Models and Simulations: Rocks

Models, simulations, and analogues.

http://stanford.library.usyd.edu.au/archives/spr2009/entries/models-science/#OntWhaMod  

Models are vehicles for learning about the world. Significant parts of scientific investigation are carried out on models rather than on reality itself because by studying a model we can discover features of and ascertain facts about the system the model stands for; in brief, models allow for surrogative reasoning (Swoyer 1991).

For instance, we study the nature of Rocks and Minerals, the dynamics of the rock cycle, or the behavior of elements forming molecules by studying their respective models. This cognitive function of models has been widely acknowledged in the literature, and some even suggest that models give rise to a new style of reasoning, so-called ‘model based reasoning’  This leaves us with the question of  how can we model rocks in the k-12 classroom.

One example, demonstrated by Martha Stewart, shows how to simulate a sedimentary rock.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/09/12/cereal-bars-desserts_n_1877348.html