======Sugar Cube Rock Cycle======


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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Place sugar cubes beside loose sugar to compare sediments vs compacted sedimentary rock.  
  - Crush sugar cubes with a mallet to model weathering.  
  - Move crushed sugar into a pan to show erosion and transport.  
  - Heat the crushed sugar while stirring to model metamorphic rock under heat and pressure.  
  - Pour the melted sugar onto a plate and allow it to cool, representing igneous rock formed from cooled magma.  
  - Break the hardened sugar again to show that the cycle continues with weathering.



====Links==== 

📄 Rockin’ the Sugar Cube Rock Cycle - Simple Living: [[https://simplelivingcreativelearning.com/rockin-sugar-cube-rock-cycle/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Use candy (Starbursts, crayons, or chocolate) for alternate rock cycle demonstrations.  
  * Compare sugar cubes with granulated sugar to emphasize compaction.  
  * Skip the heating step for younger learners and focus on weathering, erosion, and compaction.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Adult supervision required when heating sugar—it can get very hot and cause burns.  
  * Do not touch melted sugar until fully cooled.  
  * Use protective gloves or oven mitts when handling hot pans.  
  * Ensure a safe work area to avoid accidental spills.




====Questions to Consider====
  * How is a sugar cube similar to sedimentary rock? (It is formed by compacted and cemented particles.)  
  * What does crushing the cube represent? (Weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces.)  
  * Why does heating sugar model metamorphic rock? (Heat and pressure change the structure of rocks.)  
  * How is hardened melted sugar like igneous rock? (It forms from cooling of a molten state, just as igneous rocks form from magma.)