Compost and Soil Exploration

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OBJECTIVE

Students will explore the components of soil through a variety of lessons.

Students will understand where soil comes from and the importance of maintaining this natural resource.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Where does soil come from? What is waste? How can we build soil? How have humans affected soil throughout history?

MATERIALS NEEDED

See Apple as the Earth, Soil Food Web, and Soil in a Jar lessons

Soil Texture Test

Bowls of sand, silt, and clay

Samples of soil from around your town

PROCEDURE

Introduction:

Ask students, “What does soil have to do with our lives?” Invite them to create a Venn Diagram. One circle is labeled “Me,” and the other is labeled “Soil.” Inside the circles, students write what each needs to survive. This can be used as a pre-assessment tool. Invite students to sit in small groups to do the “Apple as the Earth” activity together.

Activity 1: Apple as the Earth

Students explore soil as a precious natural resource using an apple as an edible example of our diminishing soil.

Activity 2: Soil in a Jar

Students understand what the composition of soil is and how it differs from one place to another. Students identify the three types of soil: sand, silt, and clay, as well as organic matter.

Activity 3: Soil Particle Game

Students act out the different soil types and engage in a game that visualizes the differences in percolation with each particle type.

Activity 4: Soil Texture Test

Working with various soil samples, students walk through the flow chart to identify the particular composition of their own soil sample.

Activity 5: Soil Food Web

Students identify the various organisms involved in the soil food web and understand the importance of diversity in building a strong and resilient soil ecosystem.

Wrap Up / Assessment:

Extensions:

Compost Challenge