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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Title
Grade
Type
Binder
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Protecting Our City with Levees

Students design and build their own model levees.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.B: Natural hazards
6-8
Lab Experiment
How Should Our Gardens Grow?

Students learn about types of land use and their respective environmental effects.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.E: Biogeology
3-5
Lab Experiment
Welcome to Soil-Net

Soil-Net.com (developed by Cranfield University's National Soil Resources Institute) is a free and compelling environmental Internet resource providing teachers and students extensive curriculum-based information about soil. Includes a photo library. Flash is not necessary to access website content



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
PreK-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Lab Experiment
Reading
Activity
Slides/Photos/Figures
Soil is a Living Entity

A poster that introduces soil as a living and ever-changing organism.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
PreK-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Poster
World Soil Resources Map Index

Global soil maps of soil resources



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Poster
Global Soil regions

global soil regions



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Poster
The Twelve Orders of Soil Taxonomy

Poster of the twelve soil orders, including high resolution PDF files of each order.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Poster
Reading
What do Backyard Critters Eat

One page document describing common soil macrofauna.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
PreK-2
3-5
Reading
Dirtland

Informational website about the microbes that live in the soil, including those that live in extreme environments.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
PreK-2
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Kids do Ecology: Desert

A basic guide to deserts from UC Santa Barbara



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
3-5
6-8
9-12
Reading
Factors of Soil Formation

Short tutorial-style resource relating soil formation to biomes. Includes good photos.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
6-8
9-12
Reading
Soil Formation Processes

Introduces the four processes in soil formation: addition, loss, translocation, transformation



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS2.A: Earth materials and systems
9-12
Reading
The Aral Sea Crisis

Reading explaining the causes of the Aral Sea crisis and desertification.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.C: Human impacts on Earth systems
9-12
Reading
Drugs from Dirt

A site that collects soil for the purposes of DNA sequencing.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Earth and Space Sciences
Core Idea: ESS3.A: Natural resources
9-12
Reading
Chemistry in plant nutrition and growth handouts

Reading and worksheet engaging students in the relationship between plant nutrient needs and sources.



Next Generation Science Standards

Discipline: Life Sciences
Core Idea: LS2.A: Interdependent relationships in ecosystems
9-12
Reading