Young scholars explore decomposition and soil health by creating their own garden.  In this agriculture activity, students build a "lasagna garden" with organic matter found in the area and plant perennials native to their region....

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...

This complete set of instructions for creating your very own butterfly garden and habitat is so cool! With some seeds and the handy resources in this activity, you and your class will be able to determine which type of habitat is best...

Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...

Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...

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.

Learners study the basics of soil science. They research and gather data through readings, videos, and performance of laboratory investigations. As a team they generate oral and written recommendations for the amendment of soil.

Soil scientists gain experience with an infiltrometer can to determine the infiltration rates at different locations on campus. If you are using the entire unit, the class has already analyzed water flow and soil types, so they should...

Dirt is worthless, isn't it? Find out the true value of dirt, and by dirt I mean soil. The class explores what makes soil, the types of soil, and what happens when soil becomes void of its nutrients. There are several great activities,...

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...

Observing plant succession doesn't have to be a decade long process. A hands-on lesson has groups study succession over a designated space. Learners use their observation skills to record differences in plant and soil characteristics in...

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.

What better way to learn about plant life than by creating a class garden? Young botanists start with a brief discussion about radishes before planting seeds and watching them grow. To determine the importance of water,...

Discover why plants are important to our world. View plant parts and categorize them as stems or buds. Students do a cut and paste of pictures of plants into correct categories.  Students also plant a carrot top,and record...

Demonstrate for your earth scientists how plant pollen of the past has become part of sedimentary deposits, providing clues about ancient climates. Then give them simulated sediment layer samples to analyze for different types of paper...

Students explore botany by conducting a sunflower growth experiment. In this plant life lesson, students identify the anatomy of a sunflower plant and the essential nutrients it requires to grow. Students utilize compost, soil, garden...

High schoolers explore and experiment with the concept do new kinds of insects appear after soil modification. They assess and review scientific methods of observation, predicting, variables, math skills, ratio, proportions, graphs and...

Pupils examine the steps for developing science fair projects. They visit stations where they examine posters, books, and paper that describe how to research and design a science fair project. Additionally, they take notes on how to...

Students conduct a scientific investigation about organic or inorganic waste.  In this organic or inorganic waste activity, students create a compost heap to determine the difference between inorganic and organic waste. Students...

Earth or environmental science pupils are assigned to be carbon sources or sinks. They ask yes-or-no questions to try to figure out which one they are. Then they discuss ways people can have positive effects on the changing climate by...

Explore water transport in plant stems using this fun experiment! Your scientists will start by reading Stems by Vijaya Bodach. Then, activate prior knowledge about plant stem functions and water transportation....

Students observe the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells. For this cell activity, students use microscopes to observe self prepared slides of animal and plant cells.

Students discover how seed germination varies according to the soil type. In this soil science lesson, students discuss what plants need in order to grow and investigate various types of soil. Students use their senses to describe each...

Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost instructional activity. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and...