K20 LEARN
How Does Your Garden Grow?
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...
Columbus City Schools
ABC: Acid Base Chemistry
Bubble, bubble, boil and trouble! What causes common substances like baking soda and vinegar to react the way they do? Welcome your junior chemists to the wonders of acid-base chemistry using a comprehensive and fun resource. Engage them...
Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning
Forensic Sciences: A Crime Scene Investigation Unit
Mr. Bergman has been murdered and we need you to solve the crime! The cross-curricular unit covers 11 different types of forensic science and includes 17 activities. Scholars perform blood type analysis, blood spatter analysis, height...
Curated OER
Soil Testing
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...
NASA
Behavior Over Time: Analyzing Seasonal Soil and Air Properties
Moisture can affect air temperatures and so much more! An analysis of NASA soil moisture data allows pupils to make connections between climate and weather features. They first review general data and then select a specific location to...
University of Waikato
Growing Soil Microbes
View how microbes grow in soil. Class members first create a Winogradsky column to grow bacteria. They then set up the column of mud in a plastic bottle and include a food source for the microbes and observe the column of mud over the...
University of Waikato
Investigating Soil Moisture Content
Class members analyze the water content in soil samples by drying out the samples and taking measurements every minute until all the moisture is gone. Scholars compare the initial weight to the dried weight to calculate the percentage of...
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating the Effects of Biochar on Soil Fertility
Breathe some new life into charcoal. Scholars use biochar to improve soil fertility. They test the effectiveness of this addition by conducting an experiment with soil having 0%, 2%, and 4% biochar.
Columbus City Schools
Thinking Like A Soil Scientist
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...
Cornell University
Study Soil
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.
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Marvelous Martian Mineralogy
Believe it or not ... martian soil does have nutrients needed for plants to survive! An out-of-this-world tutorial moves scholars through an analysis of martian soil to determine its chemical make-up. Pupils analyze reflectivity of...
Curated OER
Land Assessment
High schoolers work in small groups on a problem based learning activity. Students are presented with a problem of buying land to use for educational purposes only and must determine if it is feasible to buy it based on soil analysis and...
Curated OER
Who Done It?
Pick and choose which activities to include in this crime scene investigation. Junior detectives can examine fingerprints, DNA, blood samples, or bone structure. The plan suggests you have teams solve a mystery, but it does not give you...
Curated OER
Soil Stories
Tenth graders collect and analyze soil samples and extrapolate the characteristics needed to support different types of plant life. They research different types of prairie soil and how it supports plant and animal life.
Curated OER
Global Warming Experiment
Students examine the changes in Earth's temperature. In this global warming lesson, students perform an experiment testing temperatures of soil. Students record their findings and discuss what made the differences in the soil temperature.
Curated OER
Digging Into Soils!
In this soil analysis instructional activity, students fill out a chart with information about four samples of soil. Students record notes about 5 questions about the soil samples: feel, color, possible origin, and smell. Students draw a...
Curated OER
Ecology of The Sonoran Desert Soil Crusts: Biology, Geology
This lesson plan 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 students into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The...
Curated OER
Soil Isn't a Dirty Word
Learners investigate the properties of rocks. In this geology lesson, students draw their profile and discuss what a soil profile would look like. Additionally, learners demonstrate how to make soil by rubbing two pieces of sandstone...
Curated OER
Forestry Suppliers
Students explore the scientific reasons that certain types of foods cause different reactions when they interact with the tongue. They analyze the differences between acids and basics. The experiment is performed at three different sites...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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...