Soil Teacher Resources

It's time to roll up those sleeves and get a little dirty in the second lesson of this series on the science of food. Investigate where plants and animals get the minerals they need to live in this two-part exploration of soil. First,...

This presentation on soil shows how it is formed, what the different types of soil are, how soil is eroded, and how soil can be conserved. Fantastic photos and excellent graphics and text are found in each of the slides. The last slide...

Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.

Students compare the organic matter found in soil. In this soil lesson, students compare a commercial garden mix soil to their local soil and determine which has more organic material.

Students investigate the use of soil, an important natural resource in artwork. They experiment by crushing soil particles and adding the different color samples to artist acrylic to create true "earth colors". Using this paint, they...

Ready to roll up those sleeves and get your hands dirty? Dirty with soil science content, that is! Overcome those "But it's just dirt" objections with a trip outside to collect soil samples for some in-class analysis. Use the variety of...

Students apply knowledge of soil, environmental impacts, economics, multiple human demands, and use given data for a proposed scenario in making land use decisions. They debate land use issues and/or scenarios and discuss a case study.

Seven superb slides sharpen science students' scoop on soil. In viewing them and reading the accompanying captions, your class will uncover the importance, different types, horizons, and protection of soil. They can then assess their new...

What natural resources are available in your area? Your learners can consider this question after reading a brief passage about natural and renewable resources. After reading, class members respond to five questions related to the reading.

Soil, water, fish, wildlife and forest are the main resources that are reviewed in this PowerPoint. Overuse and waste versus the value of the resources used and the long-term impact is covered in this clear presentation. It would be good...

Study the properties of soil and water absorption with a science activity. Based on a paragraph with background knowledge on sandy soil, silt, and clay soil, third graders choose which illustration represents a bottle full of sandy soil....

Breathe some new life into charcoal. Scholars use biochar to improve soil fertility. They test the effectiveness of this addition by conducting an experiment with soil having 0%, 2%, and 4% biochar.

Students explore decomposition and soil health by creating their own garden.  In this agriculture lesson, students build a "lasagna garden" with organic matter found in the area and plant perennials native to their region.  Students are...

Rock the classroom with this hip video clip about dirt and rocks! Contents and the process of producing soil and sand are explained in the forest and on the beach. Time, pressure, and high temperatures are introduced as the requirements...

To better comprehend organic farming scholars conduct experiments on how plant roots remove nutrients from the soil. Through multiple activities, discussion, and instruction they relate the plant's vascular system to the human...

It takes a minimum of 500 years to form one inch of topsoil. Young scientists conduct multiple observations and experiments on three different types of soil. The activity leads class members to a better understanding of pH, water...

New ReviewSome scientists spend their entire careers analyzing and learning about soils. An interesting video lesson provides an overview of what soil scientists do and why. Pupils learn how soil analysis connects to other branches of science and...

Class members are each assigned a state's natural resource to research. In pairs, they engage in silent debates: they pass a paper back and forth, writing a line on each turn about why their resource is most important. At the end,...

To investigate the differences between dirt and soil, first graders search for decomposers (fungi, insects, microorganisms, etc.) in dirt/soil samples at different learning stations.

What type of soil holds in moisture the best? Find out with a guided-inquiry based lesson in which scholars investigate three types of soil—sand, clay, and silt—and the ability of each to retain waiter for plant growth. Learners graph...

The second in a five part Agriculture series covers the importance of soil properties in organic farming. Scholars observe a soil demonstration as well as complete hands-on experiments to better understand the effects of air space and...

"God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt!" In fact, dirt is soil, which is an amazingly dynamic material that we cannot live without! Dig into the depths of soil development, topography, and layers with this PowerPoint. The photos are fuzzy,...

Students examine the various soils and list the parts of the ecosystems. In groups, they investigate the soils to determine its texture and the permeability rates. They give examples of how soil information is used to determine human...

Students, in groups, conduct an experiment to compare how water moves through different soils. They discuss how different soils could have an impact on different plants.