Image
Image caption
Fig. 1. A sideways glance along the surface of the beach reveals an array of colors amongst the grains.
Image copyright and source
Image courtesy of Max Pixel
Title
ACTIVITY: Source of Hawaiian Sand
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
NGSS Science and Engineering Linking Text
Students observe and compare multiple sand samples to investigate and make hypotheses about their source.
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts Linking Text
By comparing samples with and without calcium carbonate, students investigate whether sand origin is primarily biological or abiological (volcanic).
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas Linking Text
Students observe sand that comes from different sources—weathering, erosion, and living organisms.
Table of Contents
| The activity below draws from the content in the page Weathering and Erosion. |
Phenomenon:
In a handful of sand, there can be many colors (Fig. 1).
Inquiry:
Why are there different colors of sand grains in Hawai'i?
Guiding Questions:
- How do different types of sand form?
- Why is sand color different from beach to beach?
Activity:
In this activity, you will make observations about the effects of weathering. You will conduct an experiment to investigate whether sand collected from around Hawaiʻi is volcanic or biological in origin.
Note: There is an interactive sand matching game as a Further Investigation that can also be used before this activity.
Materials:
- Sand samples from different beaches—at least 3 samples (Hint: preferably black sand, white sand, and one with mixed colors)
- Small bowl or dish
- Magnifying glass
- White school glue (or any glue that dries clear). Clear tape can also be used.
- White distilled vinegar
- Teaspoon (or small spoon)
- Sand inquiry Student Worksheet and Teacher Guide (attachment below)
This teacher guide follows the procedure written here and in the student worksheet with additional instructions and guidelines. We highly recommend starting this activity by introducing the Phenomenon, Inquiry, and Guiding Questions from the top of this webpage. - Optional: Extra pages to explore additional sand samples
Vinegar Test:
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Procedure:
- Follow your worksheet to explore and observe your sand samples using a toothpick and magnifying glass.
- Glue sand from each location onto your worksheet, and answer the preliminary questions.
- What would happen if you add vinegar (a weak acid) to
- biological sand (one with pieces of shells, coral or algae)?
- volcanic sand (sand from volcanic rock)?
- Test your samples to determine the source of sand. Record your findings in the worksheet table.
Sample #1: White Sand
- Place a teaspoon of white sand into a bowl or dish.
- Slowly add a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Observe and record the reaction.
Sample #2: Black Sand
- Place a teaspoon of white sand into a bowl or dish.
- Slowly Add a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Observe and record the reaction.
Sample #3: Mystery Sand
- Place a teaspoon of white sand into a bowl or dish.
- Slowly add a teaspoon of vinegar.
- Observe and record the reaction.
Additional Samples
- Explore more sand samples using the additional sand inquiry pages!
Activity Questions:
- What differences did you observe between the different colors of sand?
- What do the differences you observed tell you about the source of that sand?
- If one sand sample bubbled a little bit but the other sample bubbled a lot when you added vinegar, what would this tell you about the amount of biological material in each sample?
- How do you think the sand got to the beach?
- Did you see anything else in the sand? Describe any items that do look biological or volcanic.
- How do you think non-sand items got to the beach?
- Do all beaches get their sand in the same way? Explain your ideas.
Further Investigations:
- Map out the different sand beaches around Hawaiʻi. Glue/tape sand samples to a large map.
- Bonus Feature: Interactive Sand Game!
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Discover how the sand is formed! Build your knowledge by playing an interactive game and match the different types of sand to the beach. You may need to enable Flash or change browsers to view the interactive feature below. Note: If you cannot view the entire interactive on your screen, press Ctrl-Minus (-) on a PC and Command-Option-Minus (-) on a Mac to zoom out. |
Original Lesson Plan