Lessons and Activities Search


We've curated a collection of lessons, hands-on activities, labs, readings, and more - all about soils and topics related to soils – in this searchable database. Some are posted directly by SSSA others we have reviewed and recommend. While they are not officially endorsed, we found them to have high quality materials for lessons and activities at different grade levels. And, you can save items of interest to a custom binder (you’ll need to create an account to access this feature).

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Next Generation Science Standards
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Title
Grade
Type
Binder
Select
 
World Soil Resources Map Index

Global soil maps of soil resources



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Poster
Global Soil regions

global soil regions



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Poster
The Twelve Orders of Soil Taxonomy

Poster of the twelve soil orders, including high resolution PDF files of each order.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Poster
Reading
What do Backyard Critters Eat

One page document describing common soil macrofauna.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
PreK-2
3-5
Reading
Dirtland

Informational website about the microbes that live in the soil, including those that live in extreme environments.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
PreK-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Kids do Ecology: Desert

A basic guide to deserts from UC Santa Barbara



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Factors of Soil Formation

Short tutorial-style resource relating soil formation to biomes. Includes good photos.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Reading
Soil Formation Processes

Introduces the four processes in soil formation: addition, loss, translocation, transformation



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
9-12
Reading
The Aral Sea Crisis

Reading explaining the causes of the Aral Sea crisis and desertification.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
9-12
Reading
Drugs from Dirt

A site that collects soil for the purposes of DNA sequencing.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
9-12
Reading
Chemistry in plant nutrition and growth handouts

Reading and worksheet engaging students in the relationship between plant nutrient needs and sources.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
9-12
Reading
Collecting Crime Evidence from Earth

An article about the field of forensic geology, and example cases in which it played a key role.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Physical Sciences
Core Idea: PS1.A: Structure of matter (includes PS1.C Nuclear Processes)
9-12
Reading
Tundra Biomes - Blue Planet Biomes

A brief summary of tundra biome characteristics



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
6-8
Reading
Feeding the World in 2050

An article about the challenges of feeding the world's ever-growing population.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
When I Think About Poverty

An article about food security in developing countries, and how current practices/technology will have to improve even more to meet the growing need.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
9-12
Reading