An overview of soil horizons and a description of how to make soil profile cards (mini-monoliths) is provided. Adapted from a USDA-NRCS activity.

Organization
Soil Science Society of America
Discipline
Earth and Space Sciences
Grade Level
3-5
6-8
Lesson Area
Soil Basics
Lesson Type
Activity
Lesson Keywords
Horizon
Monolith
Profile

Next Generation Science Standards

Grade Discipline Core Idea
3-5 ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Four major Earth systems interact. Rainfall helps to shape the land and affects the types of living things found in a region. Water, ice, wind, organisms, and gravity break rocks, soils, and sediments into smaller pieces and move them around.
6-8 ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Energy flows and matter cycles within and among Earth's systems, including the sun and Earth's interior as primary energy sources. Plate tectonics is one result of these processes.