In healthy soils, sand, silt and clay particles are held together by "soil glues", or glomalin. This activity demonstrates how these soil glues help aggregates hold together, especially when very wet.

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Organization
Soil Science Society of America
Discipline
Earth and Space Sciences
Grade Level
6-8
9-12
Lesson Area
Soil Chemistry
Lesson Type
Activity
Lab Experiment
Lesson Keywords
Glomalin
Glue
Aggregate

Next Generation Science Standards

Grade Discipline Core Idea
6-8 ESS2.E: Biogeology

[Content found in LS4.A and LS4.D]
6-8 ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

Human activities have altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging it, although changes to environments can have different impacts for different living things. Activities and technologies can be engineered to reduce people's impacts on Earth.
6-8 LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics
9-12 ESS2.E: Biogeology

The biosphere and Earth's other systems have many interconnections that cause a continual co-evolution of Earth's surface and life on it.
9-12 ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

Sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources, including the development of technologies. 
9-12 LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics