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Uses of Soil

Uses of Soil

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to gather evidence of how rocks, soil, and water help to make useful products.


Essential Understanding

The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water that can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.

Science Background

What is Soil? US Bureau of Land Management (website) - Engaging information and activities focused on soil’s composition, importance to life on Earth, and more.

What is Soil?
US Bureau of Land Management, www.blm.gov

The Dirt on Soil: Discovery Education (website) - Dig into the underground universe of soil with this online guided tour.

The Dirt on Soil
Discovery Education, school.discoveryeducation.com

Sand and Sand Mining: University of Michigan (website) – Sand is the major component of glass, foundry molds, and abrasives. It also is used in ceramics. Find out more here.

Sand and Sand Mining
University of Michigan Department of Geography, www.geo.msu.edu

Signature Lesson

Brick by Brick: Ohio Department of Education (website) – Students create, experiment with and gather evidence about making bricks from soil.

Brick by Brick
Ohio Department of Education, ode.state.oh.us

Supporting Lessons

How to Make Bricks: eHow (website) - Making bricks from soil and straw is a fun project for children or adults. Learn how to make your own bricks for use at home or school.

How to Make Bricks
eHow.com

How to Make Miniature Adobe Bricks for Kids: eHow (website) - Many buildings in the southwest US are constructed from adobe bricks made of clay, sand and water. Your class can make miniature adobe bricks following the steps described here.

How to Make Miniature Adobe Bricks for Kids
by By Kara Bietz, eHow.com

Natural Earth Materials - Rocks, Soil and Water: Baylor College of Medicine (PDF) - Students will be observe and record examples of ways earth materials are useful.

Natural Earth Materials - Rocks, Soil and Water
Baylor College of Medicine, SuperSTAAR.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

We All Need Soil! The GLOBE Program (PDF) - Explore three activities that promote understanding of, and respect for soil and its uses.

We All Need Soil!
The GLOBE Program, classic.globe.gov

Properties of Rocks and Soil: University of Missouri, eThemes (website) - Learn about the properties of rocks and soil, how rocks are made, and how soil is formed.

Properties of Rocks and Soil
University of Missouri, eThemes, ethemes.missouri.edu

Assessment Ideas

Have each student create a four-page book, and start every page with: Soil may be used to ____. Then have students add pictures to enhance each page and verbally describe how soil is used by humans and other animals.

Literature Connections

The Amazing Dirt Book. Bourgeois, Paulette (ISBN: 0201550962)

A Handful of Dirt. Bial, Raymond (ISBN: 0802786987)

Our Endangered Planet: Soil. Winckler, Suzanne (ISBN: 0822525089)

Related Science TEKS

(1.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to recognize and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(1.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to recognize the importance of safe practices to keep self and others safe and healthy.

(1.1C) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to identify and learn how to use natural resources and materials, including conservation and reuse or recycling of paper, plastic, and metals.

(1.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world.

(1.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigations
The student is expected to plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations such as ways objects move.

(1.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data and make observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, and non-standard measurement tools.

(1.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.

(1.2E) Communicate Observations
The student is expected to communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations.

(1.3A) Identify, Explain and Propose a Solution to a Problem
The student is expected to identify and explain a problem such as finding a home for a classroom pet and propose a solution in his/her own words.

(1.3B) Make Predictions
The student is expected to make predictions based on observable patterns.

(1.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to describe what scientists do.

(1.4A) Tools for Collecting Information
The student is expected to collect information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, primary balances, cups, bowls, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and timers; non-standard measuring items such as paper clips and clothespins; weather instruments such as demonstration thermometers and wind socks; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(1.4B) Non-Standard Measurement Units
The student is expected to measure organisms and objects and parts of organisms and objects, using non-standard units.

Related Math TEKS

1.9A    The student is expected to collect and sort data.

1.9B     The student is expected to use organized data to construct real object graphs, picture graphs, and bar-type graphs.

1.11B   The student is expected to solve problems with guidance that incorporates the processes of understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

1.11C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

1.11D  The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

1.12A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

1.13A  The student is expected to justify his or her thinking using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Soil Stories: Natural Resources Conservation Service (video) - Join Francine as she discovers that soil is an important natural resource, without which we would not exist. In her journey, she meets a soil scientist who helps her “see” beneath the surface of the soil and helps her understand what’s going on down there.

Soil Stories
Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture, nrcs.usda.gov

Underground Adventure: The Field Museum (website) - There’s more to soil than meets the eye. Learn why Earth’s soil is a rich habitat for many amazing creatures, and how it can be used to make useful products.

Underground Adventure
The Field Museum, www.fieldmuseum.org

Look Out, Below: Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension Service (PDF) - Teacher background information about the four layers of soil and the substances that make up each level.

Look Out, Below
Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension Service, oklahoma4h.okstate.edu

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