Experiment #1 Sandscapes 

In this group activity students will create their own mini-desert landscapes.  Each group needs a medium sized rectangular cake pan, sand, newspaper, assorted pebbles and stones, and straws.

You don't have to go to the desert to find out how sand dunes work.  Just bury yourself in this experiment for making a mini-desert.

To Do:

1.  Put plenty of newspaper under the pan.

2.  Carefully fill the cake pan half full with sand.

3. Gently shake the pan until the sand is even and smooth.

4. Visit Types of Dunes and Sandscapes. Look carefully at the patterns on the sand.

5.  Use wind (blowing through the straw) to make the same dune patterns in your sandscape.

6.  Fold a piece of manila paper into six equal parts.  On the top three squares draw the sand dunes you saw on the website.

7.  Now create three of your own sand patterns using the straw.  Draw these on the lower three squares of your paper.

8.  Choose a sandy spot for the pebble.  Push the pebble into the sand so only half of it shows.  Now try to cover the pebble by blowing the sand around it.  Which works best?