Download Introduction to Soil Science

Introduction to Soil Science
Objectives:
1. Students can define the term soil
2. Students are able to identify the 3 major types of soil
3. Students understand how soil is formed
State Standards:
1) IAS10.09.01 Understand the soil formation process.
2) IAS10.09.02 Identify soil texture and structure
Background of Lesson:
Lesson Unit: Agriculture I, soils unit-lesson one
Life Knowledge Precepts:
Relationships B.4: Eliminate barriers in building relationships
Content:
Key Terms:
Soil
Soil Texture
Sand
Silt
Clay
Logistical Information:
Time: 45 Minutes
Resources:
Colorado State University, Department of Soil and Crop Science Land Judging in
Colorado., revised Jan. 2006.
Plaster, Edward J. Soil Science and Management. Delmar learning, 2003.
Tools and Supplies:
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2 jars filled with soil, one labeled as soil and the other labeled as dirt
Plastic baggies
Sand
Flour
Play dough
Student notebooks
Colored Paper
Pencil
Power Point Presentation
Interest Approach:
As students enter the classroom have two glass jars filled with soil setting on the table.
One jar should be labeled “soil” and the other should be labeled “dirt”. Ask the students
to describe the difference between the contents of the two jars.
Directions:
Good afternoon I am glad to see you this afternoon, when I say “growing medium”.
What’s that saying? GROWING MEDIUM take 1 minute get a piece of paper, come to
the table, look at the two jars that are on the table, write down three characteristics of
each jar, then return to your seats. What are your questions?
THANK YOU!!!
These two jars are filled with the same thing; they are only called different things, soil
and dirt. Just like you and I are both people, but we also have different names. But, just
like calling soil its bad name of “dirt”, sometimes you might call someone by a bad
inappropriate name. This only builds barriers. Just as you should always call people by
their proper name you should also call soil by its proper name.
Summary of Content, Instructional Sequence, Activities, and Strategies:
Contextually Set:
Now that we know what to call soil; we are going to take a look at how it is formed and
the different types of soil.
Objective: Students can define the terms soil and dirt
We have discovered dirt and soil do mean different things. Soil is also defined as: a
collection of natural bodies of the earth’s surface containing living matter that is able to
support plant life. Where as dirt is simply layman’s term for soil, or something that is
filthy.
When I say “Notes”, what’s that word? Use 1 minute to write the actually definitions that
we just learned on the paper that we took notes on earlier. What questions do you have?
“Notes”.
Objective: Students understand how soil is formed
Today we have already identified what soils is, now we are going to change directions
and look at how is it is made. The soil that you see today has not always looked this
same way. Soil takes years to form into how we see it now
When I say “go”, what’s that word? Write down how you think soil is formed. When you
are done put your pencil in the air. Good job! Again when I say “go”, what’s that word?
Turn to your partner and share with them what you wrote. Great Job. Now, who is
going to present their idea first?
Soil is basically pieces of rocks that have been broken down into different sizes. The
sizes of soil particles are based on the type of weathering that has naturally occurred to
that rock or that entire area. The five factors that affect soil formation are: Parent
Material, Climate, Organism (biological), Topography, and Time.
Key for Definitions:
Parent Material- The original material that the soil is composed of!
Climate- The consistent weather in an area or region
Organism (biological) - Any living thing
Topography- the lay of the land
Time- a length that can be measured
Book Demonstration
Fold the paper in half ( hamburger style) then fold it again about 1 inch from the edge, so
you make the binding of a book. Then cut half of the paper making 5 slots, hold up your
book and wait for further instructions
On these slots write: Parent Material, Climate, Organism (biological), Topography, and
Time. Wait for further instructions.
Great job preparing those note pages! As a class we are going to discuss the definitions
of the terms we just learned. As we discover the definitions write them on the inside of
the book.
Objective: Students are able to identify the 3 major textures of soil
Soil can be broken into three major textures : sand, silt, and clay. Each soil texture has
distinct properties that make them unique.
Show Power Point Slide for Soil Texture
Sand: Has the largest particles, it is loose and single grained
Silt: Has medium sized particles, it is slick to the touch
Clay: Has the smallest particle size, it is sticky to the touch
Beforehand prepare 3 plastic baggies filled individually with play dough (clay), flour
(silt), and play sand (sand).
As I pass around these three bags around try to determine if the “soil” that you are
feeling is sand, silt, or clay.
Who will volunteer what they think each baggie represents?
The play dough represents clay and has a sticky feel to it, the flour is for silt and is
definitely slick, and finally the play sand is representing sand. Make sure that you play
close attention to identifying the different soil types, this will be very important later
when you are in the land contest.
Review:
Use the Hieroglyphic e-Moment to review the 3 major types of soils: sand, silt, and clay.
Directions:
Lets create icons that represent soil texture. When I say “icons”, what’s that
word? Get out a plain piece of paper; fold this paper in three sections. Label the
top of each section: sand, silt, and clay.
Then take 3 minutes to draw a picture that represents sand silt and clay in each
section. When you are finished please stand up. “icons”.
Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated in class. Set out three different types of soil and allow
students to determine the major soil texture of each sample. Each correct answer will be
worth 5 points.