Alabama Learning Exchange
Plants, Soil and Nutrients
Young scholars conduct an experiment. They review how to use the scientific method to conduct an experiment with white carnations and food coloring. They create a hypothesis and test it to better understand how plants get nutrients,...
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Digging the Earth's Crust
Students investigate the Earth's crust. For this geology lesson, students identify the materials made up of the Earth's crust and investigate the different kinds of soil.
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Worms! Nature's Recyclers
Third graders explore the process of composting. In this composting lesson, 3rd graders read the book Wonderful Worms, and create composters.
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What Will Biodegrade?
Students create their own landfill where they observe materials that will and won't biodegrade. In this biodegrading lesson, students discuss the concept of a landfill and what materials biodegrade into soil and which ones stay in the...
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Porosity and Permeability Lab
In this porosity and permeability worksheet, students experiment with different types of soils such as sand, gravel, pebbled and rocks. They put each soil type in a beaker and pour water in being sure to measure the amount of water they...
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The World's Soil
In this world's soil activity, students use an apple to simulate the amount of soil in the world. They cut the apple into 1/32 to represent the soil and along the way they draw pictures for each cut and label what the pieces represent.
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Solar Energy Lab
In this solar energy worksheet, students experiment with soil and water to determine if they heat at different rates. They record the temperature of the soil and water under light and in the dark. They graph their data and answer...
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Geology Project
In this geology project activity, students work in groups and prepare a presentation that covers topics in geology. Students research the topic, prepare a poster illustrating the topic, take notes, and write up an experiment related to...
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Soil
In this soil instructional activity, students read about soil and the attributes that determine how soil is formed. They then answer the 11 questions in the packet. The answers are on the last page of the packet.
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How Does Vegetation Decrease Erosion?
In this erosion worksheet, students will compare what happens to soil when water flows over soil with no vegetation and soil with vegetation. Then, students will complete four short answer questions.
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Issues And Decisions 4
In this environment worksheet, students read a passage on why alien species should be introduced to ecosystems. Then they respond to four questions that refer to the passage read. Students also respond to two decision questions by giving...
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Weathering and Soil Formation
In this science worksheet, middle schoolers examine the topic in order to solidify knowledge covered in the curriculum using puzzles and creative games.
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Sunlight & Soil
In this soil condition instructional activity, students record the soil and air temperature as well as the day length and cloud cover in a small outside area for two weeks. They complete 5 short answer questions and draw graphs of the...
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Specific Heat of Air and Soil
Students are introduced to the concept of specific heat. In groups, they are given a set of data showing the temperatures of air and soil samples in which they calculate the ranges of the data. They identify whether the air or soil...
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Ecology of The Sonoran Desert Soil Crusts: Biology, Geology
This instructional activity is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide learners into adopting the problem solving thinking of...
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Water Works Wonders
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
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Soil Types
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...
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soil, Water, and Plants
Students examine the relationship between water retention and plant growth by conducting two experiments. They first compare the water retention qualities of clay, sand and loam soil types. Then they use the data from the first...
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Testing for Chemicals in Soils
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.
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Professor Profile looks over the horizon
Students are introduced to the differences that exist in soil properties with depth. They are introduced to the factors that influence a soil's development (soil forming factors). Pupils are introduced to the impact of soil of soil...
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Water Cycle and Its Movement in the Soil
Young scholars are introduced to the water cycle and water movement in soil. In this water cycle lesson, students explore how water moves through the water cycle and discuss water sources, natural reservoirs, soil infiltration rates and...
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Colors of our Earth
Students are introduces to soil profile classification. They remember that classification of soils is an important aspect of studying soils as it aids in predicting how soils react to weathering, transport nutrients or pollution. ...
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Soil Detectives: The Case of the Lost Friends
Students show how soil varies across the landscape, they explain how soil can be used to solve mysteries. Pupils are introduced to techniques that would be used to distinguish soils from different places.
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Soil Testing and Texturing
Learners are introduced to soil textures and why they are important in examining soil quality. They find out how to feel the difference between soil textures. Pupils describe which soil texture is best for gardens and growing healthy...