ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems

Students will learn about what makes soils different colors and will practice classifying soils with a simplified color chart. Soil art project suggestions (soil paints, dirt shirts) are included at the end.

Information on the basis of soil classification, including the soil forming factors, levels of taxonomy from series to order, and word origins for order, suborder, and great group classifications.

Web page with resources and information about different erosion processes.

describes the most general 12 orders of soil classification

Illustrates the factors influencing soil formation and relates these factors to the climate and living plants and animals that are found in the various biomes.

This lesson identifies the five major soil forming factors and discusses how they influence soil development.

Online textbook suitable for teacher background information or for high school students

Multimedia website demonstrating that each soil forms as a unique expression of five soil-forming factors (climate, vegetation, topography, parent material, and time) that work through soil processes.

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

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