What’s In Soil?

Standard Indicator Project #1 – 4th Grade Standards: SC 4.3.6, 4.3.7Sarah Rice-Woodard Education 373 9-12-09

Science Standard 3 – The Physical Setting

Indicator 4.3.6 – Recognize and describe that rock is composed of different combinations of minerals.

Indicator 4.3.7 – Explain that smaller rocks come from the breakage and weathering of bedrock and larger rocks and that soil is made partly from weathered rock, partly from plant remains, and also contains may living organisms.

Taken from: http://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/resources.aspx

Link to: http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=152

Our Objective: Through this activity, we are going to investigate what are some common components of soil.

Even though there are many types of soil which vary greatly depending on where they are found around the world, all soils have some basic common parts.

Air Water Rock particles Organic particles Micro Organisms

Let’s Begin!

Create a list of some things that you think make up dirt or soil.

Pass out small cups of soil to each student or groups of students along with towels/plates and magnifying glasses

Instruct student to pour out their dirt onto their plates and examine what they find.

Have students list what they find and draw pictures of what is in their soil.

What materials do you need?

Soil from local grounds (aka> backyard-dirt)

(You may even opt for students to go outside and collect their soil in a cup as part of the activity)

Small cups to contain soil Magnifying glasses for students Plates or paper towels Paper and writing utensils for

students Chalk board, chart paper, or an

overhead

Helpful Definitions

Particles – A very small piece or part; a tiny portion or speck. Texture – The distinctive physical composition or structure of

something, especially with respect to the size, shape, and arrangement of its parts: the texture of sandy soil; the texture of cooked fish.

Decompose – to rot; putrefy: The egg began to decompose after a day in the sun.

Organic – noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon.

Microbes – (micro organism) any organism too small to be viewed by the unaided eye, as bacteria, protozoa, and some fungi and algae.

Definitions taken from http://www.dictionary.com

Now that we know more…

Have students ask questions any questions they have about the components of soil.

Using the list and illustrations of the their soil investigation, have students classify their findings using the 5 terms discussed as a class.

As a class, create a list of their findings (i.e. what items did you find in your dirt that would be considered organic, etc.)

Example of Class List

One way to organize students’ findings would be to create a class web! Under each of the categories, have students tell you what they found. If students are unsure what category something they found fall into, have the class help determine where to place the item.

For both organic and rock particles, have students also share what the color and texture of the particle.

Another helpful category may be size and shape of different particles.

Extension ActivityA Recipe for Soil Activity:

http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2508

Summary – Students will make soil using local materials. The instructions for this lesson take you through the soil-making process.

Before you ask your students to gather organic material (step 6), ask them to name some things that they think are organic materials. Ask them to write down their ideas in their science journals and keep a master list

yourself on the blackboard. Once your students have gathered all the materials needed to do activity

#5, ask them to take some time to observe the pebbles, sand, and organic material before it is pounded. Ask them to describe what the material

looks like (color, shape, texture) and write down their descriptions in their science journals. 

After the material has been pounded and pulverized, ask your students to observe the material once again, before they add water to it, and describe what it looks like (color, shape, texture) and write down their descriptions

in their science journals.

Resources

Lesson Ideahttp://dc.doe.in.gov/Standards/AcademicStandards/resources.aspxMain Activity Linkhttp://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=152

Termswww.dictionary.com

A Recipe for Soil Activity: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2508