundance of marble deposits in the entire province. According to
experts, the quality of Romblon marbles is the same as the Italian marbles.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Types of Metamorphism
The scale indicating the level of pressure and temperature during the formation of a
particular metamorphic rock is called metamorphic grade. The higher the temperature and
pressure, the higher the metamorphic grade is. There are two main scales at which
metamorphism can occur: contact and regional metamorphism.

Contact metamorphism occurs only at a local

area adjacent to large intrusions and along
fractures that are in contact with hot fluids.
Contact metamorphism is most effective at
narrow zones specifically at the contact
between the host rock and intrusive magma or
hot fluids.

Regional metamorphism occurs at very large

areas for example mountain ranges
which results from the following conditions:
● Metamorphism may occur when there
are major igneous intrusions that form
and cool over long periods of time.
● Another condition that may result from
metamorphism is the presence of
extreme pressure and heat due to deep
burial or tectonic movements of rock.
● Lastly, regional metamorphism may
happen when there is a widespread
migration of hot gases or condensation
throughout a region.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Tips
Use the mnemonics “CBGSKS” which can be read as “See Bigs Kiss” for you
to easily remember the order of index minerals from low to high
metamorphic grade.
“Chlorite - Biotite - Garnet - Staurolite - Kyanite - Sillimanite”

Types of Metamorphic Rocks

Metamorphic rocks can be classified as foliated or nonfoliated based on texture.

Foliated Metamorphic Rocks

Foliated metamorphic rocks are formed when parallel planes of platy or elongated
minerals were realigned due to the effects of pressure and recrystallization creating what is
called as foliations. Examples of foliated metamorphic rocks are schist, gneiss, and phyllite.

Fig. 3. Increasing metamorphism causes distinct bands or foliation to form.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Nonfoliated Metamorphic Rocks

Nonfoliated metamorphic rocks do not have layered appearance. Examples are marble,
quartzite, and anthracite.

Foliated and nonfoliated metamorphic rocks can be further classified based on their parent
rocks or protolith. Protoliths for metamorphic rocks can be any type of rock, whether
igneous, sedimentary, or even metamorphic. However, such classification or identification of
protolith can be difficult because of the rock alteration during metamorphism. Fig. 4 shows
the parent rocks of different foliated and nonfoliated rocks.

Fig. 4. Some metamorphic rocks with their corresponding protoliths

Remember
Common metamorphic rocks appear twisted, folded, or swirled.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Fig. 5. Common metamorphic rocks in the Philippines;

from left to right: marble, mica schist, and slate

The Rock Cycle

The rock cycle shows that all rocks are related to each other. Igneous rocks can change into
sedimentary or metamorphic rocks. Sedimentary rocks may also transform into igneous or
metamorphic rocks. Metamorphic rocks, on the other hand, can change into all the three
rock types. All these changes, of course, are only possible if the ideal conditions and
processes needed are met. The arrows found in Fig 6. represent processes in each group,
especially the role of various geologic processes involved in the transformation of one rock
type into another.

Fig. 6. Transformation of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Tips
For you to easily remember the types of rocks and how they were formed,
sing the song in the tune of “Row, Row, Row your Boat.”

Classifying Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks

To identify an unknown rock sample, just follow this key shown below for you to be guided
on classifying the rock sample in an accurate manner.

Fig. 7. Classifying rock types

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Key Points

● Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have been altered, changed or transformed in
the solid state due to changes in pressure, temperature conditions and chemical
actions of hot fluids.
● Recrystallization, neomorphism, and metasomatism are the three possible ways
where changes in minerals during metamorphism can happen.
● Metamorphic grade is a scale indicating the level of pressure and temperature
during the formation of a particular metamorphic rock.
● Contact metamorphism and regional metamorphism are the two main scales at
which metamorphism can occur.
● Metamorphic rocks can be classified as foliated or nonfoliated based on texture.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

Check Your Understanding

A. Complete the crossword puzzle below.

Across Down
4. This diagram shows that 1. Also called parent rock.
one rock is a raw material 2. Has the highest metamorphic grade.
for another. 3. A type of metamorphism that occurs at very large
7. Type of metamorphic rocks areas.
that do not have layered 5. A type of metamorphism due to contact with
appearance. magma or igneous intrusion.
6. Type of metamorphic rock formed when parallel
planes of platy or elongated minerals were realigned
due to effects of pressure and recrystallization.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

B. Identify and complete the following sentences below.

1. ____________ are rocks that have been altered, changed, or transformed in the
solid state due to changes in pressure and temperature.
2. ____________ happens when small crystals of one mineral will slowly convert to
fewer, larger crystals of the same mineral without melting the rock.
3. The scale indicating the level of pressure and temperature during the formation
of a particular metamorphic rock is called ____________.
4. ____________ is most effective at narrow zones specifically at the contact between
the host rock and intrusive magma or hot fluids.
5. Foliated metamorphic rocks are formed when parallel planes of platy or
elongated minerals were realigned due to the effects of pressure and
recrystallization creating what is called as ____________.

C. Identify what is being described in each statement. Choose from the given words
inside the box.

A. extrusive B. igneous C. intrusive D. lava

E. magma G. metamorphic H. mineral I. pressure

J. pyroclastic K. rock L. sedimentary M. temperature

1. It is the kind of rock formed from fragments that are cemented together.
2. These are materials like magma fragments that are released from volcanic
eruptions.
3. It is a naturally occurring solid substance that is made of nonliving materials.
4. These are molten rocks inside Earth.
5. It is an igneous rock formed from the cooling of magma inside Earth.
6. Obsidian is an example of a rock that is made from this cooled substance.
7. Rocks of this kind are cooled down and solidified from molten rocks.
8. This naturally occurring solid material may be composed of one or more kinds
of minerals and other materials.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Minerals and Rocks

9. This igneous rock is formed from lava or pyroclastic materials.

10. Marble is an example of this kind of rock that changed from other kinds of
rocks.

Photo Credits

Fig. 5. Marble, detail by Zyance is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia commons
and Obsidian by Anonymous via Wikimedia commons.

Fig. 5. View of cut garnet-mica-schist by jackdann88 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via
Wikimedia commons.

Bibliography

Amethyst Galleries Inc. “Mineral Gallery” Accessed April 5, 2018.

http://www.galleries.com/default.htm

Coenraads, Robert R. 2005. Rocks & Fossils: A Visual Guide. Australia: Weldon Owen Inc.

Tarbuck, Edward J. and Frederick J. Lutgens. 2012. Earth Science, 13th Edition. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall.

Thompson, Graham R. and Jonathan Turk. 1997. Introduction to Physical Geology. United
States: Brooks Cole Publishing.

Williams, Linda. 2004. Earth Science Demystified. United States: The McGraw -Hill Companies,
Inc.

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