Subject: Agricultural and Horticultural Science
Level: Year 11
Title: Soil’s not dirt
Authors: Kerry Hunt & Trudy Gee
Email addresses:
james.allen@clear.net.nz (for Kerry Hunt)
trudy.gee@outer.net.nz
All Curriculum Support Days resources reflect the work of subject specialists during a two-day forum. You should
view them as ‘work-in- progress’, not as finished units to download and use. They demonstrate a range of ways of
thinking about how you might build the ‘front end’ of the NZ Curriculum (the Vision, Principles, Values, Key
Competencies, Effective Pedagogies and Learning Area Statements) into your existing units of work, by re-focusing
how you teach rather than changing what you teach. The questions and comments recorded in the body of each
resource are at least as important as the unit itself. If for some reason your software does not display such questions
and comments, it is likely that you need to make some technical adjustment to how you are viewing the resource.
References in senior units to achievement or unit standards are to current standards, and generally do not take into
account possible revisions of these standards to take effect from 2011.
1. Why this unit is worth reworking
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The unit comprises both Agricultural and Horticultural Science concepts.
Important foundation for beginning Agricultural and Horticultural Science as a subject.
Students enjoy the practical element.
Practical work and project management in this topic offer opportunities to develop relevant skills, work collaboratively, and
become confident, independent learners.
As a topic learners are able to develop an understanding of:
o the interconnections between people, soils, plants, and animals in agricultural and horticultural production,
o the ways in which agricultural and horticultural practices impact on the environment and can be used to sustain or
enhance it.
2. Re-Thinking the unit
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As the unit is currently written, it is content driven towards students gaining knowledge for a NCEA external exam.
It needs to include values and Key Competencies within the context of the unit.
More student-directed learning needs to take place in this unit.
We want our unit to provide effective pedagogy to promote student learning.
Throughout the revised unit, students are gathering and processing information from the activities. It is suggested that at the
end of each activity some information is summarised and recorded. This could be done in a number of ways that may
include both teacher-directed and student-directed.
THIS IS THE OLD UNIT
AHS 1.3 Describe the properties and management of Soils.
Achievement Objectives
1 Importance of growing medium
 Describe why plants need a
growing medium
 Nature of soil as a variable
mixture subject to change, &
providing nutrients, minerals,
air, & water.
2 1Soil composition.
 Describe soil composition &
components.
3 3Soil profile
Lesson Structure
 Discussion
 Define growing medium & soil
composition using scheme & Grow It
pg 27-28.
Learning Strategies
 Pg 22-25
 Make notes from
scheme & OHTs
 Answer qs pg 24-25
 Grow It w/s pg 29-31
 Lesson 1 sheet (TFS)
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Define soil composition using scheme
& Grow It pg 27-28.
What is soil? (OHTs)
Soil horizons (OHTs)
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Grow It activities pg 8191
OHTs
Dig soil profile
Resources
 Scheme &
OHTs
 Appendices 2
&3
 Text
 Grow It
 TFS
 Grow it
 OHTs
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Spade
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Explain how these variations
affect plant growth
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4 oHow is soil made?
4
5 5Physical characteristics of Soil
 Describe the physical
characteristics of soil
Soil structure
 Simple knowledge of structure
Dig soil profile writing description (see
case study 7).
Note variation with depth
Consider how these variations affect
plant growth, relate to the Hort unit
gardens.
Compare local profile with different
areas – why are they different? (see
Activity 4)
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Brainstorm the physical characteristics
of soil
Look at soil structure (see scheme) in
terms of particle size & pore structure
Soil types (OHT)
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6 6Soil texture
 Simple knowledge of texture
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Soil texture using OHTs, triangle &
w/s
Expt: App 6
Do movement through soils –
permeability
Relate to fertilisers
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Copy OHTs
Comprehension
exercise (TFS)
Compare profiles using
Hort unit & Volcanic
Soils of the central
North Island with Sandy
Soils of the Coasts.
Summarise differences
(TFS).
Topsoil w/s
TFS lesson 2 sheet

W/s Growing it
Notes OHTs
Graphing soil particles
sizes exercise
Show soil egs
Write up different soil
types
Soil structure exercise
sheet
Notes (OHTs) &
scheme
W/s on soil texture
Practical – Determine
1) different soils & 2)
drainage App 6
Grow It activity pg 9294
Soil, isn’t dirt chap w/s
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Volcanic Soils
of the central
North Island
& Sandy Soils
of the Coasts
Topsoil w/s
Case study 7
Activity 4
OHTs
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TFS

W/s Growing
it
OHT
Graphing soil
particles sizes
exercise
Soil structure
exercise sheet
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W/s
OHTs
Appendix 6
Practical gear
Grow It
activity pg 9294
scheme
7 7Chemical characteristics of soil 
 Describe the chemical
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characteristics of soil
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 Soil types
Soil pH
Soil pH
Notes (App 10-11)
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8 8Soil as a reservoir & a source
of nutrients
9 9Biological characteristics of
soil
 Describe the biological
characteristics of soil
10 11) Organic matter
0 Organic matter & its
decomposition to humus
 Value of organic matter &
humus
11 12) Soil organisms
1 The role of soil organisms
 Symbiotic associations, soil
pathogens, & soil pests.
 The role of soil disinfection
12 1Modification of natural soils
2 Describe the methods used to
modify soil so that it becomes
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Notes (see scheme, OHT & App 13
&14)
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Read pg 28-30
Do questions, exercise
pg 30-31
Grow It activity pg 95100
Soil pH practical
problem w/s
Dictate notes from
scheme.
Practical – Measuring
pH of plots
Notes from scheme &
OHT
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Text
pH meter
Appendix 11
scheme
OHT
Grow It
activity pg 95
– 100
Soil pH
practical
problem w/s
Scheme &
OHT
App 13 & 14
Text
OHTs
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Go over using OHTs
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Copy OHTs
Read pg 31-33
Do qs & exercise
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Discuss using OHTs
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Make notes using
OHTs
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OHTs
 Go over using OHTs
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Make notes using
OHTs
Pg 46-47, read &
answer qs
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Text
OHTs
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Pg 36 & 39
Do exercise & qs
Copy OHT or pg 39
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Text
OHT
Scheme
1) By physical means
 cultivation (scheme)
 drainage – movement of water

a medium suitable for growing
plants by physical means.
Importance of water/air
balance

through soil (OHT)
irrigation (scheme)
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13 1
3
Describe the methods used to
modify soil so that it becomes
a medium suitable for growing
plants by adding organic
material & lime.
14 1Alternative Growing Media
7 Identify alternative growing
media
 Growing mixes for various
purposes
2) By adding organic material (see AS
1.5)
 By adding organic matter (scheme)
 Mulching (scheme) and briefly discuss
composting (see AS 1.5)
 By adding lime (scheme & OHTs)
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Go over using scheme & OHTs
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Copy notes from
scheme
Ground water
movement SEEN
activity (see sheet)
Physical modification to
soils w/s
Assessing soil drainage
w/s
Make notes using
OHTs
Read article ‘Making
the most of mulches’ &
answer qs; or Mulches
in the Home Garden.
Read pgs 44-45
Answer qs pg 45 & 46
Mulch wordfind
Make notes using
OHTs
Word search
Practical analysis of an
alternative growing
media sheet
Creating an alternative
growing medium to soil
sheet
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SEEN activity
Physical
modification to
soils w/s
Assessing soil
drainage w/s
Scheme &
OHTs
W/s
Mulch
wordfind
Scheme
OHTs
Wordsearch
Practical
analysis of an
alternative
growing
media sheet
Creating an
alternative
growing
medium to soil
sheet
15 1Materials used in Media
8 The characteristics of their
components
 Describe the composition
1)
2)
3)
4)
Organic – brainstorm in groups
Minerals – OHT
Plastics
Nutrient supply – OHTs
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16 2Hydroponics.
 Investigate &explain different
types of commercial & home
hydroponics systems.
 Alternative growing media &
characteristics of their
components.
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History (see Hort TIS)
Types of hydroponics systems, description & explanation of. (see
sheet)
Examples from school.
Methods (see Biotissue stuff)
Video Hydroponics Explained
Advantages – of hydroponics, - to the
grower, - to the retailer. (see sheet)
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17 3Nutrients.
 Identify the nutrients that are
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Nutrients: Ca, Fe, Mg (see Biotissue
stuff)
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Write the advantages &
disadvantages of each
Read pg 51-52 &
answer qs on pg 52 &
53
Practical App 24
Crossword &/or
Wordgame
Show examples.
Guess the media from
the box, determine
which are organic or
inorganic.
Classroom discussion
& a visual comparison
of the 2 systems.
W/s on different
systems, eg Read
‘Hydroponics & the
Home Gardener’ &
answer qs; &/or
‘Hydroponic Easy’ &
answer qs; &/or ‘NZ
Hydroponics’ & answer
qs
Read pg 55 & do qs pg
56
Watch Hydroponics
video.
Discussion & notes.
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Text
Crossword
App 24
OHTs
Wordgame
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Video player
& video
School h/ps
system
Text
Biotissue stuff
Hort TIS
H/ps & the
Home
Gardener w/s
H/p Easy w/s
NZ H/ps w/s
Video &
player
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School
hydroponics
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used in hydroponics & the
components & relationships
within a hydroponics system.
Alternative growing media &
characteristics of their
components.
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Light – use of Panda film
Oxygen – air pump
Warmth
Submersible pumps
Use of nutrients.
pH
Conductivity factor (CF)
system
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18 1Revision
9
19 2Test. To assess the above topic
0
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Soil crossword
Homework question
sheet.
Match up words
Sit
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Crossword
Question
sheet.
 Match up
Test
3. The Revised Unit
Agricultural and Horticultural
Science: Soil’s not Dirt
Essence statement:
Duration:
5-6 weeks
Using Agricultural and Horticultural Science knowledge and skills to make informed
decisions that enhance and sustain soils for Agricultural and Horticultural production.
Big Picture:
Soils are the basis of the Agricultural and Horticultural industry. They provide a foundation
for plant growth and support stock production. Growers need to manage soil as a
sustainable resource for present and future plant and stock production.
The following are important ideas within the Big Picture:
 Soil is not dirt – it is a natural growing medium containing mineral and organic matter.
 Apply soil knowledge and concepts to the learner’s local area.
Learning Objective 3: Understand how the management of soil properties affects plant
growth.
Curriculum Level 6
Strand: The Environment
Learning Objective 4: Understand how management and/or design practices impact on
the environment.
Key Competency:
Values:
Principles:
Thinking: make sense of information, develop understanding, make decisions, and reflect
on learning.
Using Language, symbols, and text: to access and communicate information and to
communicate this information with others.
Ecological sustainability, which includes care for the environment.
Community and participation for the common good.
Coherence: creating links between knowledge gained within the Soil unit and also wider
Agricultural and Horticultural Science units.
Future Focus: sustainability and soil conservation management decisions that allow
producers to enhance and sustain soils for Agricultural and Horticultural production.
Context:
 Soil science: soil components, physical properties, chemical properties and biological properties.
 Management practices: fertiliser and lime application, cultivation, adding composted material, drainage, irrigation, crop
rotation, effluent application.
Specific learning
outcomes/ Depth of
coverage.
What’s the Big Picture?

Describe why plants need
a growing medium?
Soil is a variable mixture
subject to change, &
provides nutrients,
Learning Activities.
Resources.
Possible brainstorming ideas may include.
 What would Earth be like with no soil?
 Consider naturally occurring versus managed
ecosystems and production systems in a world with
no soil.
 Global and local impacts of a world with no soil.
 Small groups of students take a shovel full of soil
from the garden, place it on a sheet of newspaper.
They then classify the contents into groups they
have developed.
 From the discussion that follows a definition of
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Poster paper.
Pens.
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Shovel.
Newspaper.
Plants
growing in
different soils
Assessment.
minerals, air, & water.
 The concept that Soil is

not Dirt.
Introduce local soil context, 
soil composition.
Describe soil composition &
components.

Soil Profile.
 Explain how variations in
the soil profile affect plant
growth.
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
How is soil made?
Physical characteristics of
soil.
 Understand the physical
characteristics of soil.
Soil structure.
 Simple knowledge of
structure.
Soil texture.
 Simple knowledge of
texture.
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growing medium & soil composition can be made.
Make links between plant growth and soils.
may be
useful.
Students to obtain a variety of soil samples from a
range of environments. Do a round robin; look at the
trays of soil for visual and textural differences and
similarities.
Define soil composition and components. What is
soil?
Dig soil profiles.
Note variation with depth
Consider how these variations affect plant growth;
relate to own immediate surroundings.
Compare local profile with different areas – why are
they different? Summarise differences.
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Soil samples.
Trays.
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Think/pair/share the physical characteristics of soil,
soil structure (particle size and pore structure) and
soil types.
Other activities could include; e.g. graphing soil
particles sizes exercise, separating the particle sizes
using different sized sieves.
Soil texture by feel analysis.
Water movement through soils – permeability
experiment.
Put the question to the students: If water moves
through soil at different rates depending on the soil
texture, what does this mean for the producer?
(Could relate to fertiliser if students’ learning allows
for it.)

Spades.
Compare
profiles from
a local profile
with an area
different to
your own.
Soil
examples.
Soil Texture
by Feel
Analysis
Sheet.
Experiment –
determine
different soils
through soil
texture
analysis.
Experiment –
water
permeability.
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Students could
peer assess
how effectively
they were able
to teach their
peers.
Chemical characteristics of
soil.
 Understand the chemical
characteristics of soil.
Soil pH.
 Simple knowledge of soil
pH.
Soil as a reservoir for
minerals.
 Simple knowledge of soil
as a source of nutrients
for plant growth.
Biological characteristics
of soil.
 Understand the biological
characteristics of soil.
Organic matter.
 Organic matter & its
decomposition to humus.
 Value of organic matter &
humus.
Soil organisms.
 The role of soil organisms.
 Symbiotic associations,
soil pathogens, & soil
pests.
 The role of soil
disinfection.

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Practical – Measuring pH of plots or gardens and
soils from the local area.
Students to gather information on plant nutrients:
what they are and why the plant needs them. This
could be done by using a “jigsaw” activity or other
information-gathering techniques.
Nutrient movement through soils activity.
Put the question to the students: Why is soil pH and
nutrient status important for the producer? (could
relate to fertiliser if students learning allows for it)
Remind students of their classification at the
beginning of the unit: Ask them, what were the dead
and living things they found?
Carry out Berlese Funnel activity. Use this
information to understand the role that soil
organisms play in the soil. Relate this to your local
area.
What is organic matter and how does it become
useful to plants? The role of soil organisms in
producing humus.
Class discussion around beneficial and harmful soil
organisms. A power point showing images and
asking questions could be used to stimulate this
discussion.

Soil pH
practical.

Berlese
Funnel
equipment.

Images of
soil
organisms.
Management practices
Understand soil management
practices and explain how
they impact on plant growth.
Possible learning experiences
 Divide the eight management practices between the
class. Groups of students become responsible for
being the teacher for their management practice.
Time is given for them to research and prepare an
activity for them to use with their peers.
 Learning stations: Where teacher-prepared material
is set out and students work their way around
stations gathering relevant information to answer
questions.
The following examples provide some alternative ideas
for teachers to use. Students need to be aware of
different techniques within each management practice.
Discuss with students how the techniques will effect
plant growth.
 Cultivation
Teacher guided images of different cultivation
practices that are carried out. Discuss each picture
and answer the question, why the practice is used
and how does it impact on plant growth?
 Drainage
Role play activity involving students becoming
sand, silt, clay particles and water molecules to
show the movement of water through soil. Using this
role play relate concepts to the impact on plant
growth.
Discuss with students what techniques are used to
modify soil drainage, e.g. mole drains, subsoiler, tile
drains, adding perlite.
 Irrigation
Irrigation efficiency practical utilising different

Assessing
soil drainage
practical.
If using one of
the possible
learning
experiences,
students could
self-assess how
effectively they
were able to
teach their peers
or gather
relevant
information.
Revision
The Big Picture incorporating
the three big ideas is brought
together as a group.
techniques to apply water, e.g. visiting a local
producer and comparing K-line, centre-pivot and
sprinkler irrigation. Using this demonstration,
students can discuss the implications on plant
growth.
 By adding organic matter through composting
or mulching
Carry out a practical were students need to build a
composting unit and investigate the rates of
decomposition of different materials, e.g. grass,
straw and peastraw.
 Effluent application
Look at different production systems and how they
deal with effluent, e.g. dairying.
 Fertiliser application
Get in an expert speaker such as a Ravensdown
representative and get them to explain the
techniques for fertiliser application and impacts on
plant growth through a question and answer session.
Students should have prepared questions to ask.
 Lime application
Carry out the flocculation experiment. Using this
experiment, students can discuss the implications
on plant growth.
 Crop rotation
Design a crop rotation plan. Understand why crop
management is carried out and make links to the
design plan.
In groups using a large concept map, students draw

their understanding of the links and ideas throughout

the topic. This is supported by the Agricultural and

Horticultural concepts learnt throughout the unit.
Design plan
could be
formatively
assessed and
feedback
provided to
students.
Paper.
Pens.
Or a large
white board.
4. Reflecting on the process
We have taken a unit that was content -driven and involved a number of teacher-directed learning experiences, and changed it to
put the responsibility back on the students.
The process of implementing the New Zealand Curriculum has been time consuming, however it can be made easier by taking an
existing unit and adapting it. The new revised unit is a student-focused unit that uses a variety of teaching strategies, enabling
students to be confident, independent learners.
Important things to think about:

The big ideas you want students to get out of the unit.

What type of resources you have available. There is no point planning activities you will have trouble facilitating e.g. a field
trip to a centre-pivot.

Finding the links with the New Zealand Curriculum, such as Vision and Principles; and also links with the forthcoming
Agricultural and Horticultural Science Teaching and Learning Guidelines, e.g. rationale and learning objectives.