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Dirt Life
Students select and collect soil samples from a variety of locations (schoolyard, home, etc.). They do this lab after an interest-generating discussion about "dirt" and microbes. Students make a dilution in sterile water, plate it on a...
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Soil In The Amazon
Students grow plants in soil representing that found in the Amazon basin. They compare results to plants growing in fertile soil and soil fertilized with leaf compost. Students chart, average and graph plant growth by height.
Students...
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Peat Pots
Students place a peat pot in water to observe and calculate the rate of capillarity in a model of a soil. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect, record, and represent data, use a data table to...
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Puddles and Soil
Students determine which of several soil samples (sand, soil, and slit) produces puddles, providing insight into the permeability of these different soils. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect,...
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Listen to the Land
Learners discover how we use land. They gain insight into the way we use the land, both for benefit and consequence. Students explore how to 'listen to the land' as they make decisions on how it should be used and the consequences of...
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Tree Chart
students identify questions about trees and plants to include their importance, parts, and systems. They list the things they know, want to know, and how they are going to study it.
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TE Activity: How Fast Can a Carrot Rot?
Students experiment to define which environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They decompose carrots in dirt, weigh the carrots periodically to determine how long it takes. They look at how engineers use this type of...
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The Nitrogen Cycle
Students design and create a compost pile in order to study the Nitrogen Cycle. They then use the scientific method to determine if plants grow better when they add organic matter from their compost pile to the plant's soil.
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Case Study - An Ecotour
Pupils plan an ecotour of the Australian rainforest. They prepare fact sheets about animals, create a mural, prepare a advertising brochure and a guided tour of the rainforest.
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Rock, Soil, or Water?
Students participate in an activity in which they identify properties of water, soil and rocks. They work together to identify different types of rocks. They ask questions to complete the lesson.
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Soil Formation
Seventh graders investigate how soil is formed. They analyze types of soil samples, examine soil using a magnifying glass or microscope, complete a chart, conduct a soil and plant experiment, and construct a soil profile.
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Soil Structure
Sixth graders examine how different soils are made up of varying proportions of clay, silt, and sand. They compare soil samples, conduct Internet research, and create a model to demonstrate the relative sizes of grains of clay, sand, and...
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Necessary Nitrogen
Students view a video that presents the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. They compare types of soils and consider how different fertilizers affect soil composition.
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How Safe Is Your Backyard?
Seventh graders investigate the safety of soil and water locally and communicate via the Internet with students in different locales sharing information. They research the Internet using its multimedia capabilities and collate the data...
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Garden in an Egg Carton
Learners investigate the growth of seedlings planted in egg cartons in the classroom. Measurements are taken as the plants grow and charts created to organize the data.
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Household Chemicals & the Environment
High schoolers conduct a laboratory experiment designed to investigate the effects of chemicals, soil quality and pollution on seed growth and plant yield. They consider how best to maximize agriculture in the long term.
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A Rocky Situation
Second graders conduct experiments with rocks to observe weathering. They read books, examine websites and watch a video to examine how rocks break down into soil.
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Decomposition, Soil, and Life Cycle Research
Students conduct background research on the decomposition process, soil composition, and the life cycle using the resources provided for Internet searches. They work in collaborative groups to research topics as a particular plant, soil...
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Investigation 7 - Plants In Soil
Fourth graders explain how the components of soil effect plant growth. They brainstorm different kinds of materials that plants could use for structural support. They design an experiment to show that plants can grow without soil.
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Soil Composition: Then and Now
Students identify the location of their school from a 1926 digitized Soil Sample map. Using remaining landforms, they determine the type of soil identified during that time, and compare it to the soil currently found near the school.
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Cracks on the Walls
Young scholars observe the cracks in school walls and pavements. For this geometry lesson, students explore the factors to be considered before building a structure. They complete a graphing and calculation worksheet after the lesson.
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Science and the Scientific Process
Students investigate the characteristics of different soil samples. In this physical science lesson plan, students play the role of forensics solving a crime by matching soil from the suspect's shoes. They formulate a conclusion after...
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Soil Comparison and Analysis
High schoolers perform tests on different soil samples. In this earth science lesson plan, students classify the soil into groups according to test results. They write a lab report following a certain criteria.
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Science with Mud!
Eighth graders give some examples of chemical reactions they see everyday. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders investigate how much water soil can hold. They collect data and compare results with others.