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Save Our Soil
Students gain an understanding of the small amount of soil available to sustain humans on earth and complete an appropriate graph or chart from their collected data. They locate some of the countries they have heard about where people do...
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Herb is the Word
Learners conduct an experiment to determine how different soils affect plant growth over a six-week period. After determining the physical properties of different types of soil, students plant various types of seeds into the soil...
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Am I Neutral? pH Properties in Soil
Middle schoolers participate in a science lab to determine the pH of three different soil samples. Students conduct an experiment by creating a question, a hypothesis and then an investigation of soil samples. Then they compare colors...
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Is Soil Alive?
Third graders observe soil samples. They then form hypotheses as to whether or not soil is alive. Students read and discuss information about soil and components of soil. They state wheter or not they believe soil is alive and list...
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Oolitic Sand: An Introduction
Fourth graders investigate the characteristics of different types of sand. They compare and contrast the types of sand by making observations with a dissecting microscope. Then students draw what is seen and include shape, color, and...
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Digging in the Dirt
First graders awareness is raised that not all dirt is the same. They compare and observe particle sizes in three different kinds of soils. They keep a record book of what the discover and talk about how some soils are alike and some...
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Soil Organisms
Students work together to collect soil samples from different locations. In the samples, they identify the macroorganisms and classify them. They identify the conditions that affect how macroorganisms grow. They also analyze and identify...
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Earth's Valuable Soil
Students investigate the concept of how the earth is segmented into different parts. They use an apple as a model to display the different layers. The apple is divided into different fractions by being cut into different size pieces.
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Erosion Exploration
Ninth graders investigate the factors that increase soil erosion. They identify how the environment is affected by erosion. In small groups, 9th graders research erosion problems in various locations. Groups brainstorm ideas to help...
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Activity #5 Soils-Permeability and Impurity Removal
Middle schoolers predict which types of soils would work best for keeping contaminants contained. They comprehend that in the past, landfills have been one major source of groundwater contamination. Pupils comprehend that placing and...
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Even Grass Won't Grow
Students analyze what occurs when grass will not grow. They interview maintenance staff at their school and research possibilities for grass to grow. They develop a research plan and conduct soil sample tests. They plant grass seed and...
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Soak It Up
Young scholars examine the various materials that make up their local soils. In groups, they record how each material is different and use cheesecloth to filter them into a bottle based on particle size. They use the soils to determine...
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Save Our Soil
Students explore the need for good farm land and reasons for the disappearance of agricultural areas. They brainstorm environmental friendly decisions and soil conservation. In their community, students explore new land developments...
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Soil Research
Third graders work together in groups to discover the importance of soils. Using a worksheet, they answer questions as they surf the internet. They observe three different types of soils and record their observations and use the internet...
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Determine Soil Particle Size
Students examine various soil samples in groups. Using the samples, they identify the characteristics of them and calculate percolation and infiltration rates. They use this information to discover why some species can survive in one...
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Investigating How Pollutants Travel Through Groundwater
Young scholars determine how pollutants can travel though sediment and explore methods of pollutant removal. They conduct an experiment on porosity and permeability of soils and simulate an EPA "pump and treat" method for removing...
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Scientific Approach to Forest Management
Young scholars use wireless laptop computers to collect, store, communicate, and organize data from the 1999 Jasper Fire area. They collect data in the field and compare it to student-collected data from prior years to develop...
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Soils are the Pits!
Students dig soil pits in order to observe soil features and the factors of soil formation and soil forming process. Students also examine the relationships among different soils in a series of soil pits.
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Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
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Choose Your Own Soil Adventure
Ninth graders will use a soil survey to make management decisions and by interpreting geologic maps. The importance of different soil types is discussed and the implications of how soil can be useful for our communities.
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Do You See What I See?
Students hypothesize the role of rocks, soil, and water by observing a terrarium and create a model to explore the water cycle. This is part of a five station set up.
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The Dirt at Your Feet May Limit Your Growth
Students examine how soils within a community may enhance or inhibit development. In small groups, they analyze county soils maps, and develop a prospectus for a construction company looking to construct a housing development site.
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Investigating Soil
Fourth graders swap local soil samples with another school and examine the differences. They research soil properties, identify organisms that live in soil, create and maintain a biome of soil decomposition and design a poster to present...
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Dishing the Dirt Part 3
High schoolers collect and examine different soil samples. They test for specific types of soil elements and the pH level. They answer questions about optimum growing conditions as well.