Lessons and Activities

This reading introduces the connection between biomes and soils.

Students will understand that soil provides anchorage for roots, holds water and nutrients, is home to micro and macroorganisms, filters water, stores carbon, and is a foundation for humans to build and produce food.

Students will understand the complexity of the soil biome, including the interaction of all organisms, from microorganisms, to plants, to insects and vertebrates.

Students will understand the various ways soil is formed, soil formation factors, and the amount of time necessary to build or rebuild soils.

Students will identify some of the careers that are related to soil biology.

Students will identify characteristics of a healthy soil.

Students will understand the characteristics of a healthy soil, including how energy, water, and nutrients cycle through it; healthy soil structures; and the impact of soil textures.

Students will understand the issues that can affect soil health and reduce fertility, biodiversity, and/or overall soil health.

Students will understand how soils help grow healthy plants, and the various ways plants help maintain healthy soils (including adding organic material and roots creating pore spaces).

Students will identify the invertebrates present in healthy soil, understand the role that each play, and begin to understand the interactions between each.

Students will identify characteristics of a healthy soil and how fungi help build healthy soil.

HHMI BioInteractive BiomeViewer available online or Ipads

News Article

In this module, students explore the resources that make up our agricultural system in order to answer the question: can we feed the growing population?

This activity from NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory introduces students to the scientific understanding of the greenhouse effect and the carbon cycle. The activity leads them through several interactive tasks to investigate recent trends in atmospheric carbon dioxide.