|
What
is Soil?
Designed by: M.B. Wright, Satchel Ford
Elementary School
Grade
Level: Three
Subject: Science
Core
Curriculum Objective(s): Students will recognize
that rock, clay, silt, and humus are components in
soil.
Overview:
In this lesson students will sift soil samples to
discover that soil is made up of four different
components; rock, clay, silt and humus. Students
will classify soil according to particle size and
other observations of the material.
Focus/Essential
Question(s): What is soil? What is soil made up
of?
Time
Frame: Two fifty minute lessons
Resource
Materials:
Sieve sets
Magnifying glass
White paper
Scale
3 Large buckets Sand
Clay
Dark soil
scales
Calculator
Attached Recording Sheets
Bags of soil samples
www.nrsc.usda.gov
Culminating
Assessment: Students will identify five layers
of soil using sieve sets. They will weigh each layer
of soil and record their findings on the recording
sheet. Students will then figure the percentage of
each layer using calculators. Students will use
process skills to discover that all four kinds of
soil contain five different types of material.
| Points |
Criteria |
| 0 |
Student
did not identify any components of soil on
the recording sheet. |
| 1 |
Student
identified one component of soil on the
recording sheet. |
| 2 |
Student
identified two components of soil and mad
appropriate observations on recording sheet. |
| 3 |
Student
identified all components of soil, made
appropriate observations and accurate
measurements on recording sheet. |
| 4 |
Student
identified all components of soil, made
appropriate observations, accurate
measurements on recording sheet and
completed the Venn Diagram. |
Instructional
Activities:
Activity
One
Have
students use prior knowledge to tell you what soil
is, what is in it, and where they think soil comes
from. Students should be placed in groups of four.
Hand each group a bag containing different soil
samples. Ask each group to describe what is in the
bag without opening it. Then hand out one recording
sheet to the group. Have them record their
observations on the recording sheet (they are to
work together to make these observations). Have each
group weigh their sample in grams, using the scale,
and record the total weight. Discuss with students
what a sieve set is and how they are supposed to be
handled. Ask students to look at the different
sieves and to make a prediction about what will
happen when they pour the soil into the top of the
sieve set. They record these predictions on the
recording sheet. Have each group set up the sieve
set with the largest holes at the top and smallest
on the bottom (The screen with the largest holes
goes on top and then it should progressively get
smaller). Each group empties all soil into the top
of the sieve set, cover, and GENTLY shakes for two
minutes. Teacher will assist as needed. After
shaking the soil students empty the top set on the
white paper and write down their observations on the
recording sheet. Then they are to weigh the material
and record the amount on the paper. There is also a
place to calculate the percentage of the total
weight, the teacher should tell the students how to
do this using the calculator (total weight divided
by weight found from each set). They continue to do
this until they get to the bottom set, writing down
observations, weighing the material and calculating
the percentage. After each group is finished, lead a
discussion about particle size, largest particle
size, and smallest particle size. Largest particle
size should be things like small rocks, small
sticks, large pieces of sand. Small particles are
things like very fine dust particles, small grains
of sand and dirt. Discuss how each different soil
sample contained some of each particle size.
Homework:
Have students bring in soil from their own yard in a
plastic bag.
Activity
Two
Review
activity from yesterday. Students who brought in
soil samples from home will work with those samples.
Have bags ready for those students who forgot
theirs. Pair students up to work in groups of two
this time. Students will work together to repeat
yesterday's activity using samples from home. Using
the second recording sheet, students use prior
knowledge to make inferences and observations of
soil samples. Students then sieve the soil and weigh
each level. After each group is done, students
compare the amount of material they found yesterday
to what they found today using the recording sheet.
After each pair of students finishes sieving the
soil , weighing it and finding the percentage of
each layer have them draw a Venn Diagram comparing
the soil from yesterday and the soil from their
house. Students who finish early can go to a soil
site for kids. Have them go to www.nrsc.usda.gov/
They should click on S.K. Worm and there are
questions and answers for kids all about soil.
The
National Resource Center also offers field study
trips for students. The contact person is Ben
Stuckey, and he is the State Soil Scientist. He can
be reached at (803) 253-3896.
Recording
Sheet
1.
Observations of soil in the bag:
2.
Total Weight of soil:
3.
Predictions about soil (What will happen when soil
is put in sieve set?):
4.
Observation #1:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
5.
Observation #2:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
6.
Observation #3:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
7.
Observation #4:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
What
type of material did you have the most of? What type
of material did you have the least of? What
inferences can you make about the material?
Day
2:
1.
Where did your soil come from?
2.
What do you notice about your soil (Observation)?
3.
How is your soil different from the soil you had
yesterday?
4.
Observation#1:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
5.
Observation#2:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
6.
Observation#3:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
7.
Observation#4:
- a.
Weight:
b. Percentage:
Students
draw a Venn Diagram comparing the soil from
yesterday and the soil from their house. |
