Lessons and Activities Search


We've curated a collection of lessons, hands-on activities, labs, readings, and more - all about soils and topics related to soils – in this searchable database. Some are posted directly by SSSA others we have reviewed and recommend. While they are not officially endorsed, we found them to have high quality materials for lessons and activities at different grade levels. And, you can save items of interest to a custom binder (you’ll need to create an account to access this feature).

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Next Generation Science Standards
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Soil Your Undies

Contributing Organization: University of Tennessee



This lesson focuses on soil health and recognizing that soil is a living system. The lesson also emphasizes that soil microbial activity, specifically decomposition activity, can be a good indicator of how alive and healthy a soil is. This activity is an adaptation of a classic cotton strip test used to test soil decomposition capacity. More recently the "Soil Your Undies" campaign led by various soil conservation groups has been a fun way for farmers to test their soil health by burying a pair of cotton underwear to see the decomposition activity of their soil.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.B: Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Activity
The Soil Web

Contributing Organization: University of Tennessee



In this activity, students will build a web out of yarn that connects everyday objects to the soil, learning that soils support many important products and services.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
Activity
What's Soil Worth and Losing Soil!

Contributing Organization: University of Tennessee



In this activity, students will see a demonstration of just how little of the earth can actually be used for food production and will discuss how important it is to care for our soil resources. You will use an apple (or some other sliceable sphere) to represent the earth, and cut portions off to show the proportion of the earth that is arable land. Discussion questions focus on ways we lose soil and what soil is worth.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
Activity
Soil Food Web

NRCS Soil Food Web and Soil Biology Primer. This information has been archived but is still valuable. It provides information on the soil food web and the importance of soil organisms for soil health.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
6-8
9-12
Reading
Simulating Fire Impacts on Soil

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Wildfires have a variety of impacts on soils, altering physical, chemical, and biological properties. In this activity, the impact of fire is simulated by heating soil in an oven, and the fungal community in the soil is observed based on growth of visible structures in the presence of a microbial food source.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Lab Experiment
Soil Hydrophobicity

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Hydrophobic soils are water-repellent and form as a result of fires. In this activity, the degree of hydrophobicity will be determined by the amount of time it takes a drop of water to infiltrate the soil.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.B: Natural hazards
6-8
9-12
Lab Experiment
Test Your Soil

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Some things in soil can't be seen and can only be measured with tests. Learn how to use a soil test kit to find out how much of each types of chemical is in your soil.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.B: Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems
6-8
9-12
Activity
Dig Into Soil

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



How to look at (dig) soil to view soil layers (horizons).



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
PreK-2
3-5
Activity
Climate and Temperature

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



How does climate help soil form? This activity demonstrates how soil temperature is affected by water content, plant or mulch cover, and aspect.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
Activity
Soil, Plants, and the Energy Cycle

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Soils are an importance part of the energy cycle. In this activity you will determine how much bio-fuel can be produced by different plants.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.B: Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems
9-12
Activity
Mapping Your Soil

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Soil surveys help us understand how soils differ and how they behave under various land management systems. In this activity, students will use the NRCS Soil Mapping Tool to determine what soil is around your school and how it can be used.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
6-8
9-12
Activity
Nitrogen Connection

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



All biological organisms require certain nutrients to live. In this activity, learn about nitrogen and use nitrate test strips to investigate some possible fates of nitrogen in soil.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.B: Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems
9-12
Activity
Sustaining Living Soil with Composting

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Composting is the decomposition of organic waste materials in the presence of water, air, and microorganisms to produce organic fertilizer. Learn how to construct a simple compost bin, creating the right environment for microbial decomposition.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
Activity
Soil Science of Sports Fields

Contributing Organization: Soil Science Society of America



Soil plays a pivotal role in natural turfgrass sports fields. A goal is optimal soil moisture conditions for turfgrass growth while ensuring safety and playability. In this activity, compare the infiltration and water-holding capacities of two soils to determine which would be best for use on a sports field.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Activity
Soil Charge Demonstration

Demonstration of ion movement in soils.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Physical Sciences
Core Idea: PS1.A: Structure of matter (includes PS1.C Nuclear Processes)
9-12
Activity