We have looked at soils and sand collected on Ossabaw Island and discovered that soil type and soil level can change within just a few feet of each other. Now we will look at sand from other places around the world. No two sands are alike. Sand is really art in the making. 

Have you been to a beach before and played in the sand or had a sandbox when you were younger? Beaches are always pictured with pure white, soft, fine grained sand that kids love to play in and build sand castles near the water's edge. But some beaches such as Boulder Beach, Magnolia in Massachusetts are composed of small boulders and large pebbles. We as scientists should never become complacent in what we see everyday. It is easy to see one object from a distance and think it is no different than the object next to it. Looking at sand up close shows just how different the world really can be around us and we should always be observing and looking for the differences in nature.

We are going to take an internet trip to see different sands from places here in the United States and from other countries. Then through a link to a website we will learn how to exchange sands with people in different locations, much like trading baseball cards. Sand collector's are serious and excited about their sand exchange hobby as you will see from just this one website.

We will also look through a website of a differently designed peroidic chart made to help explain why some elements in a charged state form certain minerals and gain a better understanding of why. 

Here are some questions we will try to answer during our sand exploration. Do all beaches really have only white sand? Do all sands have the same feel, texture and grain size (think of a boulder, a pebble)? Where do sand particules originate, mountains, the seabed, deserts? What minerals may be associated with some of the sands you view. 
 
 

At the end of this investigation you will need to answer :

• Where does sand start from? Helpful hint www.whfreeman.com/pressiever A flow chart would be helpful.
• What is the main component of white sand on a beach, list what you think is the main component of the sand you received in trade and why. 
• What is the difference between metamorphic rock and igneous rock;
• What is the greatest connection (tides, storms, wind...) in how sand is deposited in the desert, on the shoreline (ocean, gulf), and inland;
• What type(s) of sand did you trade (save a sample with the location you collected the sample from and date) and where and what type of sand you received during your exploration in the hobby of sand trading;
• Create a table, or trace a map showing the places where you traded sand and where you collected sand to trade;
• Create a chart on the country or state from, location of sample (riverbed, beach...), types of sand found; particle size, texture/moisture, description of the sand particles, color, other components found in the sand samples;
• Give an idea of what element(s) may be in the makeup of your individual sand samples. 

 

 

You may use pictures, the Ossabaw Web connection, video or drawings to help describe your samples.

Did you save your backyard samples or soil/sand samples from a recent excursion orsamples taken at Ossabaw?

1. First you'll be assigned to a team of 4 students to investigate the physical properties of the different sands collected and 3 sands the group selects to investigate on the given sand network by the teacher. Approved site info@scienceart.nl
2. Each person is responsible for their individual sand trade. Each person will exchange their own sample with someone different on the internet. Remember family and friends living in other locations can be very helpful as a backup. 
3. You will work as a group during this sand exchange to determine the physical properties of your sand collection. Use this link rlsbk@gly.uga.edu to check out possible elements in your sand.
4. Create a folder to keep all email and corespondance in as future reference and a hard copy to turn in at the end of the project. 
5. Safety concerns: Before going to an unknown sand network site, the site must be approved by the teacher. Only give school address, no PERSONAL information about yourself.

Groups will be evaluated by a common grade for group work in determining the physical makeup of the sand, summary of data and presentation of findings.

Write conclusions on why sand samples were so different from the places that you collected and traded. The process of how sand becomes sand.

Grading will not be on ones personal conclusion, because this topic can become very complex in nature, but will be on the support or documentation for your conclusions in determing and describing the physical characteristics of the sand.

Individual grades will be given on the sand network exchange process pertaining to trading your sand and organization of emails. 

Loes Modderman for the link to info@scienceart.nl

Bruce Railsback for the link to rlsbk@gly,uga,edu

Understanding Earth, Frank Press and Raymond Siever, W. H Freman and Company, 3rd edition 2001 www.whfreeman.com/pressiever