Curated OER
What is Sand?
Students complete a sand analysis project. For this sand grains lesson, students learn background information on how sand is formed and what sand grains are made of. Students are given bags of sand and use them to complete a worksheet...
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Sand Collection and Identification
Students collect small amounts of sand from a favorite beach. They note the texture of the sand as fine or coarse and hypothesize why this might be. They research different kinds of sand grains and the conditions that produce them.
Curated OER
Soil Testing
Earth science learners experiment with the water-holding properties of sand, pebbles, and clay. They apply their findings to the building of a well. This activity is engaging and tactile, and it demonstrates the importance of considering...
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Disappearing Sand
Learners discover what sand looks like, how sand dunes form and what minerals can be found in sand. They also examine how beach erosion occurs. They explore how to stay safe at the beach.
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Soil Types
Fifth graders examine how sand and rock fragments in soil are products of erosion or the weathering of rocks. They listen to the book "Sand" by Ellen J. Prager and answer discussion questions. Next, they analyze sand samples and sort...
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Animals Between the Sand Grains -- Meiofauna
Students begin the lesson by collecting sand at low tide from a local beach. They place each specimen on trays with a tiny amount of seawater. After a week, they can observe the meiofauna present in the sand through a microscope. They...
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Magic Sand-Hydrophopia and Molecules
Students study different kinds of sand, and practice their observational and writing skills.
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Make Your Own Quick Sand
Students create a quick sand model using cornflour and water. In this earth science activity, students explain why stirring the mixture quickly makes it thick but the opposite happens when you stir it slowly.
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Which Sand Contains The Most Salt?
Students investigate the salinity levels of sand samples taken from several different sources. They conduct tests and observations to measure the current salt levels. They develop a hypothesis from the experiment to determine the factors...
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Sorting Things Out
Written to examine seeds that grow in Kansas, you can adapt this lesson to anywhere you live. Learners sort a mixture of five different seeds to by any characteristic of their choice. When your budding scientists are exploring the life...
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Soil Structure
Sixth graders examine how different soils are made up of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand. They compare soil samples, conduct Internet research, and create a model to demonstrate the relative sizes of grains of clay, sand, and...
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Playing In The Dirt - Discovering Soil
Students discuss some the different types of soil in Oklahoma. They identify the soil types and explore the characteristics of each type of soil. In groups, students perform hands-on activities such as taking soil samples, classifying...
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Beach Sands of the World
Young scholars examine a variety of sand samples from throughout the world. On an index card, they write the characteristics of the sand and draw what the grains look like to use during the activity. Using a map, they practice plotting...
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HOW FAST DO SEDIMENT GRAINS OF DIFFERENT SIZES SETTLE?
Young scholars conduct an experiment using sand, a jar, and a paper clip to analyze the effects of different kinds of sand vis a vis its sediment. They graph their findings and analyze for factors of size, shape, and density.
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Beach Zonation
Young scholars investigate the characteristics of the beach environment and explore beach zonation. After gathering samples from different areas of the beach, students discuss how the beaches work and the characteristic of each zone....
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Respect the Beach
Students work together to compare and contrast sand particles. They identify what sand grains are composed of as well. They complete writing activities to complete the lesson.
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Exploring the Beach
Learners explore the beach. In this marine habitat lesson, students inspect sand grains, design beach profiles, classify marine life, and examine natural beach habitats. Learners use spreadsheets to record data from their activities at a...
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"The Soil Around Us" Project
Students look at Web sites containing information about soil and related subjects such as earthworms. They use Web site review sheets to focus their review of the content on the sites and to introduce evaluation concepts for the design...
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Secrets in a Grain of Sand
Learners working in small groups examine beach sand to discover signs of erosion, weathering, ocean currents and waves. They present their findings to the class.
DiscoverE
Shaky Ground
You're on solid ground if you decide to use the resource. A simple activity has young engineers investigate the problem of liquefaction. A battery placed on dry sand will stay standing—but not if scholars add water to the cup.
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The Battle for Ultimate Power
Students gain an understanding of how the powers of 10 and scientific notation can be used to represent the scale of things in the universe. They relate the number of stars in the universe to the number of grains of sand on Earth's beaches.
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One Grain at a Time
Students investigate deserts. In this geography lesson, students create a KWL chart about deserts and research information on deserts by using reference books. Students record the characteristics of deserts and the wildlife which lives...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Adsorption and Catalysis
Adsorption, not absorption, is when atoms stick to the surface of an object, like water sticking to a grain of sand. An informative lesson delves into adsorption, teaching physical and chemisorption and the factors that affect them....
Curated OER
Rocking Rock Review
The three types of rocks are the focus of this earth science PowerPoint. Young scientists can review the composition of these types of rocks and see the ways they are formed. For example, sedimentary rocks are formed when tiny grains of...