I am the Sandman, goo goo g’joob
Now I know that this sounds strange but I actually have a sand collection. In my 
oceanography unit I have the students conduct a week-long sand lab. They determine settling velocity, grain size, degree of roundness, composition, and other physical characteristics like luster and color. They then compare their findings to the description of 8 known samples and match their unknowns to the descriptions. Over the years as my students take trips to the Caribbean and afar, I have them bring back some sand. Even after they graduate, students have sent sand from Russia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malta, and the Gobi Desert. I now have over 100 samples from around the world. When I travel I do the same. Sand from Dornoch, Scotland was my last acquisition. You too can contribute. Any size donation is great. The students are amazed (yes, really) at the differences. After all they think that sand is sand is sand. After seeing Bermuda’s sands and Hawaii’s sands and Uruguay’s sands they realize the vast differences in something so small.
May 12, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Hey Sandman,
One of your friends told me to visit your blog. Please go to my website, and take a look at my Atlantic Coast lab. This as the first time I tried it, and the results were fair. Teachers from up and down the Atlantic Coastline sent me samples. If you click on the yellow dots on the map it will take you to an individual page for each beach. Then by clicking on the data link, you can see all of the results in one place. The images were taken with a small digital camera. The 10X images were taken with a cheap ($135) digital microscope.
Charlie