Questions About Soil

Introduction: Study of Soil-Identifying Questions

The best way to start a soil study is to go outside and survey the school grounds. Things to look for are: amount and type of vegetation, slope, bare spots, moisture level, uses of land, weathering examples. Students collect and label soil samples in plastic bags and save for future observation. Back in the classroom, students study soil samples to describe and test soil characteristics. They compare their samples with classmates’ samples and teacher’s samples. Students identify questions that guide the class during their soil investigation. Later, students design and conduct experiments to answer some of these questions.