Poor soil actually grows the most diverse plants. Although this sounds like a contradictory statement, the video lesson explains how and why this is true. Learners discover how rich soils typically cater to the stronger, faster-growing species.

Concepts

biodiversity, soil, soil composition

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Take a field trip to a local nature area and log the different species of plants in the area
• Follow the video with a lab exploration by creating a biodome with different types of soils

Classroom Considerations

• Expects a basic understanding of soil needs for plant growth 

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Uses plant growth as an analogy to the human populations in rich and poor areas
• Provides engaging examples to support the content

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 RST.9-10.7