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
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The Role of Soil

Identifies 7 key roles soils play in nature and for humans.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Soil & The Environment

This reading identifies key roles soils provide our natural world and humans in the form of ecosystem services.



Next Generation Science Standards

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

This reading provides an overview of the numerous ecosystem services soils provide.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Sustainable Food and Fiber Production Through Soil

This reading highlights the nutrient needs of plants and the role soils play in providing those nutrients.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.B: Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
Reading
Soil Basics

Introductory content that sets the stage for deeper content found elsewhere on the Soils 4 Teachers website.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Reading
Soils and Culture

A starting page to learn about soil impacts art, literature, medicine, and war.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
PreK-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Tropical Forests, and Grasslands (Savanna)

Tropical soils are formed in areas with high annual temperature and rainfall. The intense weathering causes these soils to be nutrient poor and low in organic matter.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Tundra Soils

Tundra are cold climate soils loaded with organic matter, important sinks of carbon.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Reading
Volcanic Soils

Very brief discussion of volcanic soils or soils of the Andisol order.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Wetland Soils

Wetland soils, following ClORPT, are not limited to geography, found everywhere, but the major defining feature being persistence of moisture in upper profile.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
Reading
You are What You Drink!

Students learn about the various methods developed by environmental engineers for treating drinking water in the US.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
6-8
Reading
A Dying Teenager’s Recovery Started in the Dirt

An article about a university student who was participating in a project in which students search through local soil samples for new phages—viruses that infect and kill bacteria.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.C: Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience
9-12
Reading
Soil Orders

reading material on soil orders



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
9-12
Reading
Web Page with photos that can be used to determine nutrient deficiency in plants. Includes link to i

This collection provides a comprehensive assortment of hundreds of classic cases of crop nutrient deficiency documented from research plots and farm fields located around the world.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
9-12
Reading
Slides/Photos/Figures
Soil Colors Continental US

Downloadable GIF files of soil colors by state



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Physical Sciences
Core Idea: PS1.A: Structure of matter (includes PS1.C Nuclear Processes)
9-12
Reading
Slides/Photos/Figures