Lesson Idea | Beach Day

This lesson will allow students to learn about the beach environment and experience working with sand.

Grade Level: 1-4th
Length of Time: 45-75 Minutes

Objectives & Outcomes

The learners will create a beach environment and use the sand to build as a fine motor skill enhancer.

Materials Needed

• Containers
• Water
• Playground sand
• Glue
• Liquid starch
• Bowl
• Access to an oven
• Aquarium rocks

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

• Begin by telling students that they are going to learn about some common terms associated with the beach, then build their own mini beaches that will allow them to play in the sand.

Body of Lesson

• Ask students what they think of when they hear the word beach. Many will respond with water, ocean, sand, waves, etc. Now ask students if they can define the word beach.
• Beach – ‘landforms located along the shoreline of water bodies such as an ocean, sea, lake or river. They are made up of loose rock particles of materials such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones or sometimes shells’ – Earth Facts
• Share some other terms related to the beach. Examples: currents, tides, waves, shoreline, beach berm…
• As students create their mini beaches discuss these terms and demonstrate or point out those that can be pointed out on the beaches.
• To create the mini beaches use large plastic containers for three to four students to share and begin by placing a barrier (aquarium rocks are perfect for this). Place a bowl of water to represent the ocean or allow students to paint or color an ocean in place.
• Finally add the kinetic sand.

Kinetic Sand Recipe

• Bake play sand (sand box sand) for 4 to 5 hours at 120 degrees. This is to get as much moisture as possible out of the sand.
• In a separate bowl, pour a bottle of glue and liquid starch into a bowl. Mix together. The slime will be a bit runny, but it should be.
• Add a spoonful of the mixture to the sand at a time until it is the appropriate consistency.

Alternate Kinetic Sand Recipe

• Place 50 lbs of play sand in a container.
• Add 6 cups of cornstarch to the sand and mix with your hands. (if when finished with all mixing and the sand feels wet, add a bit more cornstarch).
• Add 6 cups of water and a couple teaspoons of dish soap and slowly add to the sand and cornstarch mixture.
• Enjoy. Cover for storage.

Closing

Allow students time to play with/in the kinetic sand.
Kinetic sand allows for very easy clean-up, but has a feel comparable regular sand.