Suppose you had a mixture of sand and small, hollow beads. how might you separate the mixture?

in a drainer and the sand will separate from the bread

You can use a shifter, like for example you can get out a shirt or shorts that you don't use anymore poke holes in them. And the put the sand on the shirt, and the beads will stay on top. While the sand is in the bowl, I also forgot to mention you have to put the shirt over the bowl/ whatever circular object you're using.