Title Description Grade Level Lesson Type Core Idea
Soil is a Filter

Students will discover that soils physically and chemically filter impurities out of water. They will also discover the role of soil in having good drinking water.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
 Activity, Lab Experiment ESS3.A: Natural resources
Soil is a Living Entity

A poster that introduces soil as a living and ever-changing organism.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
  • PreK-2
 Poster LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Soil is Not Dirt

This section provides an overview about the importance of soils to the human world, history, and housing. Slides and activities
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity, Slides/Photos/Figures, Teacher's Guide ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Soil Microbes

Research highlights connecting soil biology and land management.
  • 9-12
 Reading ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
Soil Mineralogy

This reading explores soils at a microscopic level from its origins
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Reading ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Soil Moisture Activity

This activity will help students observe the basic properties about how soils hold water.
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity ESS2.C: The roles of water in Earth's surface processes
Soil Orders

reading material on soil orders
  • 9-12
 Reading ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Soil pH: What it Means

This reading provides a quick overview of soil pH and why it is important to plant growth.
  • 9-12
 Reading PS1.A: Structure of matter (includes PS1.C Nuclear Processes)
Soil Physics

This reading explores soils the role of a soil physicist as the research water movement, gas exchange, and heat exchange in soils.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Reading PS1.A: Structure of matter (includes PS1.C Nuclear Processes)
Soil Properties

Every soil sample that you touch is different from all others. Slides and activities
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity, Slides/Photos/Figures, Teacher's Guide ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Soil Salinization Lab

Lab investigate of seed germination
  • 9-12
 Lab Experiment ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
Soil Science Careers

This resource provides an activity about soil science careers to support the Australian Curriculum Science.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
 Activity ESS3.A: Natural resources
Soil Science In-Service Day Videos and Materials

This SSSA webpage provides all of the content of our one-day in-service, where we "dug" into some of the core concepts discussed in the Know Soil Know Life book and demonstrated hands-on activities for the classroom. Topics include soil basics/formation, soil chemistry, soil biology, soil and climate change, and web resources. Included are videos, PPTs, and activities.
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity, Lab Experiment, Reading, Video, Teacher's Guide
Soil Science of Sports Fields

Soil plays a pivotal role in natural turfgrass sports fields. A goal is optimal soil moisture conditions for turfgrass growth while ensuring safety and playability. In this activity, compare the infiltration and water-holding capacities of two soils to determine which would be best for use on a sports field.
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Soil Testing for Lead in Local Soils

From Science Buddies: This project shows you how you can test soil in your neighborhood for lead contamination.
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity, Lab Experiment ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems

 

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