Geology: The Marshmellow Rock Cycle

Ages K-College: This video can be done as an activity, or demonstration. It is appropriate for all ages, and can be scaled up in complexity for older individuals. This activity involves the creation of sedimentary rocks with chocolate chips and marshmellows. With access to a heat source (fire, oven, torch, etc.) the sedimentary rocks experience heat and pressure, and create a metamorphic rock. It takes around 20 minutes from start to finish. If you want to make fudge as a demonstration, you can place half of the fudge in the freezer, and leave half on the counter, and see if the mineral size changes based on cooling rates. The fudge can then extend the activity into soil formation from rock weathering.