Eco-ED Module
Soil Connections
Module Leader(s):
(name)
Short Description:
(Include brochure
information on pages
following this chart.)
EcoEd Concept(s):
(list)
EcoEd Literacy
Goal(s):
(list)
Intended Grade(s):
(circle)
Module Objectives:
(list)
Materials needed:
(list)
Timeline:
Alexandra Evans
This lesson plan is designed to teach students about soil and its relevance
to their everyday lives. Soil health is discussed, as well as how the
government and governmental organizations such as the Environmental
Protection Agency and the United States Department of Agriculture create
laws and regulations that help protect soil health. Soil contamination is also
covered, connecting soil health with human health.
Soil Uses, Soil Health,
Government Regulation
Understanding of government at various scales, from the local to the
transnational, made up of diverse agencies and types of experts, which rely
on diverse decision-making processes
Understanding of potential for change, and of alternate ways of doing things
and organizing society
Understanding the history of disaster and decision-making failures, the
vulnerability of some populations and regions, and varied approaches to
risk management, reduction and communication.
Understanding of their own health and well-being as shaped by an array of
both proximate and far-off causes.
Capacity to conceptualize complex causation, without being paralyzed
Having creative info-seeking practices, animated analytic capabilities, and a
capacity to narrate complex chains of events
Understanding of different scientific disciplines and medical specializations,
aware that they rely on diverse methods, produce many types of knowledge,
and are ever evolving
8th-9th
Have a basic understanding of soil and its components, including some of
the organisms that live within it and soil profiles
Understand that pollution can enter soils and can cause negative health
effects
Have a basic knowledge of how the government helps care for soil
Understand how soil health is critical to their everyday lives in many
abstract ways
Computers with internet
For the activity: bottles/jars with lids,
access (otherwise print out
water, soil samples, USDA soil triangle
pages), projector,
chart, shovels, baggies, rulers, map of
whiteboard/chalkboard
school grounds
15 minutes
Have students split up into pairs and gain
basic knowledge of soil by reading over
and taking notes on the Soil Science
Society of America’s introduction to soil
page for kids together:
http://www.soils4kids.org/about
5 minutes
Take a few minutes to ask the students if
they learned anything about soil that
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20-30 minutes
20-25 minutes
10-15 minutes
15-20 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
surprised them. Ask them what the
difference is between dirt and soil.
Walk students through this slide show
prepared by the USDA about soil, soil
scientists, and the different methods use
to study soils:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/F
SE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052550.pdf
(If the teacher is not already familiar with
topics in the presentation, they should
take the time to educate themselves on
the USDA’s website:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/site/national/home/)
With the presentation in mind, ask the
students how the health of soil is
significant to their everyday lives. Try
connecting objects in the classroom back
to the soil (cotton t-shirt, a snack like
potato chips, buildings they live in, etc.).
Have the students draw out an example
on the board in concept-map form.
Now that the students are familiar with
soils, let them read about soil
contamination on the EPA’s website:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund
/students/wastsite/soilspil.htm
After reading about soil contamination, go
back to the concept map on the board
and ask the students to add points of
potential pollution and make notes of how
the pollution could affect the production
of their t-shirt, snack, etc. Add a human to
the map, as well, and how soil pollutants
can enter and hurt our bodies.
Discuss different ways that the
government could help protect soils and
keep soils healthy. Topics to cover include
sources of pollution and farming.
Have the students (in pairs) learn about
how the government is protecting soils
now by having them read up on the
current regulations and laws. No website
is provided, as students are to try to
research for themselves. Try having them
search for specific bans on substances
used in industries like farming and if there
are any farming methods that are
prohibited or discouraged. Have them
take note whether or not the regulations
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20 minutes
60-70 minutes total
Takes 2 days
(Optional Hands-On Activity)
Activity Description:
(Provide enough
detail so that
someone else could
run the workshop.
Include worksheets
on pages following
this chart.)
Parent/Guardian
Follow Up:
apply on a statewide level or national
level. Also have them research
government organizations such as the
United States Department of Agriculture
and the Environmental Protection Agency
that help protect soil health.
Go back to the concept map on the board
and look at the potential entry points for
pollution. Cross out the entry points that
the government’s laws and regulations
prevent and note how the government
achieves this. Are there any entry points
left that are not crossed out? If so, talk
about possible ways for the government to
make new laws or regulations to prevent
them. Also talk about what people can do
to help on an individual level, including
how they can promote the government to
make change happen.
Perform a soil classification experiment
described below.
Prior to the activity, introduce the students to the USDA’s soil triangle used
for the classification of soil types: http://www.had2know.com/garden
/classify-soil-texture-triangle-chart.html.
1. Collect samples of soil with students on school grounds using shovels.
Take turns collecting samples if only one shovel is available. Have them
take note of where they collected their sample from. Store samples in
baggies.
2. Bring soil samples into classroom. Fill jars and bottles 2/3 full with water.
Have students put their soil samples in their containers with the water
(Careful, this part can get a little messy!).
3. Secure lids on containers and shake mixture. Set down containers in an
area in the classroom where they will not be disturbed. Allow particles to
settle overnight.
4. Measure with rulers the different layers of sand, silt, and clay that form in
the containers. Calculate the percentage of each and use the USDA soil
triangle to determine what type of soil each student sampled. The USDA soil
triangle can be found here: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/
image s/213-2.jpg
5. Plot on map the location of each sample and note what type of soil was
present. Have students make observations of the map. Discuss with the
class whether the soil type is fairly homogenous throughout the school
grounds or not. Based off of the soil classification, what would this soil most
likely be used for?
Dear Parent/ Guardian,
Today, your student participated in activity where they learned about soil
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and the many roles it plays in their everyday lives, as well as how soil health
is impacted by human activities. They learned about the roles of the United
States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency
in protecting soil health. Be sure to ask them about:
 How scientists study soils and what soil is composed of.
 What makes soil healthy and why soil health is important to our own
health.
 How the government is protecting soils and how well the laws and
regulations work.
Additional Resources:
http://www.soils4kids.org/about
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052550.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/students/wastsite/soilspil.htm
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/images/213-2.jpg
http://www.had2know.com/garden/classify-soil-texture-triangle-chart.html
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