Title Description Grade Level Lesson Type Core Idea
The Living Soil Beneath Our Feet

Travel underground for an up-close look at the ants, amoebas, and bacteria that maintain healthy soil. Glimpse this microscopic world and learn about the symbiotic relationship between fungi and tree roots.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Video ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
The Microbe Zoo and Dirtland

The "microbial zoo" helps students learn about the different functions and ecosystem services of soil microorganisms.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity ESS2.E: Biogeology
The Plant-Soil Relationship

In this lesson students investigate the relationship between plants and soil.
  • 3-5
 Activity LS1.C: Organization for matter and energy flow in organisms
The Role of Soil

Identifies 7 key roles soils play in nature and for humans.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Reading ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
The Soil Management Farming Game

This game investigates the ways in which the choices farmers make can influence both crop yields and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
 Activity ESS3.A: Natural resources
The Soil Orders Simplified

describes the most general 12 orders of soil classification
  • 9-12
 Reading ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
The Soil Web

In this activity, students will build a web out of yarn that connects everyday objects to the soil, learning that soils support many important products and services.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
 Activity ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
The Soil-Air Connection

What is the relationship between soil and the Earth’s atmosphere? Students will explore the connection between what happens below and above the ground. They will learn about the vital role soil plays in the carbon cycle.
  • 9-12
 Activity ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
The Sponge Model

This models uses a household sponge to demonstrate several characteristics of the relations of soil and water.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
 Activity ESS2.C: The roles of water in Earth's surface processes
The Twelve Orders of Soil Taxonomy

Poster of the twelve soil orders, including high resolution PDF files of each order.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Poster, Reading ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
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.
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Reading LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Tropical Soils

In the hot, wet areas of the world, large jungles can form, with lots of different trees, animals, and flowers. Not all tropical soils are jungles. Includes slides and activities
  • 3-5
  • 6-8
  • 9-12
 Activity, Slides/Photos/Figures, Teacher's Guide ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
Tundra Biomes - Blue Planet Biomes

A brief summary of tundra biome characteristics
  • 6-8
 Reading LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Tundra Soils

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

 Reading LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
Unit 3: Natural and Agricultural Erosion Rates

Students identify their perceptions of erosion by examining images of mountain and agricultural landscapes and discussing which environment is more erosive.
  • 9-12
 Activity ESS2.C: The roles of water in Earth's surface processes

 

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