Investigating Soil

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,...

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...

Fourth and fifth graders explore soil by taking a simulated field trip under the earth. They go to an Internet site that runs a simulation which charges them with finding a source of pollution that could destroy all of Earth's soil, and...

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...

Using an auger, start-up soil scientists bore a core of soil. They examine the sample and record the temperature at three depths in the borehole. This is an attractive activity sheet that succinctly guides your earth science class...

Have you ever tried to find hidden items in a picture when you don't know what you are looking for or how many things are hidden? A lesson applies that same concept to sampling the deep sea habitats. Participants must first create a...

Learners conduct a simulation to explore how scientists estimate the size of animal populations. They analyze a random sample and then extrapolate those results to a larger population. Additionally, they will apply the principals of...

Young scholars sample goodies from an unseen ocean floor and try to accurately describe their composition. This simulation helps students explain the limitations of sampling and the problem of obtaining representative samples of sea...

In this guided inquiry students will specify soil types by using various methods of determining soil textures and analyze them with a soil triangle. This activity is a laboratory investigation where students gather data on soil textures,...

Middle schoolers examine the basics about soil.  In this soil instructional activity students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is.