Pebbles, Sand and Silt
**This calendar is based on the assumption that science experiences are occurring in 40 to 50 minute sessions, 4 days
a week, as a minimum amount of time to teach the unit in its entirety.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Introduction to the
Investigation 1: First
Investigation 1: First Investigation 1: First Investigation 1: First
Rocks
Rocks
Rocks
Rocks
unit – Read: If You
Find a Rock by
Peggy Christian
Prepare Science
Notebooks
Part 1: Three Rocks
Part 2: Washing Three Part 3: First Sort
Part 4: Sorting Games
Rocks
Rocks, Minerals, and
Fossils
Options:
Chapter 1: A Rocky
1. Set up a field trip
World, pages 4–7 or 4-9
to the Fossil
Gorge in Coralville (additional sections will be
used later in the unit)
2. Order the brick
materials
Read: Rocks in His Head
3. Gather books
about the Three
Little Pigs for
literature study
Read: Peter and the
Rocks (in kit)
Read: Everybody
Needs a Rock
Down to Earth,
Page 3, pages 19 –
25, and pages 29-30
(the rest of this book
will be used later in
the unit)
Rocks, Minerals, and
Fossils, page 28 Collecting Rocks
Read: Big Book Exploring Rocks after
students have
completed this
investigation.
Day 6
Investigation 1: First
Rocks
Day 7
Investigation 2: River
Rocks
Day 8
Investigation 2:
River Rocks
Day 9
Investigation 2:
River Rocks
Day 10
Investigation 2: River
Rocks
Part 5: Start a Rock
Collection
Part 1: Screening
River Rocks
Part 2: River Rocks
By Size
Part 3: Sand and
Silt
Part 3: Sand and Silt
(observing vials)
Day 11
Day 12
Investigation 2: River Investigation 2: River
Rocks
Rocks
Day 13
Investigation 3:
Using Rocks
Day 14
Investigation 3:
Using Rocks
Day 15
Investigation 3:
Using Rocks
Part 4: Exploring
Clay
Part 4: Exploring Clay
(observing vials)
Part 1: Rocks in Use Part 2: Looking at
Sandpaper
Day 16
Investigation 3:
Using Rocks
Day 17
Investigation 3: Using
Rocks
Day 18
Investigation 3:
Using Rocks
Day 19
Day 20
Investigation 4: Soil Investigation 4: Soil
Explorations
Explorations
Part 4: Clay Beads
Part 5: Making Bricks
Part 5: Making
Bricks
(Using the bricks
and Assessment)
Part 1: Homemade
Soil
Part 3 Sand
Sculptures
Part 1: Homemade
Soil
(screen soil)
Down to Earth,
pages 29-30
(the rest of this book
will be used later in
the unit)
Day 21
Investigation 4: Soil
Explorations
Day 22
Investigation 4: Soil
Explorations
Day 23
Investigation 4: Soil
Explorations
Day 24
Investigation 4: Soil
Explorations
Part 1: Homemade
Soil
(observing vials)
Part 2: Soil Search
Part 3: Studying
Local Soil
Part 3: Studying
Local Soil
Day 25
End of Module
Assessment
This calendar is just a guide for your use with this unit offered by teachers that found this schedule to work for them. It reflects a
minimum amount of time needed. Most book suggestions come from VAST Mediagraphies available at
http://media2.aea10.k12.ia.us/display/040?kw=%2A&md=099.
Revised June 7, 2008