| PEBBLES, SAND, AND SILT MODULE MATRIX |
 |
SYNOPSIS |
CA SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS
|
|
1. |
FIRST ROCKS |
|
Students are introduced to the
mineral portion of Earth. They
investigate several kinds of rocks
and begin to understand the
properties of rocks and describe
rocks based on their physical
properties. Students rub rocks,
wash rocks, sort rocks, and describe
rocks. They also begin to organize a
class rock collection. Through two
readings, students learn about the
properties of rocks and the colorful
minerals they contain. |
ES3a Compare the physical
properties of different rocks.
Rock is composed of different
combinations of minerals.
ES3b Small rocks come from the
breakage and weathering of larger
rocks.
|
I&E4c Compare/sort common objects
according to two or more physical
attributes.
I&E4f Use magnifiers to observe and draw
small objects.
I&E4g Follow oral instructions for a
scientific investigation.
|
|
|
2. |
RIVER ROCKS |
|
Students investigate a river rock
mixture of earth materials of
different sizes. They separate
the rocks, using a series of three
screens to identify five sizes of
rocks: large pebbles, small pebbles,
large gravel, small gravel, and
sand. They add water to a vial
of sand to discover silt and clay.
Students learn how sand is formed
by reading the Story of Sand. |
ES3b Small rocks come from the
breakage and weathering of larger
rocks.
|
I&E4b Measure length, weight,
temperature, and liquid volume in
metric units.
I&E4d Write/draw descriptions of a
sequence.
I&E4e Construct bar graphs to record data.
I&E4f Use magnifiers to observe and draw
small objects.
I&E4g Follow oral instructions for a
scientific investigation.
|
|
3. |
USING ROCKS |
|
Students learn how people use earth
materials to construct objects. They
make rubbings from sandpaper,
sculptures from sand, decorative
jewelry from clay, and bricks from
clay soil. Students find places where
people have used earth materials
in building materials. They also
read two articles about how rocks
move, and how people use large
rocks, gravel, sand, and clay to build
things. |
ES3b Small rocks come from the
breakage and weathering of larger
rocks.
ES3e Rock, water, plants, and soil
provide many resources that
humans use.
|
I&E4f Use magnifiers to observe and draw
small objects.
I&E4g Follow oral instructions for a
scientific investigation.
|
|
4. |
SOIL EXPLORATIONS |
|
Students put together and take
apart soils. They are introduced to
humus as an ingredient in soil. They
compare homemade and local soils
for texture, water retention capacity,
color, and components. Through
a video, students learn about
what fossils tell us about Earth’s
past. Through readings, students
learn more about soil, why soil is
important for plants, and a famous
dinosaur fossil. |
ES3c Soil is made from weathered rock
and organic materials. Soils differ in
their characteristics.
ES3d Fossils provide evidence about
organisms that lived long ago, and
scientists learn about the history of
Earth by studying fossils.
ES3e Rock, water, plants, and soil provide
many resources that humans use.
|
I&E4a Make predictions based on observed
patterns and not random guessing.
I&E4b Measure length, weight,
temperature, and liquid volume in
metric units.
I&E4d Write/draw descriptions of a
sequence.
I&E4g Follow oral instructions for a
scientific investigation.
|
| page 4 of 8 |
