Curated OER
soil, Water, and Plants
Students examine the relationship between water retention and plant growth by conducting two experiments. They first compare the water retention qualities of clay, sand and loam soil types. Then they use the data from the first...
Curated OER
Dig Into Soil
Students discuss what is found in soil. In this science instructional activity, students observe the soil outside and write down information in regards to location, vegetation, and topography. Students experiment with the soil and its...
Curated OER
Edible Soils
Students create soil profiles, including rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus, in clear plastic cups out of edible materials.
Curated OER
Soil Types
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...
Curated OER
Soil, the Forgotten Resource
Students discuss soil understanding that is is often overlooked as a natural resource. In this science instructional activity, students recognize that we depend on it for energy in the form of foods. Students experiment with six boxes of...
Curated OER
What Plants Need in Order to Survive and Grow: Soil
Students 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.
Curated OER
How Much Soil is There?
Students examine that all living things depend on soil to live. In this science lesson plan, students pretend that an apple is planet Earth. Students cut the apple to represent the portions of Earth with the last section representing soil.
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Scholastic
Lesson Five: The Earth, Rocks and Minerals
Apply the principles of geology to a series of collaborative, hands-on class activities. Young earth scientists learn more about igneous, metamorphic, and sedentary rocks before classifying and weathering rocks that they find....
Curated OER
Settlement Exploration: Then and Now
NASA has crafted an imaginative and memorable series of lessons, "NASA and Jamestown Education Module." This lesson is one of the five components. In it, middle schoolers connect history and science by comparing the settlement of...
Curated OER
Independent Plant Growth Experiment
This is an awesome lesson filled with tons of engaging learning activities. Over a period of weeks learners will make observations, collect plant and analyze plant data, read and review agricultural articles, design and conduct an...
Curated OER
The"Dirt" on Soil
Students examine the three different types of soil and their physical properties. In this soil lesson students design and implement a model of a water treatment plant.
Curated OER
The Soil Chain
Students identify their relationship to the soil. In this soil lesson plan, students draw a flow chart to show how common objects relate back to the soil. Students also discuss the importance of the soil.
Curated OER
What is Soil?
Students examine soil. In this earth science lesson, students define and describe weathering and erosion as it relates to soil. Students compare and contrast potting soil with forest soil and complete a science observation worksheet.
Curated OER
Archaeological Soils
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.
Curated OER
Erase It! Soil Pollution
Students brainstorm what the solution to soil pollution is, where it comes from and what can be done to preserve and protect the Earth. They identify ways that they can start at home to erase soil pollution and draw a picture advocating...
Virginia Department of Education
Permeability and Porosity
Covering both permeability and porosity, scholars perform a hands-on experiment testing various soil types. The material includes a pre-lesson worksheet to help focus pupils on the task at hand.
Rainforest Alliance
How Do Jaguars and Howler Monkeys in Belize Depend on Us?
How does weather play a role in the lives of land and sea creatures? Find out with a instructional activity focused on habitats and the ways animals from different homes are connected. Here, learners explore how the life of a jaguar and...
Kenan Fellows
Terrarium in a Bottle: Modeling the Atmosphere, Greenhouse Effect, and Water Cycle
You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the lesson plan...
Curated OER
The Composition of Soil
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....
Curated OER
Soil Composition
Students examine soil. In this soil composition activity students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
Curated OER
Specific Heat of Air and Soil
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...
Curated OER
Measuring Soil Temperatures at South Penquite Farm
Students investigate soil temperatures. In this graphing and earth science instructional activity, students insert temperature probes into different types of soil at varying depths. Students complete a data chart and construct a related...
Curated OER
What's in the Soil?
Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure. In this soil composition lesson, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results. In one experiment they examine the soil for...