ESS3.A: Natural resources

We see soil, walk on soil, and grow things in soil every day, but the vast majority of people never recognize how important soil is in sustaining life on Earth. This article presents background information linked to teaching resources to introduce K-12 students to many of the critical functions of soils. These materials were shared with teachers during a Geophysical Information for Teachers (GIFT) workshop at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 2018.

his activity uses a qualitative nitrate test to observe results of some conversions and transformations in the nitrogen cycle.

This activity will help students observe the basic properties about how soils hold water.

When it rains, much of the water drains directly in the ground. But why? Try this experiment and draw your own conclusions.

How does the type of soil affect how much a house will sink or shift during an earthquake? Conduct this experiment to test it out.

The lessons in this Soils Overview Unit provide students with a basic understanding of the fundamentals of soil science through the integration of disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. The unit includes six sections, each containing learning objectives, background information, student information, selected resources, and ties to the NGSS standards

Learn the basics of soil - for teachers and students. This hour-long recorded webinar teachers what soil is, how it forms, and how it affects our lives every day through hands-on activities for the classroom. The webinar was presented by professional members of the Soil Science Society of America, and hosted by NESTA.

This SSSA poster provides an overview of soil - what it is (and isn't), why it's important, soil horizons, texture, soil triangle, formation, and processes. This unique poster is two-sided with side A being designed for the middle-school grades while side B is for the more advanced levels (typically high school).

This poster is rich with information on the 12 orders of soil taxonomy - including images of each. The reverse side provides information on what is the soil taxonomy, a cool map of the US with the soil orders, information on how soils are mapped, soil surveys, and why soils are different. This is designed for the high school, college, and technical level.

The media library is focused on conservation happening on the ground. It includes over 500 professional photos of farmers and landowners who are in the process of installing these practices.