This section provides an overview about the importance of soils to the human world, history, and housing. Slides and activities

Discipline
Earth and Space Sciences
Grade Level
3-5
6-8
9-12
Lesson Type
Activity
Slides/Photos/Figures
Teacher's Guide
Lesson Keywords
Soil Basics
Soils and Plant Growth
Soil Conservation
Soils in Urban Environments
Soil Forensics/Archaeology
Soils and Art/Culture

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.

3-5 ESS2.E: Biogeology

Living things can affect the physical characteristics of their environment.

3-5 ESS3.A: Natural resources

Energy and fuels humans use are derived from natural sources and their use affects the environment. Some resources are renewable over time, others are not.

3-5 ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

Societal activities have had major effects on the land, ocean, atmosphere, and even outer space. Societal activities can also help protect Earth's resources and environments.

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.

6-8 ESS2.E: Biogeology

[Content found in LS4.A and LS4.D]

6-8 ESS3.A: Natural resources

Humans depend on Earth's land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for different resources, many of which are limited or not renewable. Resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

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.

9-12 ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Feedback effects exist within and among Earth's systems.

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.A: Natural resources

Resource availability has guided the development of human society and use of natural resources has associated costs, risks, and benefits.

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.