Earth's Solid Membrane Soil -Lesson Plan

Earth’s Solid Membrane Soil

Grades  4-6

I would present information to my class using the activities, standards, learning goals,  and resources below:

Materials needed:

Magnifying lenses

White Paper

Samples of soil from different places

Glass jar

Sheets of newspaper

Science journals

Learning Goals:

Appreciate the complex nature of soil and soil formation

Comprehend soil’s place in Earth’s structure

National Science Education  Standards

·         Earth materials are solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere.  The varied materials have different physical and chemical properties, which make them useful in different ways, for example, as building materials, as sources of fuel, for growing the plants as we use food.  Earth materials provide many of the resources that humans use.

·         Soils have properties of color and texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of many kinds of plants, including those in our food supply.

·         Landforms are the result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces.  Constructive forces include crustal deformation, volcanic eruption, and deposition of sediment, while destructive forces include weathering and erosion.

·         Rock is composed of different combinations of minerals.  Smaller rocks come from the breakage  and weathering of bedrock and large rocks.  Soil is made partly from weathered rock, and partly from plant remains and also contains many living organisms.

Brief Overview of the Lesson

I would begin the lesson , with a whole group discussion:  What is soil? Are all soils the same?

I would divide the class into small groups and provide the students with samples of soils from various locations.  Ask each group to make the following observations about their soil sample.  Is the sample rocky, sandy or muddy?  Using magnifying lenses ask students to determine if their sample has bits of organic matter?  Living organisms?  Can they find grains of sand?

Using their science journals the students will then record their soil data.  They will also record their hypotheses and conclusions in the journal.

In addition, I would complete the concept mapping activity suggested in the Course Guide.   I would develop the concept map around the question, “What is soil?”

I would use the following resources to extend the lesson:

http://nap.edu/

http://www.nsta.org

http://uwf.edu

Vocabulary:

·         Soil components

·         Chemical weathering

·         soil formation

·         Organic matter

·          Physical weathering

·         Soil horizons