Geology ROCKS!

This 25 minute musical play can be done as a complete play, skits, read-aloud, or you can just sing songs. Set around a mystery and involving Sherlock Holmes, the fundamentals of geology are brought alive in an exciting and memorable way. No music or drama experience needed. Grades 2-6.

Bad Wolf now does to earth science what we've done to oceanography, weather, and the garden. Our geology show has singing crystals, dancing rocks, and earthquakes that can really shake! "Geology Rocks!" is designed specifically to supplement the study of the composition and changing nature of the earth. "What is it, Holmes? Metamorphic? Igneous?" "Sedimentary, my dear Watson!"

Geology Rocks! is a great complement to your curriculum resources in elementary school geology and science.

"A wonderful play that gets to discoveries of rocks. My students loved the whole mystery that centered around a rock theme. They play aligned perfectly with our standards. It was a great way to reinforce what they already learned. Thanks to Bad Wolf Press for making learning fun and exciting!"

---Leslie Antosy-Flores, Teacher, (Teacher-4th grades) Star View School, Midway City, CA

"The students absolutely love it! I appreciated it because it covered so much content area in a short time. Everything the students learned was covered, so I felt confident that I met all benchmarks...The students always looked forward to our practices. I'm still singing the songs in my head!" --Ginger Becker, Teacher (4th grade), Marion Elementary, Marion, KS.

"This was my first year to teach science and this musical was an awesome supplement. The students had a blast while learning. They even sing the songs when we go on field trips."

---Darlene Young, Teacher (6th grade), LBJ Middle School, Johnson City, TX

"I thought it was marvelous! The songs and actions were easy and there were enough parts for everyone. Thank you for this invaluable resource!"

---Diana Yoon, Teacher (6th grade) Stoddard School, Anaheim, CA

"Excellent!!! The students learned so much. We were doing a science unit on geology too."

---Judy Redman, Teacher (3rd grade) Highland Grove School, Highland, CA

"The students learned the songs quickly and gain a lot of knowledge. Our science teacher said the play meets the requirements of the 5th grade Taks science test. We accomplished the whole play in 20 days."

---Melodee Christian, Teacher (3rd grade) Haskell Elementary, Haskell, TX

"Great show---the kids and parents loved it!"

---Maria Makevicius, Teacher (4th-6th grades) The Montessori School of Pensacola, Pensacola, FL

"I enjoyed the music, humor and knowledge base. The school audience was very responsive. They loved the humor. I love being able to listen to music samples on your website. (Keep writing. I feel like I have hit on a gold mine)."

---Cindy Martinson, Teacher (2nd grade) Hermantown Elementary, Hermantown, MN

"The kids love it and so do I. I am not musically timid, but love doing your shows anyway because there are fun. I like the fact that you include different styles of music (country, rock, etc) everyone has something to enjoy. Great content. Good staging tips, etc."

---Katie Robinson, Teacher (2nd grade) Green Valley School, Danville, CA

"I would tell a teacher who has never done a play or a musical to relax and enjoy the process. The CD helps tremendously, and there are plenty of parts to match different student personalities. Doing the play was fun for all of us. Our headmaster just told me he's gotten nothing done all morning because he's been fielding compliments about our play."

---Susanne Tomillon, Teacher (2nd), Grymes Memorial School, Orange, VA

"Love it! Very educational."

---Linda May, Teacher (5th grade), Centennial Arts Academy, Gainesville, GA.

Casting

Flexible casting from 11-40 students.
Use as many Volcanoes, Ferns, etc. as desired; one student
can also play more than one role. Note that all roles can be
played by either boys or girls; see our comments on page 35
of the Teacher's Guide

Script

This is the first one-third of the script:

CHARACTERS:

Rosie
Jenn
Sherlock Holmes
Dr. Watson
Volcanoes
Earth
Ferns
Sea Shore
Canyon
Valley
Mountains
Snow White
Igneous Rock
Sedimentary Rock
Metamorphic Rock
Professor Rock
and a CHORUS comprised of all students who are not playing roles on stage
at the time

(STUDENTS walk quickly back and forth across stage, apparently searching for
something or someone. Finally one STUDENT stops and loudly says:)

ROSIE: Let’s face it—our geology teacher, Professor Rock, is missing!

Song 1 - Listen now!

CLASS (sings):
Now we’ve searched high and we’ve searched low
So where on earth could that man go?
Our Professor Rock has disappeared.

We have not found a clue or trail
A zero on the Richter scale
Our Professor Rock has disappeared.

He loves he loves volcanoes
He loves he loves glaciers too
Earthquakes make him laugh
He hugs his seismograph
Every dinner that he ate
Was on a tectonic plate.

Now everywhere we turn we see
A geologic mystery

ONE STUDENT: Hey look I found some pieces of his beard!

STUDENTS (shout): How weird!

CLASS:
Is he a victim of basalt?
Or is it San Andreas’ fault?
Our Professor Rock has disappeared.

He loves he loves volcanoes
He loves he loves glaciers too
Earthquakes make him laugh
He hugs his seismograph
Every dinner that he ate
Was on a tectonic plate.

Doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo
Our Professor Rock has disappeared Disa- Disappeared.

(TWO STUDENTS remain on stage.)

ROSIE: What are we going to do, Jenn?

JENN: I don’t know, Rosie. Professor Rock’s disappearance is a complete mystery.

(SHERLOCK HOLMES and DR. WATSON enter. HOLMES is dressed like, well,
Sherlock Holmes. Maybe he has a magnifying glass. Watson has a notebook and pen.)

HOLMES: A mystery you say? Then we’ve come to the right place.

ROSIE: Who are you?

WATSON: Excuse us. Holmes likes dramatic entrances.

JENN: Holmes? Sherlock Holmes?

HOLMES: Precisely! Dr. Watson and I have come to solve the mystery of your
missing rock. (HE picks up a rock and begins to examine it carefully with his magnifying glass.)

ROSIE: It’s not a rock but a person, our teacher Professor Rock.

HOLMES: Silence! My astonishing powers of deduction have led me to a clue
right here in this rock!

WATSON: What is it Holmes? Igneous? Metamorphic?

HOLMES: Sedimentary, my dear Watson.

(MUSIC to “Geologic Time” begins here. The next lines are spoken over the music.)

JENN: Can you help us? We really need to find the Professor.

ROSIE: We’ve got to start searching right away.

HOLMES: Patience! These things take time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Song 2 - Listen now!

HOLMES and WATSON :
The earth’s been here five billion years
It’s seen a lot of change
What used to be an ocean floor
Is now a mountain range.

The desert lands have come and gone
The dinosaurs are hushed

HOLMES: My brilliant brain needs time as well
My genius can’t be rushed!

HOLMES and WATSON:
Geologic, geologic Geologic time
Geologic, geologic Geologic time

WATSON: He’s slow as rock

HOLMES and WATSON:
So set the clock
For geologic time.

The Colorado river runs
Ten million years it creeps
And bit by bit a canyon forms
That’s over one mile deep.

The desert lands have come and gone

The dinosaurs are hushed

HOLMES: My brilliant brain needs time as well
My genius can’t be rushed!

HOLMES, WATSON, and CHORUS:
Geologic, geologic Geologic time
Geologic, geologic Geologic time

WATSON: He’s slow as rock

HOLMES, WATSON, and CHORUS:
So set the clock For geologic time.

WATSON: He’s slow as rock

HOLMES, WATSON, and CHORUS:
So set the clock For geologic time.

HOLMES: Come along, Watson. We must find that rock. We’ll start by interviewing
some pebbles I spotted in the driveway—they looked suspicious.

WATSON: Splendid, Holmes. (writing in his notebook as THEY exit) I shall call this,
The Case of the Runaway Rock.

( THEY exit)

JENN: Rosie, I don’t think they’re going to be much help.

ROSIE: No. We’ll have to find Professor Rock on our own.

JENN: Right. Professor Rock has been working near some volcanoes—maybe
we should talk to them.

ROSIE: Great idea.

(THEY walk around until they meet the VOLCANOES, who have entered.)

JENN: There they are!

ROSIE: Hello, volcanoes. Have you seen Professor Rock?

VOLCANO #1: He was here just a few days ago, checking up on us. We haven’t
been feeling well.

ROSIE: I can see. You don’t look so hot.

VOLCANO #2: Oh no, we’re TOO hot. That’s the problem.

Song 3

VOLCANOES:
I ain’t well
Can’t you tell?
I’m belching steam and ashes
With molten molten molten rock
Molten rock and gases.

I ain’t well
See me swell?
I think it’s something drastic
I’m feeling feeling feeling aaach!
Feeling pyroclastic.

Magma coming up my vent
Lava pouring out
Here it comes
I need a Tums TM
Before I blow my spout.

I ain’t well
Can’t you help?
I’m crackin’ and I’m swellin’
I feel like feel like feel like whoa!
Feel like Mt. St. Helens.

(VOLCANOES do dance during instrumental)

Magma coming up my vent
Lava pouring out
Here it comes I need a Tums TM
Before I blow my spout.

VOLCANOES and CHORUS:
I ain’t well
Can’t you tell?
I’m belching steam and ashes
With molten molten molten rock
Molten rock and gases.
With molten molten molten rock
Molten rock and gases.

(VOLCANOES exit)

ROSIE: Wow. That must be some fever if it’s hot enough to melt rock.

EARTH (from side of stage): That’s nothin’, baby. I’m 12,000 degrees down in my core.

JENN: Who said that?

EARTH (entering): I did, honey. I’m the Earth.

JENN: The earth?

ROSIE: But how’d you get so hot? I thought you were just continents and water.

EARTH: Isn’t that typical?! I’ve got 4000 miles down to my core, and all you folks ever
think about is my outer 40 miles.

ROSIE: I’m sorry.

EARTH: Below my crust I’ve got a mantel, an outer core AND an inner core. You’ve
got to look below the surface.

Song 4 - Listen now!

I am deep
Not just water and some dust
I am deep
I’ve got spunk beneath my crust.

I am deep
Though my surface may seem mild
I am deep
You should see my inner child!

My mantle is so hot and wild,
rocks just melt and ooze
At my core you’ll find a gal who loves to sing the blues.

I am deep
Miles and miles of hidden space
I am not
Just another pretty face.

CHORUS:
She’s deep
She is deep
She’s deep
She is deep
She’s deep
She is deep.
She’s deep
She is deep.

EARTH and CHORUS:
Yes I’m deep
Not just water and some dust
I am deep
I’ve got spunk beneath my crust. .

(This concludes the first one-third of the script.)

Sample Songs

Click on the song name to hear samples. Please note that internet song samples have low fidelity and rest assured that the CDs we sell sound much better! (This player requires Flash. If you have any trouble hearing the samples, just contact us for help.)

Full Song List

1. Professor Rock Has Disappeared
2. Geologic Time
3. I Ain't Well
4. I Am Deep
5. Oh to be a Fossil Fuel
6. Erosion
7. Love Them Plates
8. Seven Little Miners
9. Rock Cycle
10. Professor Rock Has Re-Appeared

National Education Standards

Fulfills National Arts Standard 3 for Dance, 1 and 8 for music, and 2, 3, and 5 for Theater.
Fulfills National Physical Science Standards.

Vocabulary

Geology
Richter scale
volcano
earthquake
seismograph
tectonic plate
continental plate
fault
San Andreas fault
igneous
metamorphic
sedimentary
canyon
desert
mountain
molten rock/magma
pyroclastic
Mt. St. Helens vent
ore
mantel
core
crust
gravel
marble
limestone
basalt
granite
fossil fuel
natural gas
oil
coal
decompose
precious metal
valley
weathering
plateau
Himalayas
mineral silver
iron
gold
diamond
copper
aluminum
nickel
lead
opal
sapphire
emerald
ruby
rock cycle
sediment
geo-thermal