Young scholars conduct an experiment to evaluate whether plants need soil to survive and grow. They plant two seeds, one with soil and one without, make predictions, and record and analyze the seed germination results on a worksheet.

Fifth graders examine how sand and rock fragments in soil are products of erosion or the weathering of rocks. They listen to the book "Sand" by Ellen J. Prager and answer discussion questions. Next, they analyze sand samples and sort...

Students create soil profiles, including rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus, in clear plastic cups out of edible materials.

Students explore the porosity of soil. In this soil lesson, students conduct an experiment which shows the porosity of different types of soil. They use sand, silt, and clay to see how soil particles are more or less aerated and thus...

In this forensic science lesson, students sketch bullet line fractures and complete 16 short answer questions on glass and soil evidence.

Students investigate soil contents. In this soil lesson, students gather samples of soil and record their findings on a graphic organizer. After analyzing the material in the soil, students illustrate the layers they found.

Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...

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...

Take a deep dive into Oregon's ecosystems, plants, and changes from the past to the future. Many hands-on activities in an environmental science unit delight scholars, including creating a field guide for a local park. The in-depth study...

Take your science class on a hypothetical field trip to Mars with an engaging astronomy lesson. After first learning about NASA's Mars rover missions, young scientists plan their own scientific investigations of Earth's...

Nitrogen is an essential element for productive farming. An interactive lesson explores the chemical makeup of different fertilizers and their corresponding nitrogen content. The interactive challenges individuals to complete...

NASA has crafted an imaginative and memorable series of lessons, "NASA and Jamestown Education Module." This instructional activity is one of the five components. In it, middle schoolers connect history and science by comparing the...

Young scholars explore the concept of soil and decomposition. In this soil and decomposition lesson, students investigate bags of soil. Young scholars then learn how  animals and other organisms help in the decomposition process. 

Students examine soil from their local environment.  In this garden lesson, students recognize the importance of soil in the garden. Students explore the contents of the local soil.

Eighth graders identify the composition of a soil sample. In this archaeology lesson, 8th graders describe the different soil layers formed in their activity. They explain how this pattern help archaeologists evaluate soil types.

Young scholars study the life cycle of plants by growing a seed in a paper cup. They record observations of the changes they see. When the plant sprouts, they plant it in soil in a paper cup. Next, they continue to draw and date their...

What a great way to start a recycling lesson! Introduce your students to the dung beetle! They will get a kick out of "nature's perfect recycler," when they learn about the  scarab beetle's way of life: eating dung and rotting...

Arsenic in drinking water is a common problem in third world countries. Young chemists create a procedure to calculate the mass percent of arsenic in the soil. The virtual lab allows individuals to experiment with different methods.

In this composition of soil worksheet, students study the make-up of soil by identifying the amount of air in the soil, the amount of water in the soil, the size of the mineral grains in the soil and the proportion of humus in the soil....

Learners study soil characteristics and identify properties of soils from different parts of the solar system.  For this soil lesson students divide into groups, read soil descriptions, test and record soil samples. 

This lesson 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 learners into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The lesson...

Students are introduced to the concept of specific heat. In groups, they are given a set of data showing the temperatures of air and soil samples in which they calculate the ranges of the data. They identify whether the air or soil...

Students examine how to take the impurities out of eater.  In this exploratory lesson students complete an experiment on how to filter drinking water. 

A professional-quality PowerPoint, which includes links to footage of actual landslides in action, opens this moving lesson. Viewers learn what conditions lead to erosion and land giving way. They simulate landslides with a variety of...