1Pebbles, sand, and silt

FOSS at HOme

FOSS® at HOmePebbleS, Sand, and SiltThe FOSS® (Full Option Science System™) program offers a number of ways to get parents involved in their child’s science education. Included here are short descriptions of several ways to bridge from classroom to home.

Letter to Parents. The letter to parents can be sent home at the start of a new science module. The letter describes what children will be learning and ways that parents can enrich the science-learning experience.

FOSS Science Stories. FOSS Science Stories is a series of original books developed to accompany and enrich the FOSS modules. The books for grades K–2 are written in an expository format that presents factual information in a clear and concise manner. The books are designed around instructional photographs that directly relate to the text, calling attention to particular details, suggesting comparisons, and directing students to think critically about the images.

Here are some suggestions for using FOSS Science Stories at home.• Expository Readings. The expository readings provide

excellent opportunities for students and parents to discuss the science content students are learning in the module. SpecificarticlesincludeColorful Rocks, The Story of Sand, What Is in Soil?, and Fossils.

• Extending the Story. See the Science Stories folio in the Teacher Guide for suggestions on how to extend the stories at home. For example, after students read Testing Soil, you might have them conduct the experiment by planting sunflowerseedsinacupofsoilandinacupofsand.Theycan place the cups in a sunny window, water the plants as necessary, and observe what happens.

No. 1—Teacher Sheet

FOSS Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module© The Regents of the University of CaliforniaCan be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.

Dear Parents,

Our class is beginning an earth science unit. We will be studying rock, one of the most important earth materials. Our investigations will center on the properties and uses of rock in many of its particle sizes—pebbles, gravel, sand, silt, and clay. The children will be working extensively with materials, observing, comparing, and communicating what they learn through their fi rsthand experiences with earth materials.

Your child may ask for help fi nding a rock or two to contribute to our class rock collection. A rock from your yard or neighborhood is fi ne. As our study continues, your child will be learning more and more about rocks. Try to fi nd opportunities to talk with your child about sand, gravel, and soil, and ways people use these materials in construction (asphalt, concrete, bricks, mortar, etc.) and landscaping. This is an engaging theme for a family outing.

We’re looking forward to lots of discoveries and new experiences as we explore the earth materials that can be found all around us. If you have any questions or comments, or have expertise you would like to share with the class, please write me a note.

LETTER TO PARENTS

Cut here and paste onto school letterhead before making copies.

SCIENCE NEWS

Investigation 1: First RocksNo. 1—Teacher Sheet

Sincerely,

2 full oPtion science system

PebbleS, Sand, and Silt

Student Sheets. Throughout the module, students complete various recording and response sheets. Students should bring the sheets and/or their science notebooks home for families to review and discuss. For example, student sheet number 2, Rock Record, is a good opportunity for students to explain and review with parents that rocks have a variety of properties, and color and sparkling qualities are enhanced when rocks are washed in water.

Home/School Connections. Home/School Connections are activities developedspecificallyforthewholefamilytoenjoyathome.Forexample, in Investigation 3 (student sheet number 23), students becomefield-tripleadersastheytaketheirfamiliesonasearchforrocks in use. At home, in the neighborhood, and on daily trips to and fro, students keep a record of all the places where they see rocks in use and the sizes of rocks that are selected.

Interdisciplinary Extensions. Each investigation has suggestions for art, language, math, social studies, and science extensions. These are good family activities. For example, after Investigation 2 students and their families make one or more bottles like the one illustrated on student sheet number 9, Bottle Drawing. Students add different combinations of rock material to some water. A 1- or 2-liter plastic sodaorjuicebottleworkswell.Studentscanthenshakethebottleand watch things settle. They might also do the Math Extensions at home.

FOSSweb (www.fossweb.com). FOSSweb is an interactive website wherefamiliescanfindinstructionalactivitiesandinteractivesimulationsspecificallydesignedforeachFOSSmodule.

NOTE: All student sheets, including the Letter to Parents, Home/School Connection, and Math Extension, are available in FOSS Teacher Guides and online at www.fossweb.com. They are also available in Spanish. See Teacher/Parent Info Section: Home/School Connection on page 4 of this folio.

No. 23—Student Sheet

FOSS Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module© The Regents of the University of CaliforniaCan be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.

Start with ten rocks.Sort them into three groups.

Write a number sentence about your rock groups.

Name Date

MATH EXTENSION AINVESTIGATION 1: FIRST ROCKS

Math Extension 1ANo. 14—Student Sheet

No. 14—Student Sheet

NOTE: Pages 3 and 4 of this folio can be photocopied and sent home for parents to read. Those pages provide information on the resources for students and their families on FOSSweb.

FOSS Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module© The Regents of the University of CaliforniaCan be duplicated for classroom or workshop use.

HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTIONINVESTIGATION 3: USING ROCKS

Name Date

Home/School Connection 3No. 23—Student Sheet

Rocks are used as building materials everywhere you

look. We explored our school site for rocks in use.

Where are rocks used in your neighborhood?

Go on a scientifi c fi eld trip around your home. Let your

child act as leader, pointing out where rocks can be

found. Look for big rocks in walls and gardens, and

tiny rocks, in the form of sand and gravel, in pavement,

concrete, bricks, and lots of other places. List the rocks

in use for your child to share with the rest of the class.

3Pebbles, sand, and silt

FOSS at HOme

FOSSWeb (WWW.FOSSWeb.COm)The FOSS program maintains a resource-rich website for students and their families and friends. To explore the resources available for the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module,firstenterwww.fossweb.cominyour browser.

The FOSS website requires plug-ins for your browser. We recommend that you click the “Test Your Browser” link at the bottom of the home page before you begin to ensure your computer has the minimum requirements.

Click the grades K–2 icon to get a menu that links to each of the K–2 modules. There you can choose Pebbles, Sand, and Silt and travel to awealthofinformationandactivitiesspecifictothismodule.

actiVitiesIn the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module,you’llfindanactivitycalledFindEarthMaterials.Studentsfindtheearthmaterialsusedinthepicture. You might ask,

• Wherearesomeoftheplaceswecanfindearthmaterialsusedaround the school? Around our neighborhoods?

• Howcanyoutellwhensomethingcontainsanearthmaterial, like pebbles or sand?

If necessary, review some of the places that children have observed earth materials being used, such as during the schoolyardfieldtrip,orhowtheyuseddifferentearthmaterialsto make things (Investigation 3). At the computer, have childrendecidewhichobjectsinthepicturemightcontainearthmaterials.Youcanalsoreviewthedefinitionsofthevariousearth materials at the bottom of the page. Together click an objectthatcontainsanearthmaterial.Clicktheleftandrightarrows to move back and forth in the scene. When you choose correctly,yougetaresponsethatincludesapictureoftheobject.Whenyouhavefoundeightcorrectobjects,youcanmovetoanewimage to continue searching.

4 full oPtion science system

PebbleS, Sand, and Silt

PHOTO GALLERY

In the Photo Gallery section, you can view images of a rock quarry and its operation, as well as different uses of earth materials. You can use the images to discuss the rock quarry and the equipment used to remove and process the rock.

WEBSITES

The Websites section includes links to sites that can extend and enrich children’s experiences with the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module.

teacher/Parent info section

VOCABULARY

IntheVocabularysection,youwillfindtheglossarywordsanddefinitionsusedinthePebbles, Sand, and Silt Module. They are provided in English and Spanish.

RESOURCES

This section includes an annotated list of books, videos, and software recommended for the Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module. You should be abletofindmanyofthesetitlesatyourlocallibrary.

HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION

The Teacher/Parent Info section includes the Home/School Connection that describes ways for families to do science together. For example, in Investigation 4, students and family members become soil engineers as they compare “perc tests” done on soil in two locations. The speed in which water can drain through soil is a

property that changes with the composition of soil. Look in this section for other resources included in a downloadable PDFfile,includingageneralletterintroducingthemodule,studentprojects,andmathproblemsthatrelatetothescienceinvestigations.

1014224Copyright The Regents of the University of California