{"id":12776,"date":"2026-02-19T08:09:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T08:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=12776"},"modified":"2026-03-22T14:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T14:03:10","slug":"white-sands","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/white-sands\/","title":{"rendered":"White Sands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey around the World\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-around-the-world\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_around_the_World-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey around the World\" title=\"Journey around the World\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">White Sands<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">White Sands<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Type<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>National Park and Field of Gypsum Sand and Sand Dunes<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Area<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>227.753 square miles<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li><strong>White Sands<\/strong> National Park in New Mexico is a 275-square-mile alien landscape of rare <strong>gypsum dunes<\/strong>\u2014the <strong>largest on Earth<\/strong>. Unlike typical scorching sand, these <strong>white grains<\/strong> stay <strong>cool under the sun,<\/strong> making it a surreal hiking spot. It\u2019s a hotspot where <strong>animals like bleached earless lizards are white to blend in<\/strong>. Archaeologists <strong>recently found ancient human footprints<\/strong> here, rewriting the <strong>timeline of North American history<\/strong>. Part natural wonder and part active missile range, it\u2019s a unique, <strong>high-contrast desert <\/strong>where ancient footprints meet modern science.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Draw a picture of White Sands, including a close up of gypsum sand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-77de37-56 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"gutena-tab-title inactive\" data-tab=\"2\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Gypsum Sand<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-543fc0-6f active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f725ec63780&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f725ec63780\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"450\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands-1024x450.png\" alt=\"White Sands\" class=\"wp-image-12856\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands-1024x450.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands-768x338.png 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands.png 1051w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By uncredited NPS employee &#8211; <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/whsa\/learn\/management\/upload\/WHSA_Foundation_Document_2016_01_01_16_-4-6MB_PDF.pdf\">NPS Foundation Document<\/a> (<a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170302100920\/https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/whsa\/learn\/management\/upload\/WHSA_Foundation_Document_2016_01_01_16_-4-6MB_PDF.pdf\">archive<\/a>), page 12 (no name is credited in the &#8220;Photo and Art Credits&#8221;, page 42), Public Domain, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=87473066\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-05a1ad-fd inactive class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"2\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f725ec63dcb&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f725ec63dcb\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Gypsum Sand\" class=\"wp-image-12857\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Gypsum_Sand.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Wilson44691\" title=\"User:Wilson44691\">Wilson44691<\/a> &#8211; <span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span>, Public Domain, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=10200704\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12776 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1723\" height=\"849\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Location of White Sands\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location.png 1723w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location-1024x505.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location-768x378.png 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/White_Sands_Location-1536x757.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1723px) 100vw, 1723px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Location<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Otero County and Do\u00f1a Ana County, New Mexico, United States<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Unlike regular beach sand that burns your feet, this sand is made of <strong>gypsum<\/strong>. It doesn&#8217;t absorb heat from the sun, so it feels cool and chilly even on a 100\u00b0F day.<\/li>\n<li>Because the sand is so soft and slippery, people don\u2019t just hike\u2014they <strong>sled<\/strong>! You can wax up a plastic snow saucer and zoom down the dunes just like you\u2019re on a snowy hill.<\/li>\n<li>There are <strong>white lizards, white mice, and even white moths<\/strong> that blend in perfectly with the sand.<\/li>\n<li>ousands of years ago, <strong>Giant Ground Sloths<\/strong> (the size of cars!) and <strong>Mammoths<\/strong> walked here. You can still see their &#8220;ghost tracks&#8221;\u2014footprints that appear only when the ground is wet.<\/li>\n<li>Gypsum is the same stuff used to make <strong>chalk<\/strong> and drywall. Imagine a sandbox the size of 145,000 football fields filled with crushed-up white chalk!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">189<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">March 9, 2026<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-12776","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/12776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}