--- title: 6.ESS.5 description: 6.ESS.5 Rocks, minerals and soils have common and practical uses. image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png --- [![Teacher Login](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b) [Teacher Login](https://app.knowatom.com/signin) [![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")](https://www.knowatom.com/) # 6.ESS.5 Rocks, minerals and soils have common and practical uses. [![Download a Sample Unit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6) Science & Engineering Practices - [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models) - [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) - [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) - [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) - [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) Disciplinary Core Ideas - [Weather and Climate](https://www.knowatom.com/weather-and-climate) - [Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer](https://www.knowatom.com/conservation-of-energy-and-energy-transfer) Crosscutting Concepts - [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) - [Cause and Effect](https://www.knowatom.com/cause-and-effect) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f) ## Browse 6.ESS.5 Lesson Plans Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8 [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Grade/Screenshot%20(32).png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle) ## [The Rock Cycle In this unit, students use what they know about the relationship between energy and matter to investigate phenomena of how energy powers the cycling of Earth materials. They begin with this lesson on modeling the Earth processes that form different kinds of rock. This page provides an overview of this lesson.  ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-Oct-08-2023-08-40-05-8079-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/weathering-and-erosion) ## [Weathering and Erosion In this unit, students focus on the science phenomena of processes that change Earth’s surface over time. This lesson has students modeling how Earth’s landforms can be created and then broken down by weathering and erosion. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/weathering-and-erosion) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/weathering-and-erosion) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-08-2023-08-40-04-5991-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/earth-materials) ## [Earth Materials In this unit, students explore phenomena that change Earth’s surface over time, analyzing how weathering, erosion, and convection in the mantle are three phenomena that help to cycle Earth materials. In this final lesson of the unit, students use their knowledge to analyze the science phenomena of rock strata, thus reconstructing Earth’s geologic history. This page showcases components of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/earth-materials) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/6th-grade-science/earth-materials) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Screenshot%20(33).webp) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/natural-resources) ## [Natural Resources In this unit, students use what they know about the relationship between energy and matter to investigate how energy powers the cycling of Earth materials. In this lesson, they analyze the phenomena of processes that form fossil fuels, which determine how these natural resources are distributed around the planet. This page highlights all the parts of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/natural-resources) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/natural-resources) Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it. ![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo") Quick Links Resources Sign Up for Our Blog ### Sign Up for Our Blog Connect with Us - - - - © 2026 KnowAtom LLC  •  10 Brady Drive Unit 3   •  Ipswich MA •   01938 USA [DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION](https://www.knowatom.com/do-not-sell-my-personal-information) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.knowatom.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.knowatom.com/terms-of-use) ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "USA", "addressLocality" : "Salem", "addressRegion" : "MA", "postalCode" : "01970", "streetAddress" : "27 Congress Suite 410" }, "alternateName" : "KA", "areaServed" : { "@type" : "GeoCircle", "geoMidpoint" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "+42.5182274", "longitude" : "-70.8877569" }, "geoRadius" : "150 km" }, "description" : "Next Generation Science STEM Curriculum", "email" : "fvigeant@knowatom.com", "image" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KA-GSD.png", "logo" : "https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Knowatom-2017/Image/logo-1.png", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.knowatom.com/6.ess.5", "@type" : "WebPage", "description" : "6.ESS.5 Rocks, minerals and soils have common and practical uses." }, "name" : "KnowAtom", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/KnowAtom", "https://twitter.com/KnowAtom", "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS0rbN0RfqaU1xaISrdVpTA", "https://plus.google.com/110709105138117096940" ], "telephone" : "(617) 475-3475", "url" : "https://www.knowatom.com" } ```