Media –Rich Lesson Plan
Teacher Training Institute
Prairie Public
Name: Emily Paszkiewicz
TITLE:
Soil: One of Earth’s Rich Resources
GRADE LEVEL(S);
K-2
TIME ALLOTMENT: 4 Class Periods, plus extra observation time
OVERVIEW: In this lesson students will explore soil and investigate its
properties such as color, texture, nutrient richness, and porosity. Through a
combination of hands on activities, observation, and the use of media
resources the students will discover that quality soil is essential to food
production and a healthy environment. To illustrate their understanding of
this concept, students will create a soil poster illustrating what they found in
their soil sample and writing facts they learned about soil.
SUBJECT MATTER: Earth Science: Soil Properties
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Students will understand that soil has properties or
characteristics. These properties help us learn about the soil. They will be able
to describe how soil feels, looks, how well it holds water, what kinds of
materials are found in the soil, and identify places where soil might be found.
They will be able to explain why good soil is important to people and animals.
STANDARDS: From the 2009 Minnesota Science Standards: 1st grade
(1), (3)Earth Science
(1) Earth Structure and Processes
(3) Standard: Earth materials include solid rocks, sand, soil, and
water. These materials have different observable physical
properties that make them useful.
Benchmarks:
(1) Group or classify rocks in terms of color, shape and size.
(2)Describe similarities and differences between soil and rocks.
For example: Use screens to separate components of soil and
observe the samples using a magnifier.
(3)Identify and describe large and small objects made of Earth
materials.
DIGITAL MEDIA COMPONENTS – VIDEO AND/OR WEB:
Types of Soil-Clay, Sandy, Loam makemegenius, YouTube
Taking Soil Apart (video) WXXI Brand; PBSlearningmedia.org
Soil Makers (video) WXXI Brand; PBSlearningmedia.org
The Dirt on Dirt: Sid the Science Kid document; PBSlearningmedia.org
MATERIALS:
For each student:
Science journal for recording observations (notebook)
Pencil
Bucket and small shovel
Sifter
Magnifying glass
Large piece of light brown construction paper
Construction paper scraps
Scissors
Glue Stick
Markers
For each research team:
4 small baggies
3 styrofoam cups
Plastic spoon
6 seeds
Cup of water
Aluminum pie tin
For Teacher prep:
Clay soil
Pea gravel
Sand
Potting Soil
Nail
Black Sharpie marker
PREP FOR TEACHERS:
Prior to the start of the first activity (soil exploration), fill each research
teams’ baggies. Each baggie will contain a different material- clay soil, pea
gravel, sand, and potting soil. You will also prep the cups by numbering them
1-3 and using the nail to make a hole in the bottom of each cup. View all media
content beforehand to ensure that is is working and to come up with any
discussion questions you might want to use following the viewing.
A week before the start of this unit you will need to plan for the soil dig
activity. Select a place on the school grounds or close to the school (within
walking distance) where students can dig. If this is not possible find a location
that you can be bussed to. Plenty of dirt should be available at the site as well
as a place for students to sit and write down their observations. Send home
the appropriate permission slips (if you are leaving the school grounds) and
remind students to dress appropriately for the field trip. If you can recruit
some parent volunteers to accompany you, do so when planning the trip.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY - SETTING THE STAGE :
Begin the lesson by assessing students prior knowledge.
1. Ask questions such as: what is the surface of the earth made of? What is
soil? What kinds of things do you think you could find in soil? Why do
we need soil?
2. Record their ideas. Read the book Jump into Science: Dirt by Steve “The
Dirtmeister” Tomecek.
3. After reading the book ask the students if they learned anything new
about soil. Record their responses.
4. Tell them that they will be investigating different types of soil.
5. Show the video clip “Types of Soil-Clay, Sandy, Loam” from
makemegenius on YouTube. This will introduce the soil investigation
activity.
MATERIALS: Children’s book Jump into Science: Dirt by Steve “The Dirtmeister”
Tomecek, Computer with internet access
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Part 1: Soil Exploration
1. Divide the class into small research teams of 4-6 students. Each team
will receive the 4 baggies of soil.
2. Encourage the students to explore the soil. How does it feel? What does
it look like? What is it made of? What color is it? How are they alike?
Different?
3. Students will write their observations in their science journals.
4. Research groups will share their findings with the class.
5. Ask the students what soil is used for? Why do we need it? Record
responses.
6. Ask the students which type of soil they think would be the best for
growing plants. Write down their guesses.
MATERIALS: Baggies filled with soil, magnifying glasses, science journals,
pencils
Part II: Will It Grow?
1. Watch the Taking Soil Apart and Soil Makers video clips from WXXI
(PBSLearningMedia.org). Ask the students to share any new
information they learned from the video clips.
2. Review what the students learned yesterday. Tell the students that
today they will be learning about what soil needs in order to be healthy.
Introduce vocabulary nutrients and porous. Soil needs nutrients and
water to be healthy. Healthy soil grows healthy plants.
3. Divide the students up into their research teams. Each team will have
the baggies of soil, three labeled cups, seeds, a cup of water, and an
aluminum tin.
4. Instruct teams to pour the sand in cup 1, the clay soil in cup 2, and the
potting soil in cup 3.
5. Students will then place six seeds in each cup, covering the seeds up
with the soil.
6. Ask them to predict what will happen when they water the seeds. Will
it soak in or drip out? Which type of soil will hold the water the best?
Have them write their hypothesis in their science journal.
7. Instruct the students to pour water into each cup and observe what
happens. (Make sure they hold the cup over the tin so water does not
spill on the floor).
8. Discuss what happened. Which soil held the water the best? Why?
Which soil will be the best for plant growth? Have them make a guess
and record it in their science journal.
9. Put all the cups in a sunny spot in the classroom and observe them
over the next few days to see what happens. Students will record their
observations in their journals and check to see if their hypothesis was
correct. What does soil need in order to grow healthy plants? Why is
soil important to us?
MATERIALS: Baggies of soil (clay soil, sand, and potting soil), 3 labeled cups
with holes in the bottom, aluminum tray, cup of water, and seeds for each
team. Science journals, pencils, computer with internet access
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: Show the students the Dirt on Dirt: Sid the Science
Kid document from PBSlearningmedia.org. Discuss the video and what the
students have learned so far. Tell them they will get to dig up their own soil
samples.
Soil dig Activity: Students will go to the location previously selected to dig up
their own soil samples to investigate.
1. Upon arriving at your location provide each student with a
bucket or cup, small shovel, sifter, and magnifying glass.
2. Instruct students to dig up a soil sample and explore their
sample. Sift through it to see what you can find. Use the
magnifying glass to identify the particles in the soil. What do you
think they are? Are they helping or hurting the soil? Touch your
soil- how does it feel? Smell? What does it look like? Would your
soil sample be able to grow a plant? Why or why not?
3. Students will record their findings in their science journals.
4. Once you are back at school students can share their discoveries
with the class.
MATERIALS: Buckets or cups, small shovel, magnifying glass, sifter, science
journal, and a pencil for each student. Computer and internet access
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY:
Art: Making Soil Posters: Students will make a poster of their soil sample using
construction paper.
1. Pass out a large piece of light brown construction paper to each student.
2. Instruct students to make the paper look like their soil sample from the
soil dig activity. Use other shades of brown paper or color with markers
to show the different colors they might have found in the soil.
3. Use construction paper to cut out rocks, sand, insects, worms, plant
materials, etc. that they may have found in their sample. Glue all the
pieces on the large piece of paper. Allow to dry.
4. On the reverse side instruct students to write at least five facts they
learned about soil.
5. Display posters in the classroom. Hang them from a string so they can
be flipped over to reveal the writing.
MATERIALS: For each student: large piece of light brown construction paper,
scissors, markers, pencil, construction paper scraps, glue stick
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS:
For further study of soil and soil quality visit a local farm or greenhouse.
STUDENT MATERIALS: Science journal, pencil