Activity 2B: Sorting Shells

Overview

Students explore and sort shells by properties like color, shape, texture, size, and weight. Starting with simple groupings, they progress to complex sorting using Venn diagrams, sharing their ideas through drawings and discussions.

Activity Type
Hands-On

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Class Time
75 minutes

Level
Grade 1

Focus Questions

  • What characteristics of shells can we notice?

Enduring Understandings

  • Plants and animals can be sorted into groups based on different characteristics.

Engage

10 minutes

Show one shell to the students, and have them use as many describing words as they can to tell about that shell. Show another shell and ask: “How are they different?” “How are they the same?”
Next, show the students a shell collection with a larger variety of shells. The collection should include univalve and bivalve shells. Ask children: What do you know about shells? Record their ideas on a chart. Read the book Seashells by the Seashore by Marianne Berkes.

Explore

15 minutes plus time to choose shells

Give students the opportunity to touch and look at the large assortment of shells. (There should be enough shells so that all children have choices). Tell them to choose one shell they would like to “take a closer look at.” Give the students time to choose their special shell. The shells could be at center during “choice time” (see Investigation 1 ) or displayed in a basket so children can take time to notice unique characteristics. 

When all the students have selected a shell for this activity, ask students to carefully observe and draw their shell in their science notebook. Encourage students to label and describe their shell on the shell observation page. This page can be glued into the science notebooks. 

Explain

20 minutes

When all the shells have been sorted, ask students: What did you notice about the shells in this group? How are they all alike? How are they different? How about the other group? Encourage students to talk about new ways the shells can be sorted. Using the shell property word chart, have students describe new yarn loop groups they could create for different characteristics. Introduce the idea of overlapping yarn loops (Venn diagram) now, if it was not considered previously. Encourage students in the use of the Venn diagram as they continue to try new ways to sort shells. Create a classroom center where children can continue to practice sorting.

Elaborate

30 Minutes

After children have had experiences with sorting and thinking about different ways to describe their shells, they can solve problems using strategies for sorting.For example: Sally had 12 shells in her collection. How could Sally sort her shells three or more different ways?

Have children draw on a piece of paper, using pictures, diagrams, and words to describe their thinking. After children have finished their work, come back together as a whole group and share thinking. Children will learn from each other as they listen to different ideas.

Evaluate

Use the Shell Sort Levels of Understanding Continuum to assess students’ ability to sort.

Teacher Needs

Teacher Prep

  • Collect and organize materials.
  • Prepare science notebooks.
  • Create templates for class charts on chart paper in advance.
  • Create a template for class “Creature Features” book pages.
  • Read Teacher Background for more information.

Substitutions: In Activity A, shells of marine or freshwater animals can be collected, borrowed, or purchased. Those collected from nearby beaches are best. If shells are not available, substitute buttons, pattern blocks, pressed or fresh plants, bones or animal parts (teeth, beaks, tusks, etc.) or rocks in the sorting activities.

It will be helpful to have a list of local aquatic creatures, or a book that assists children in starting to know what is in their local environment. Posters, charts, and field guides are also useful as resources.

Materials List

For extensions:

    Student Needs

    Prior Knowledge

    Students should be able to take turns and listen to one another. They should have experience using describing words. Prior sorting opportunities would be helpful. They should know or learn how to write “clues” without giving too much information.

    Vocabulary

    characteristics, color, comparison, crustacean, describe, details, echinoderm,  estimate , features, invertebrate, length, measurement, mollusk, size, shape, sort, texture, venn diagram, weight
    Words for specific animal parts: antennae, claws, jaws, legs, pincers etc.

    Standards

    Science GLEs Addressed

    K-12 Standards A2, C2, G4

    Ocean Literacy Principles

    • The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.