Introduction to Soil
kit #1101
In this introductory kit, students perform four activities during which they observe several different earth materials with a magnifying lens and describe what they see. Their observations, including metric measurements, are used to help them understand how these materials are classified and identified. Students then apply the skills and understanding developed in the first activity to observe and describe soil samples completely enough to be identified by someone else. These observations and descriptions form the basis for agreeing upon a definition for soil.
Lab-Aids kit #1102 is a companion kit that builds upon and extends students' understanding of soil.
- One way to gather data is through direct observation. Accurate and complete observations are important for making conclusions about the natural world
- Soil consists of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material from dead plants, animals, and bacteria
Content List in Introduction to Soil is as follows:
| Quantity | Description |
|---|---|
| 24 | Cups, 1/2 oz. plastic |
| 12 | Magnifying lenses |
| 12 | 15-cm metric rulers |
| 6 | Sieves |
| 6 | Granite, Samples |
| 1 | Silt, 8 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Sand, 8 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Gravel, I8 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Peat moss, 8 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Soil A, 16 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Soil B, 16 oz. bottle |
| 1 | Plastic teaspoon |
| 28 | Student Worksheet and Guides: How to Measure Length Using a Metric Ruler |
| 28 | Student Worksheet and Guides: Introduction to Soil |
| 1 | Teacher’s Guide with MSDS |
- Number of students
- 24
- Number of groups
- Maximum 6 groups per period
- Number of classes
- unlimited (no consumable materials)
To complete this kit requires three to four ~50-minute class periods.
