suggested
grade levels: 5-12 view Idaho achievement standards for this lesson
Study a Square Yard of Soil
suggested
grade levels: 5-12
view
Idaho achievement standards for this lesson
Materials:
| 1 square yard of soil | tape measure | magnifying glass |
Procedure:
1. Use a tape measure to mark off one square yard of soil.
It might be in the woods, in a meadow, or in your own backyard.
2. Examine first the animals, trees and
other vegetation, and climate of the area. You can make some good guesses about what to expect when you look
at your "yard" more closely.
3. Now come down to the surface of the soil. Look at what is above the soil:
insects, decaying organic material such as leaves, flowers, etc.
4. Next dig into the soil, observing as
you dig the layers of humus and clay and the rocks. You will probably find earthworms and burrowing insects
if you look closely. What do you see through the magnifying glass?
Related
Lesson Topics:
Geology: Geology Topics