Additional Sand Sack Resources

Are you a homeschooler or a parent who helps in your child’s (childrens’) educational progress? Congratulations! And welcome to Sand Sack Knowledge Gateways.

Here you will discover the wealth of practical knowledge contained within the pages of Sand Sack. This free resource will help you to locate and reinforce those lessons woven throughout Sand Sack which you’d like to help your young Sand Sack reader grasp more fully. (For a brief introduction to Sand Sack, please visit the Sand Sack home page.

A reminder of BioFables’ 5-tier knowledge category structure:

• • 1. Core Disciplines: Science, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
    • 2. Knowledge Gateways (Color-coded examples: Earth/Space Science, History, Ethics/Morals)
      • 3.  Discovery Paths (Example: Geology, a Discovery Path of Earth/Space Science)
        • 4. Discovery Path Branches (Example: Geysers, a Discovery Path Branch of Geology)
          • 5. Knowledge Nuggets: Titles of specific mini- or pop-up lessons (Example: Geyser ingredients)

You and your young readers likely will be most interested in Tier 5, Knowledge Nuggets. The 5-tier structure will be helpful in tracing lessons back through the earlier tiers to their learning origins.

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NOTE: Please be aware that tiers 2-5  are unique to each book; category names typically use words that children would understand (e.g. plants), rather than formal terminology (e.g. botany). In addition, the following lists and tables do not represent a complete list of Science, Humanities and Values/Behaviors categories, but rather those that specifically appear in Whoosh.

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The four sets of tables and lists on this page have been designed to help your children derive the greatest benefit from reading Sand Sack:

1. 1. 1. Sand Sack Overview: Science, Humanities, Values/Behaviors
      2. Science content in Sand Sack
      3. Humanities content in Sand Sack
      4.  Values/Behaviors content in Sand Sack

Sand Sack Overview

TABLE 1, Sand Sack Overview, is arranged chapter-by-chapter. It’s a good place to get a mental picture of  the entire book, especially the chapter descriptions and links to additional resources (child-friendly links are in orange). This table incorporates the three Core Disciplines, their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths (Tiers 1-3).

The rows in the left column of the table, highlighted in light green, show the Chapter number and the chapter’s pages; following the highlighted row is a quick chapter overview and occasional resource links to relevant sites for further investigation (links to child-friendly sites are in orange).

The right column rows, highlighted in light green, show the chapter’s title. The chapter’s color-coded Discovery Paths, with their associated Knowledge Branches, appear beneath each chapter title.

TABLE 1.  Sand Sack Overview: Science, Humanities and Values/Behaviors

CHAPTER: Page Numbers; RESOURCE LINKS	CHAPTER TITLES; Branches/Sub-Branches
Helpful Hints
Indiana Dunes	Earth, Space Science Environment Geology Geography
Chapter 1: Pages 1-4	A Tent Shaped Like an Igloo
Twins Melody and Mallory discover that their dome-shaped tent is made from big and small triangles. Buckminster Fuller	Chemistry Forms/Structures Math Geometry Engineering Buildings Products History People Health Exercise Food, Nutrition Managing Weight Work/Careers, Role Models Software Development Emotions Sense of Humor Mind Reasoning Intuition Body Aging Well Physical Health Learning/Knowledge/Skills Sharing Knowledge Eliciting Knowledge People Concern for Others Judgmental
Chapter 2: Pages 5-11	Camping in the Sand
A clock has twelve hours, the year has twelve months: an easy way to remember the changing lengths of daytime, and the extremes of the solstice and equinox.	Biology People Earth Geography Geology Environment Astronomy Technology Physics: Mechanics, Motion Health Avoiding Disease Exercise Physical Well-Being Body Physical Health Learning/Knowledge/Skills Sharing Knowledge Eliciting Knowledge People Judgmental Planet Research Erosion
Chapter 3: Pages 12-23	A Generations-Old Secret Uncovered
A “living” dune covers a long-buried sack and Rufus (good doggie) helps Mallory and his Dad dig it out. What do you think is in the sack? Great Depression Wind and Weather	Earth Geology Physics Heat, Temperature, Pressure Math Arithmetic Society Government (local) History Times/Eras Health Physical Well Being Life Skills Safety, Security, Privacy Morals/Ethics Doing the Right Thing Emotions Sense of Humor Calm Reasoning Serenity Mind Intuition Learning/Knowledge/Skills Acquiring Knowledge Analytical Reasoning People Parental Responsibility Concern for Others Gratitude
Chapter 4: Pages 24-26	How Do Sand Dunes Happen?
Glaciers scraping rocks grind them to sand; over time, winds blow the sand into hills (dunes). The Maloney family enjoys an ice cream treat for doing the right thing.  Glaciers	Earth Geology Emotions Competitiveness Mind Sense of Wonder Learning/Knowledge/Skills Sharing Knowledge People Parental Responsibility Generosity
Chapter 5: Pages 27-32	Spongy Ground and Bug-Eating Plants
Extremophile microbes can live in bogs, even with no oxygen available. Moss up to six feet thick covers the bog’s surface, making the boardwalk feel like you’re walking on a bouncy mattress. Rabies information	Biology Microbes/Bacteria Plants Animals Chemistry Functions Health Avoiding Disease Mind Visualization Learning/Knowledge/Skills Acquiring Knowledge Analytical Reasoning Sharing Knowledge People Respect Planet Respect for Earth, All Things Living on It
Chapter 6: Pages 33-38	Blowouts and Tree Graveyards
Mallory and his Dad learn that “tree graveyards” can be hollowed out areas with dry sand, or wet and marshy like the family saw in Yellowstone.	Earth Environment Language Classic Literature Life Skills Outdoors Abilities Emotions Impetuousness Mind Reasoning Learning/Knowledge/Skills Eliciting Knowledge Planet Respect for Earth, All Things Living on It
Chapter 7: Pages 39-42	Learning about the Dunes (and even more about Human Nature)
After trading stories about what they learned about bogs and blowouts, the Maloney family learns how “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” during the evening Park Ranger program.	Earth Environment Geology Society Public Behavior Emotions Need for Recognition Learning/Knowledge/Skills Acquiring Knowledge Sharing Knowledge People Proper Assertiveness Generosity Planet Preservation, Restoration, Protection
Chapter 8: Pages 43-46	Aches and Pains
Walking along the sandy beach made “music” (except for Rufus: soft paws). A day to take it easy after climbing the dunes. Wet Sand Is Sticky Delayed Muscle Soreness	Engineering Structures Health Pain and Injury Arts Drawing Techniques Mind Reasoning People Parental Responsibility
Chapter 9: Pages 47-51	A Rock is NOT a Stone
Mom writes a poem about singing sands; Mallory can’t resist the fascinating (heavy!) souvenir that he can examine more closely with the new magnifier his sister gave him.	Society Public Behavior Health Food Exercise Sleep Arts Writing (poetry) Life Skills Gardening, Growing Things Morals/Ethics Honesty/truth Doing the Right Thing Learning/Knowledge/Skills Sharing Knowledge
Next Adventure: Pages 52-54
The Maloney family discuss the rock cliffs they’ll visit next. Mallory and his Dad make a trip back to the State Park to learn the consequences of removing the nine-pound rock.	Earth Geography Society Government Social Service

The Core Disciplines in Sand Sack LIST 1 are presented with their Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths (Tiers 1-3) in side-by-side columns. We’ve grouped each of the Knowledge Gateways and their Discovery Paths into Basic (foundational knowledge), Hybrid (relevant both to Basic and Applied Discovery Paths), and Applied (using basic or hybrid principles for practical, real-world purposes).

LIST 1.  Sand Sack Overview:  Science, Humanities and Values/Disciplines

SCIENCE	HUMANITIES	VALUES
BASIC Biology Microbes/Bacteria Plants Animals People Chemistry Molecules Elements Reactions Forms Functions Physics Heat, Temperature Earth, Space Science Geography Geology Environment Astronomy HYBRID Math Arithmetic Geometry APPLIED Technolgy Structures: Physics Fuels: Chemistry Engineering Architecture: Physics, Math	BASIC Society Government (Local) Public Behavior Language Sounds and Spelling Word Derivations Traditional Sayings Classic Literature History Locations Times/Eras Health  Aging FEAST Physical HYBRID Arts Writing Play on Words Drawing Photography Singing APPLIED Life Skills Quick Response Planning Ahead Rules of Thumb Resilience Work, Careers Geologist (Retired) Police Sergeant Software Engineer (Retired) Air Force Pilot (Retired) Welcome Center Staff Tai Chi Instructor	BASIC Morals/Ethics Honesty/Truth Doing the Right Thing Emotions Sense of Humor Calm Reasoning Competitiveness Impetuousness Awareness of Consequences Serenity Need for Recognition Mind Reasoning Intuition Sense of Wonder Visualization Body Aging Well Overall Health HYBRID Learning/Knowledge/Skills Sharing Knowledge Analytical Thinking Acquiring Knowledge APPLIED People Parental Responsibiity Judgmental Concern for Others Respect Proper Assertiveness Hospitality Generosity Planet Research Erosion Respect for Earth, All Things Living on It

The next three sets of lists and tables compile the Science, Humanities and Values/Behaviors content for the entire Sand Sack book.  Bulleted lists of Knowledge Gateways, with their associated Discovery Paths, offer a quick glance at category tiers 1-3 appearing in Sand Sack. Their associated tables incorporate all 5 category tiers, including brief definitions of the Knowledge Gateways and instances of the specific Knowledge Nuggets (lessons) within each Core Discipline.

Sand Sack Science Core Discipline

Sand Sack List 2 is an at-a-glance bulleted list, offering a quick look at the Science Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Sand Sack.

Sand Sack LIST 2.  Science Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths

1. 1. • Biology: Microbes/Bacteria; Plants; Animals; People
      • Chemistry: Molecules; Elements; Reactions; Forms; Functions
      • Physics: Heat and Temperature
      • Earth, Space Science: Geography; Geology; Environment, Astronomy
      • Math: Arithmetic; Geometry
      • Technology: Physics (Mechanics; Optics)
      • Engineering: Architecture (Physics; Math)

Sand Sack TABLE 2 includes the major Science Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Sand Sack.

The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.

The right column offers brief definitions of each Science Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.

Sand Sack TABLE 2.  Science Content

KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS	KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS: BRIEF DEFINITIONS
Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches	Knowledge Nuggets: Mini- and Pop-up Lessons
BIOLOGY	Life and living things
Microbes/Bacteria	Bacteria that don’t need oxygen (anoxic)? Sure, those extremophiles living in bogs.
Plants	Insect-eating plants get even by using insects for food
	Don’t even try to walk directly on a bog (which is mostly sphagnum (peat) moss)
	Quaking bogs shiver and shake when someone walks over them on a boardwalk
Animals	The food chain isn’t made of metal
People	The case for protecting eyes from the sun’s damaging rays
	Oh, my aching muscles
CHEMISTRY	Substances, their structure, behavior, interactions
Structure	Make round, 3-D shapes, such as geodesic domes, using only triangles with straight lines; similar chemical structures are called Bucky Balls
Function	pH: Bogs with sphagnum moss are acidic (pH 3-4) compared with water (pH 7)
PHYSICS	Properties and nature of matter and energy
Heat, Temperature	Water’s cooling effect: evaporation!
EARTH, SPACE SCIENCE	Related to planet Earth and beyond
Geography	Continents, countries, oceans and other waters, and their features
Locations	Indiana  Dunes, Mt. Baldy, Mississippi Palisades
Geology	Earth’s physical structure, substance, history, processes
Glaciers	Melting ice masses (glaciers) scraped rock, creating sand
Water table, bog	Bogs get their water only from rain, not underground rivers or the water table
Dunes	Living dunes move over time; they also sing and squeak
Environment	Physical, chemical and biological conditions that  impact people, animals, plants and microbes
Erosion	Natural, human impact
Habitats	People can preserve and restore natural homes of plants and animals
Wind	Plants bend and dunes move with the direction of the wind
Astronomy	Why is daylight so much longer in the summer than in the winter?
MATH	Numbers, quantities and analysis
Arithmetic	Counting, adding multiplying
Geometry	Can you arrange a bunch of triangles so they make a curve?
TECHNOLOGY	Tools (products) and techniques using science
Physics: Mechanics	Structures: Igloos, geodesic domes
Chemistry: Function	Fuel cells vs. gasoline for cars
ENGINEERING	Application of technology
Architecture	Building sand castles: Wet or dry sand works better?

Sand Sack Humanities Core Discipline

Sand Sack LIST 3 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers  a quick look at the Humanities Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Sand Sack.

Sand Sack LIST 3.  Humanities Knowledge Gateways and Discovery Paths

1. 1. • Society: Government; Public Behavior
      • Language: Sounds and Spelling; Word Derivations; Traditional Sayings; Classic Literature
      • History: Times/Eras; Locations
      • Health: Aging; FEAST; Physical
      • Arts: Writing; Play on Words; Drawing; Singing;
      • Life Skills: Planning Ahead; Safety, Security, Privacy; Avoiding Disease; Outdoors; Observing Surroundings
      • Work/Careers; Role Models: Police Sergeant; Park Ranger

Sand Sack TABLE 3 includes the major Humanities Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Whoosh.

The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.

The right column offers brief definitions of each Humanities Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.

Sand Sack TABLE 3.  Humanities Content

KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS	KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS: BRIEF DEFINITIONS
Discovery Paths, Discovery Path Branches	Knowledge Nuggets; Pop-up Lessons
SOCIETY	Community, Culture and People
Government	Local police sergeant locks found items in a vault until owner is located, signs official statement
Public Behavior	Park rangers respond to impolite guest
LANGUAGE	Means of communication
Sounds and Spelling	4 N 6? Mallory didn’t understand either! Forensics
	Melody learns that animals prey on each other, not pray
Word Derivations	Sol and stice (Latin) sun stopped (longest and shortest days); Equi equal and nox night (Latin)
	Vernal (Latin) the spring season
	Forensics (Latin) forum
Traditional Sayings	Dad says, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse”
	“Nobody learns when they’re talking, only when they’re listening”
	“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”
	“Where there’s life, there’s hope” (for improvement)
	“Everyone out of the pool” What if there’s no pool?
	“Finders keepers, losers weepers” mostly doesn’t apply
Classic Literature	Dad compliments Mallory, calls him Sherlock
HISTORY	Information about the past
Times/Eras	Buried treasure, lost since the Great Depression
Locations	The role glaciers played in forming Indiana Dunes
HEALTH	Level of well-being
Aging	Grandpa realizes his excess weight and little exercise is limiting his activities
FEAST	The twins remember Mom’s Food Exercise Attitude Sleep Timing philosophy
Physical	Sunglasses protect eyes from sun’s damaging effect
	Going to bed at the same time is healthy, but not much fun when it’s still light outside
	Muscles feel sore the day after unaccustomed exercise
ARTS	Creative skills and their expression
Writing	Mom’s poem is “almost as good as Dad’s”? “We all have poems in us,” Mom says
Play on Words	Getting the family’s black labrador to wear sunglasses would make quite a spectacle
	“Vernal means spring, and it’s time to SPRING into bed,” Mom says
	Man-eating or boy-eating plants?
Drawing	Drawing a geodesic dome tent helps to remember its shape
	Sergeant shows how something buried near the base of a sand dune can be lost over time as winds cause the sand to shift
	Ranger Ted draws a simple food chain for Melody
	Dad draws dunes holding four colored pencils together
Singing, Music	What do “Twinkle, twinkle little star” and “Baa, Baa Black Sheep” have in common?
Creating, Building Things	Mom creates a clock calendar with each number representing a month and stickers to represent the four seasons
	A sand castle challenge. Who will build the winner?
LIFE SKILLS	Practical abilities for attending to everyday needs
Planning Ahead	Setting up a new tent before a camping trip
Safety, Security, Privacy	Sergeant agrees to Dad’s request for no publicity on the discovery for himself and his family
Avoiding Disease	A Ranger assures Mom that local squirrels don’t carry rabies, but bats and woodchucks do
Outdoors	Mallory wants to compare a Dunes tree graveyard with the one that the family saw at Yellowstone
	Mallory discovers his map-reading skills
Observing Surroundings	Bushes snag Rufus’s leash where Mallory couldn’t
WORK/CAREERS; ROLE MODELS	Productive activity to earn an income or give back to society
Police Sergeant	Sergeant at a local police station
Park Ranger	Park Rangers have many differet roles indoors and outdoors

Sand Sack Values/Behaviors Core Discipline

Sand Sack LIST 4 is an at-a-glance bulleted list. It offers a quick look at the Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateways in bold, followed by their Discovery Paths that appear in Whoosh.

Sand Sack LIST 4.  Values/Behaviors Discovery Paths and Knowledge Branches

1. 1. • Morals/Ethics: Honesty/Truth; Doing the Right Thing
      • Emotions: Sense of Humor; Calm Reasoning; Competitiveness; Impetuousness; Awareness of Consequences; Serenity; Need for Recognition
      • Mind: Reasoning; Intuition; Sense of Wonder; Visualization
      • Body: Aging Well; Physical Health
      • Learning/Knowledge/Skills: Acquiring Knowledge; Analytical Thinking; Sharing Knowledge; Eliciting Knowledge
      • People: Parental Responsibility; Judgmental; Concern for Others; Respect; Proper Assertiveness; Hospitality; Generosity
      • Planet: Research; Erosion; Respect for Earth, All Things Living on It

Sand Sack TABLE 4 includes the major Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateways (light green background) occurring in all the chapters of Sand Sack.

The left column shows each Knowledge Gateway and one or more associated Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches, where they occur, appear indented below the major Discovery Path. These branches (and sometimes sub-branches) are divisions of the major Discovery Path; they represent increasingly-specific fields.

The right column offers brief definitions of each Values/Behaviors Knowledge Gateway. Following each Knowledge Gateway are Knowledge Nuggets (mini- or pop-up lessons). These lessons correspond to the Discovery Path and any Discovery Path Branches that appear directly across in the the left column.

Sand Sack TABLE 4.  Values/Behaviors Content

KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS	KNOWLEDGE GATEWAYS: BRIEF DEFINITIONS
Discovery Paths. Discovery Path Branches	Knowledge Nuggets: Mini and Pop-up Lessons
MORALS/ETHICS	Internal character, beliefs
Honesty/Truth	Mallory shows Dad why the rock was so interesting
Doing the Right Thing	Dad tells Mallory they need to report his discovery to the local authorities
	Mom says “finders keepers losers weepers” doesn’t apply
	Dad will be discussing Mellory’s “heist” of the 9 lb rock with the Dunes’ police sergeant
EMOTIONS	Feelings, sentiment, intuition
Sense of Humor	Dad teases Mom about her advice to get more exercise
	Mallory and Dad are happy that dogs don’t talk
Calm Reasoning	Jumbled thoughts at first prevent Dad’s calm reasoning about what to do with Mallory’s unexpected “find”
	Mallory’s questions bring Dad’s jumbled thoughts back to reality
Competitiveness	Melody and Mallory both feel that their sibling knows something they don’t
Impetuousness	Mallory races after Rufus, who bolts from his leash
Awareness of Consequences	Mallory knows he’s in trouble when Dad finds the rock
Serenity	Dad enjoys resting and enjoying the surroundings while Mallory cools off in moist sand
Need for Recognition	A visitor rudely interrupts the park’s rangers program
MIND	Rational, theoretical, analytical thinking
Reasoning	Mallory wonders how something round can be made up with just straight lines
	Mallory compares the dunes’ “tree graveyards” with Yellowstone’s, discovers dry and swampy kinds at the dunes
	Mallory remembers that wet sand stays together; good for building sand castles
Intuition	Grandpa’s mention of unexpected wind leads Melody to think Grandpa knows more than he lets on
	Dad suspects what’s in the canvas sack that Mallory found buried in the sand
Sense of Wonder	Melody wonders how the dunes got there
Visualization	Melody thinks a food chain is a chain made out of food
BODY	Health, bodily strengh and movement
Aging Well	Grandpa knows he wouldn’t be able to climb dunes or be comfortable sleeping in a tent
Overall Health	Mom’s “FEAST” is an easy path to good health
	Exercise helps pump oxygen to your brain
LEARNING/KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS	Pursuit and acquisition of understanding, wisdom, capabilities
Acquiring Knowledge	Mallory is impressed by the police seargent’s reasoning
	Melody learns that bacteria can live in oxygen-less bogs
	Mom and Dad encourage constant observing and learning
Analytical Thinking	The police sergeant suspects why the canvas sack was buried in the dune
	While Melody’s reasoning about bogs and water tables wasn’t quite right, she learns some new facts
Sharing Knowledge	Grandpa says an igloo-shaped tent is more stable than other designs
	Mom uses a clock and stickers to explain solstice
	Mom and Dad explain how glaciers and wind made sand dunes
	Melody learns from Ranger Lisa what makes a bog a bog
	Mom and Dad help their twins understand human nature and how to react in certain situations
	Mom tells Melody that different ways of writing poems help to understand your feelings
Eliciting Knowledge	Mom shows the twins how to look at their tent’s design
	Mom’s and Dad’s questions help understand how dunes become “living”
	Dad helps Mallory figure out how trees died in the sand dunes
PEOPLE	Regard for, and relationships with, humankind
Parental Responsibility	“The reward is in doing the right thing,” Mallory’s Dad says when the sergeant suggests a reward
	Oops. Dad forgets about poor Rufus in the hot car
	Mom agrees with Dad’s privacy request to the sergeant
	Mom encourages sharing reward, rather than competing, to making the biggest, best sand castle
	Dad confronts Mallory about the big rock
Judgmental Attitude	Mom says not to be critical when people’s choices may be different from your own
	Melody softly calls her Dad and brother “wimps” when the dune gets too hot for them…but Mom hears
Concern for Others	Dad hopes Grandpa would take better care of his health
	Mom asks Dad how Mallory and Rufus are doing
Respect	Mom thanks Ranger Lisa and moves on, noticing other guests waiting to learn about the bog
Proper Assertiveness	An attendee at the park ranger program addresses a rude visitor
Gratitude	Mallory thanks the sergeant for free ice cream coupons
	Mom is touched that Grandpa selected a nearby place that is (kind of) similar to where she grew up
Hospitality	Grandpa invites the Maloneys to dinner, and they bring Grandpa his own portable “salad garden” to grow his own healthy greens
Generosity	Mallory gives his sister a small rock with holes the right size for pencils
	Melody asks for an extra magnifier to give to her brother to investigate bugs and things
	Mississippi Palisades is the site of Grandpa’s next monthly mini-vacation gift
PLANET	Earth’s natural environment: living organisms, water, surface, subsurface, atmosphere
Research	The Maloneys drive their new experimental fuel car to the Indiana Dunes
Erosion	Walking on dunes causes sand to tumble down
Respect for Earth, All Things     Living on It	Melody comforts a squirrel that escapes being lunch for a hawk
	Melody changes her mind and agrees squirrels shouldn’t be kept in cages as pets

For an overview of Sand Sack, please visit the Sand Sack home page. If you are ready to buy Whoosh, please click on the icon. It will take you to Amazon’s Whoosh page.