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.
Composting is the decomposition of organic waste materials in the presence of water, air, and microorganisms to produce organic fertilizer. Learn how to construct a simple compost bin, creating the right environment for microbial decomposition.
Students will learn to identify and draw the major soil horizons as present in real horizons, describe observable differences among horizons, and explain in general terms how soil forming factors and processes lead to horizon formation and how different horizons form in various soil types.
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.
In this activity, students will see a demonstration of just how little of the earth can actually be used for food production and will discuss how important it is to care for our soil resources. You will use an apple (or some other sliceable sphere) to represent the earth, and cut portions off to show the proportion of the earth that is arable land. Discussion questions focus on ways we lose soil and what soil is worth.
How does soil keep fertilizers from leaching out of the plant root zone? Clay and organic matter with varying amounts of negative surface charge. Determine if soil has a positive or negative charge with this experiment.
