Soil Type Teacher Resources

New ReviewCovering both permeability and porosity, scholars perform a hands-on experiment testing various soil types. The material includes a pre-instructional activity worksheet to help focus pupils on the task at hand. 

Earth science learners experiment with the water-holding properties of sand, pebbles, and clay. They apply their findings to the building of a well. This activity is engaging and tactile, and it demonstrates the importance of considering...

Young scientists explore the dark, damp, and dirty world of earthworms in this hands-on life science unit. In order to gain a better understanding of these slimy critters, children first perform a series of investigations before finally...

Fourth graders, given different soil samples, observe and record the different characteristics and make logical guesses of where each soil is taken from. (Either a field, construction site, a lake, woods, and a driveway.)

Young scholars study the basics of soil science. They research and gather data through readings, videos, and performance of laboratory investigations. As a team they generate oral and written recommendations for the amendment of soil.

Teach your class the descriptive characteristics of soil. Provide information about particle size and a flow chart for assessing texture. Soil scientists then analyze samples and hypothesize which would be the best type for a rain...

Soil scientists gain experience with an infiltrometer can to determine the infiltration rates at different locations on campus. If you are using the entire unit, the class has already analyzed water flow and soil types, so they should...

Students investigate soil types by texturing soil samples and determining the different soil types. They conduct a dirt shake activity, determining the amount of silt in a quart jar filled with dirt and water. Students then answer...

Fifth graders examine how sand and rock fragments in soil are products of erosion or the weathering of rocks. They listen to the book "Sand" by Ellen J. Prager and answer discussion questions. Next, they analyze sand samples and sort...

What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...

An anticipatory slide suggests personal benefits from gardening. Then the presentation goes into choosing a location, considering soil type, the use of fertilizers, and the variety of crops available to choose from. If you are teaching...

Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.

A professional-quality PowerPoint, which includes links to footage of actual landslides in action, opens this moving lesson. Viewers learn what conditions lead to erosion and land giving way. They simulate landslides with a variety of...

Students identify the differences in local soil types and the relationship between soil size and water retention. They are introduced to microenvironmental conditions in ecosystem sustainability.

In this soil analysis worksheet, students are given instructions for analyzing a soil sample. Students fill in 23 blanks with data from their sample. Students use the data and charts given to answer 10 questions about soil.

Students become familiar with soil types and how land can be used.  In this land resources instructional activity, students discuss which areas are good for specific crops and the importance of the climate in those areas. Students create...

Students name three general kinds of soil: sand, silt and clay. They explain how percolation rates differ with the soil type. Students name two characteristics of wetland soils. They test soils to demonstrate how soil texture affects...

Students use sight, touch and chemical test kits to evaluate and classify soil types. They determine the organic content, soil pH, conduct visual analysis and nutrient tests of a variety of soil samples from various sources.

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.

Ninth graders gain understanding of five different soil types by actively observing samples and identifying them, manipulate digitized soil maps found in Eastern North Carolina Digital Library, participate in scavenger hunt using...

Students are placed into  four groups called: water, sand, silt, and clay. In this science instructional activity, students pretend and position their bodies to be these soil types by following an example provided. Once students are in...

Introduce the topic of water conservation with a little drama. Dressed as snowflakes, hail stones, or rain drops class members dramatize the events in a narration of the water cycle. The series of lessons that follow focus on...

Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."

Students discover how seed germination varies according to the soil type. In this soil science lesson, students discuss what plants need in order to grow and investigate various types of soil. Students use their senses to describe each...