Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...

Seventy thousand different types of soil exist in the United States alone. Young scientists learn about the importance of soil to the food supply. They test soil for a variety of factors and determine the best place to set up a community...

Groups of three scientists from the rocky planet Zog investigate the composition of soil so that they can take the information back to their home, create soil there, and begin to grow food.

All you need is light. Groups use a reflectometer to find the reflectivity of specific chemical compounds. Learners compare the graphs of the reflectivity of the known compounds to Martian soil. Using the graph comparisons, scholars...

There's some serious science behind farming! A quick video lesson presents the process of collecting a random field soil sample for analysis. Instruction includes what a random sample looks like as well as how to prepare the sample for...

Not all soil is created equal. Learners examine what to look for in a soil sample to identify key characteristics that don't require lab testing. They see that it's easy to verify observations by comparing the samples to a soil map.

What defines a random sample? Scholars learn how to collect a random soil sample from a large field. The narrator explains the importance of ensuring the sample is random and shows how to create a random sample before sending it to the lab.

Soil is 25 percent air on average. Learners may have a difficult time accepting that fact without a visual to demonstrate the property. A quick video lesson uses a model to show how this percentage is true and also discusses the...

Put on those forest ranger hats for an engaging and informative lesson. Eager scientists study the makeup of a local forest ecosystem and then write a forest management plan. They consider many parameters including identification of both...

Some 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...

Soil pollution has a longer reach than may seem possible. A video presentation demonstrates how a seemingly isolated soil contamination spreads and even reaches waterways. The lesson demonstrates how scientists conduct porosity tests...

Fertilizer can mean the difference between a profit and a loss. Scholars use an online interactive to explore the effects of fertilizing in agriculture. Given information about the nitrogen levels in the soil, they decide the fertilizer...

Viewers of a short video learn about salt and water molecules and how their characteristics determine how they interact with each other. Then, they watch a simulation of how the interaction limits the uptake of water in plant roots and...

A short video teaches viewers about the Olsen Test, a soil test specific for plants grown in arid regions. The soil in arid regions has a higher pH and plants require special treatment to thrive. The video provides information about the...

How do the different types of soil allow water to flow? Scholars compare flocculated and dispersed soils and their ability to move water through the soil. Silt, sand, and clay particles clump together and create large pores in the soil...

The average student scores less than three points, out of five, on the AP Environmental Science test. Most do well on the multiple choice and struggle with the free-response section. Encourage extra free-response practice with actual...

Take your biology class' understanding of biodiversity to a whole new level! Ecology scholars use data to calculate three different diversity indices based on the organisms in the Gorongosa National Park. The four-part activity uses an...

Poor soil actually grows the most diverse plants. Although this sounds like a contradictory statement, the video lesson explains how and why this is true. Learners discover how rich soils typically cater to the stronger, faster-growing...

Rain, rain, go away ... at least if your pH is below six! The sixth installment in a series of seven videos teaching about pollution and our atmosphere shows learners the facts about acid rain. Embedded pauses allow you to stop and check...

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...

What's in soil? Young scientists study the pH levels of soil from their school yard. They observe the land and area the soil came from to decide if location has anything to do with acidity level.

Dirt or soil? What's the difference? Actually, dirt is soil as explained by the video's high-energy speaker who goes on to emphasize its importance. She describes the composition of soil as minerals, water, air, and organic matter that...

Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine the role that...