Earth materials (geology, science & society)
People have used natural materials from the Earth for thousands of years to create temporary dwellings and sustainable buildings. From early civilizations to the present, people have also used Earth resources as a medium for artistic expression. The activities in this unit are designed to have students explore and understand the various uses of our natural Earth materials - both in the present and historically. Students will learn about some of the historically significant architectural wonders from early civilizations. They will construct miniture building structures using a variety of Earth materials and learn how the properties of the different materials make them suitable for specific uses. The activities are designed to be taught in conjunction with or as extensions to the FOSS unit, Pebbles, Sand and Silt. After completing the investigations from River Rocks and Using Rocks of the FOSS unit, students will have had experiences with observing, washing, labeling and sorting rocks in various sizes - from clay to large pebbles.
Primary (grades 1 - 3)
| Week | Topic/Activity | Key Concepts |
| First to second week | Activity 1: Field trip walk to create list of local earth materials in use in community buildings. Activity 2: Research known historical architectural buildings/wonders of the world. |
Local then global investigations of earth materials, develop vocabulary |
| Third to sixth week | Activity 3: Teams of students design and build miniature replicas of dwellings. Activity 4: Ongoing observations of student-made dwellings in the environment |
Choices of earth materials relate to sustainability from the natural elements, weather and climate over time |