WEBQUEST SUMMARY
Title:
The Scoop on Soil
Strand:
Standard &
Benchmarks:
School Gardens
Garden Standard 2: Preparing:
Understand the components that are needed in preparing to
plant a garden. Benchmark: G.2.1- describes the roles that soil
organisms play in the cycle of energy and nutrients in a food
web.
Outcome:
Time
Recommended:
Materials
needed:
Vocabulary:
Hawaiian
vocabulary and
pronunciations:
Options:
HI SC Standard and Benchmark: SC 4.5.2: Describe the
roles or organisms in the same environment (i.e. decomposers,
producers and consumers).
*Visit the teacher’s page for more Science WebQuests on this
topic!
I can statement: I can describe the roles that soil organisms
play in the cycle of energy and nutrients in a food web.
Create a collection of soil organisms organized into a food
web.
Two 45-minute periods: one for WQ steps and another for
product.
Index cards, a large sheet of paper, pens, crayons, tape
Producer
Decomposer
Consumer
Food Chain
Food Web
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Product
Differentiation:
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Ho'ohua
Ho'omelu
Ho‘ohemu
Ku'ina mea'ai
Punaewele mea`ai
The product can be done in pairs
Complete the organism collection as homework and then
complete the reflection, feedback and peer sharing.
For ideas to extend learning about soil organisms, visit the
resources step of the WebQuest to see how to make a real
organism collection and how to extract light fraction organic
matter from a soil sample.
Student may choose to provide a visual of their soil
organism in a variety of ways: clay sculptures, paper
collage, etc.
This WebQuest is designed for multiple learning levels.
Learners who are new to the idea of food chains can
complete the low end of number of organisms and their
relations. More advanced learners who have already
explored this idea and have some experience with matter
transformation (e.g. Nitrogen fixation) can be expected to
complete the higher number of organisms and the optional
descriptions.
Extend the product: after completion, ask students to
consider what would happen to the food chain/web if they
removed one organism from the picture.
An optional Note taking sheet is provided on the steps page to
help with the organizing of information.
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*This WQ also corresponds to the Project Ahupua’a: Malama i ka ‘aina: Sustainability
Domain II 4-5 Benchmarks. http://www.k12.hi.us/~ahupuaa/pages/standards.htm
"Malama I Ka 'Aina": Sustainability
Students make decisions needed to sustain life on Earth now and for future generations
by considering the limited resources and fragile environmental conditions
Sustain Food Supply
• Explore how agricultural technology affect humans and environment.