Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
INVESTIGATION 1: FIRST ROCKS
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
INVESTIGATION
SCIENCE CONTENT
SUMMARY
PART 1
Students investigate and
 Rocks have a variety
THREE ROCKS
sort a set of six rocks. They
of properties.
gather information about
 How are rocks
 When rocks rub
the rocks by matching the
different?
together, some
rock samples and rubbing
(softer) rocks may be
 What happens when
them together.
rocks rub together?
chipped or scratched,
Time: 40-50 minutes
or make rock dust.
PART 2
Students wash their
 Rocks have a variety
WASHING THREE ROCKS
samples to see how the
of properties.
rocks change when they
 What happens when
 When rocks are
are wet and what happens
rocks are washed?
washed in water, the
to the wash water.
Time: 40-50 minutes
colors or sparkling
qualities are
enhanced.
PART 3
Students are introduced to  Rocks can be sorted
FIRST SORTING
river rocks. They listen to
by their properties
 How are some rocks the the story Peter and the
Rocks and use ideas from
same?
the story and Part 2 to sort
Time: 40-50 minutes
their river rocks.
PART 4
Students use sorting mats
 Rocks can be sorted
SORTING GAMES
to play sorting games with
by their properties
the river rocks
 How many ways can
rocks be sorted?
Time: 40-50 minutes
PART 5
Students start to organize a  Rocks are all around
START A ROCK
classroom rock collection
us.
COLLECTION
 Rocks are the solid
 What rocks can we find
material of the earth.
around us?
Time: 30-40 minutes
ESSENTIAL STANDARDS
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.1
Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
PART 1
SCREENING RIVER ROCKS
 How can rocks be
sorted by size?
Time: 50-60 minutes
PART 2
RIVER ROCKS BY SIZE
 How else can rocks be
sorted by size?
Time: 40-50 minutes
PART 3
SAND AND SILT
 Is there an earth
material smaller than
sand?
Time: 30-40 minutes;
plus 20 minutes the next
day
PART 4
EXPLORING CLAY
 Is there an earth
material smaller than
silt?
Time: two 30-minute
sessions
INVESTIGATION 2: RIVER ROCKS
INVESTIGATION
SCIENCE CONTENT
SUMMARY
Students separate a river
 Screens can be used to
rock mixture, using a set of
sort the sizes of earth
three screens. At the end
materials.
of the separation, students  Rock sizes include
discover they have a five
sand, small gravel,
sizes of materials: large
large gravel, small
pebbles, small pebbles,
pebbles, and large
large gravel, small gravel
pebbles
and sand.
Students use a student
 Rocks can be
sheet to reinforce the idea
categorized visually by
of grouping rocks based on
size.
size
 Rock sizes include
sand, small gravel,
large gravel, small
pebbles and large
pebbles.
 Rocks larger than
pebbles are cobbles.
 Rocks larger than
cobbles are boulders
Students take a close look
 Sand often contains
at sand and separate sand
smaller particles,
particles from silt particles,
called silt.
which are smaller than the  Water can be used to
sand, by mixing the sand
sort the sizes of earth
with water and allowing
materials.
the particles to settle.
They observe that the sand
settles to the bottom and
the silt forms a layer on top
of the sand.
Students investigate the
 Clay particles are very
properties of very small
small, even smaller
rock particles, clay.
than silt.
ESSENTIAL STANDARDS
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.1
I.E.2.2
I.E.2.2
Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
PART 1
ROCKS IN USE
 How do people use
earth materials?
Time: 40-50 minutes
PART 2
LOOKING AT SANDPAPER
 What does sand do for
sandpaper?
Time: 15-20 minutes for
each group of students
PART 3
SAND SCULPTURES
 How else can sand be
used?
Time: 40-50 minutes
PART 4 (OMIT)
CLAY BEADS
 What can be made with
clay?
Time: 30-40 minutes
plus 20 minutes 2 or 3
days later
PART 5 (OMIT)
MAKING BRICKS
 How are bricks made?
INVESTIGATION 3: USING ROCKS
INVESTIGATION
SCIENCE CONTENT
SUMMARY
Students learn how people  Earth materials are
use rocks as natural
natural resources.
resources to construct
 The properties of
objects and to make useful
different earth
materials. They start by
materials make each
looking outside the school
suitable for specific
building for places where
uses.
earth materials can be
 Earth materials are
found naturally or as
commonly used in the
building materials.
construction of
buildings and streets
Students observe
 The properties of
sandpaper and compare it
different earth
to sand. They make and
materials make each
compare rubbings of three
suitable for specific
grades of sandpaper
uses.
 Different sizes of sand
are used in sandpaper
to change the surface
of wood from rough to
smooth.
Students mix sand with a
 The properties of
cornstarch matrix to make
different earth
durable sand sculptures
materials make each
suitable for specific
uses.
 Earth materials are
used to make
sculptures.
Students use clay to make
 The properties of
beads or something
different earth
decorative, which they
materials make each
paint and keep as a
suitable for specific
memento of their
uses.
investigation of clay.
 Earth materials are
used to make jewelry
and sculptures.
Students make adobe clay
 The properties of
bricks with a mixture of
different earth
clay soil, dry grass or
materials make each
weeds, and water. After
suitable for specific
ESSENTIAL STANDARDS
E.E.2.1
I.E.1.1
I.E.1.1
I.E.2.1 (?)
(OMIT)
I.E.2.1 (?)
(OMIT)
the bricks dry, they can be
used to build a class wall.
uses.
 Simple bricks are
made by combining
clay soil with plant
material.
Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
PART 1
HOMEMADE SOIL
 What’s in dirt?
Time: three 30-40
minute sessions
PART 2
SOIL SEARCH
 Are all soils the same?
Time: 20 minutes for
class introduction and
wrap-up; 15 minutes for
each group to collect soil.
PART 3
STUDYING LOCAL SOIL
 How do soils differ?
Time: two 40-minute
sessions
INVESTIGATION 4: SOIL EXPLORATIONS
INVESTIGATION
SCIENCE CONTENT
SUMMARY
Students put together and  Soil is a mixture of
take apart soils. They are
earth materials.
introduced to humus, an
 Humus is decayed
important soil ingredient.
material from plants
They mix together
and animals.
homemade soil containing  The ingredients of soil
sand, gravel, pebbles, and
can be observed by
humus. They shake some
mixing soil with water,
of the soil on a paper plate
shaking it, and letting
and observe what
it settle.
happens. They use screens
to separate the homemade
soil. They shake soil and
water together in a vial and
draw their observations.
Students go on a
 Soils vary from place
schoolyard field trip to
to place.
collect soil samples. They
 Soils have properties
try to find soil in as many
of color and texture.
places as possible: next to  Different soils differ in
sidewalks, near trees, and
their ability to support
in landscaped areas.
plants.
Students study their
 Soils can be composed
schoolyard soil samples.
of humus and
They shake some of the
different amounts and
soil with water in vials and
sizes of rocks.
draw the results. The
compare the vials and
drawings of the homemade
soil.
Soil
United Streaming Science Tech Book
Quack – The Root Problem
What is Soil? Reading Passage – level 1
Dig In – Looking at Layers – hands on activities
EBook
1. Soil – Soil is Important
2. Soil is a Resource
3. Soil is important
Video
Super Fab Lab – Dirt Detectives – 4 minutes
ESSENTIAL STANDARDS
A Worm Named Suzi sings – “I Dig This Town”
Destiny: “Soil” Alice Flanagan – level 2
“Dirt” The Scoop on Soil – Natalie Rosinsky – level 3