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OVERVIEW
PEBBLES, SAND, AND SILT
GOALS
The Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module consists of four sequential
investigations, each designed to introduce concepts in earth science.
The investigations provide experiences that heighten students’
awareness of rocks as earth materials and natural resources. They
will come to know rocks by many names and in a variety of sizes.
Pebbles and sand are the same material—just different in size.
1. FIRST ROCKS ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Students are introduced to the mineral • Rocks have a variety of properties • Observe several kinds of rocks.
portion of the planet on which they live. including color, hardness, shape, texture, • Compare properties of different rocks.
They investigate several kinds of rocks and size. • Sort rocks in different ways.
and begin to understand the properties • Rocks can be sorted by their properties. • Observe rocks interacting with each
of rocks. Students rub rocks, wash • Rocks are all around us. other and with water.
rocks, sort rocks, and describe rocks.
• Rocks are the solid material of the earth.
They also begin to organize a class rock
collection.
2. RIVER ROCKS ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Students investigate a river rock • Rocks can be categorized by size. • Observe properties of pebbles, gravel,
mixture of earth materials of different • Screens and water can be used to sort sand, silt, and clay particles.
sizes. They separate the rocks, using a the sizes of earth materials. • Separate and group river rocks based on
series of three screens to identify five • Five sizes of rocks, from smallest to particle size by using screens.
sizes of rocks: large pebbles, small largest are clay, silt, sand, gravel, and • Separate and observe sand and silt in
pebbles, large gravel, small gravel, and pebbles. water.
sand. They add water to a vial of sand
• Observe the properties of clay particles
to discover silt and clay.
when dry and when wet.
3. USING ROCKS ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Students learn how people use earth • Earth materials are natural resources. • Observe and compare different grades of
materials to construct objects. They • The properties of different earth sandpaper.
make rubbings from sandpaper, materials make each suitable for specific • Observe how a matrix binds sand
sculptures from sand, decorative uses. particles in a sand sculpture.
jewelry from clay, and bricks from clay • Earth materials can be used in a variety • Observe the properties of clay that make
soil. They go on a schoolyard field trip of constructions. it useful in creating jewelry or beads.
to look for places where earth materials
• Observe and compare how earth
occur naturally and where people have
incorporated earth materials into materials are used in human
building materials. constructions.
• Observe how the properties of clay are
used to make bricks.
4. SOIL EXPLORATIONS ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Students put together and take apart • Soil is a mixture of earth materials. • Observe the ingredients that combine to
soils. They are introduced to humus as • Soils vary from place to place. make soil.
an ingredient in soil. Homemade and • Soils have properties of color and texture. • Separate and sort the ingredients in soil.
local soils are compared, using • Soils differ in their abilities to support • Observe and record the results of
techniques introduced in Investigation 2. plants. shaking soil and water in a vial.
• Soils can be composed of humus and • Compare soil samples from different
different amounts and sizes of rocks. locations.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Language Extension • The Story of Sand Students play a game of I Spy with their
• Write the journey of your rock. family to describe objects by comparative
Math Extensions size.
• Solve two problems.
Social Studies and Science Extensions
• Visit a quarry.
• Make large river rock shake-up bottles.
• Set up a screening station.
• Set up a series of river rock vials.
• Set up a sand exploration center.
• Look for clay soils.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Language Extensions • Rocks Move Students look for uses of earth materials
• Discuss earth materials as natural resources. • Making Things with Rocks at home and in the neighborhood.
• Find out about pottery.
• Make tracks and molds.
Math Extensions
• Solve two problems.
• Graph the rocks in use.
Art and Science Extensions
• Look at construction materials.
• Make sand paintings.
• Layer sand, gravel, and pebbles.
• Make sandpaper prints.
• Research animals and earth materials.
• Sand some wood.
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Language Extensions • What Is in Soil? Students compare the rate at which water
• Write directions for making soil. • Testing Soil moves through different kinds of soils.
• Start a vial-drawings book.
Math Extension • Fossils
• Add up rocks.
Science Extensions
• See what grows.
• Make an earthworm habitat.
• Plant seeds in sand and soil.
• Set up a screening station.
• Set up a magnification station.
• Collect vacation soil samples.
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
Develop students’ abilities to do and understand scientific inquiry.
• Ask and answer questions.
• Plan and conduct simple investigations.
• Employ tools and techniques to gather data.
• Use data to construct reasonable explanations.
• Communicate investigations and explanations.
• Understand that scientists use different kinds of
investigations and tools to develop explanations using
evidence and knowledge.