Life of Soil

The Life of Soil is a short unit comprised of an overview and three lessons. All the documents are embedded into this site as Google docs.

Lesson Names: Worm Observations, Soil Decomposers, Mystery of the Missing Undies

Grade Bands: 2-5, 6-8

Lesson Objective: Students will understand through observation and text that soil is a habitat for organisms.

Keywords: Earth's systems, Earth and Human Activity, Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics, habitat, decomposer

Time: 2-4 Periods. Note: Older students can skip Worm Observations and begin with Soil Decomposers.

The Life of Soil Lessons - Overview

Lesson Name: Worm Observations

Grade Bands: 2-5

Lesson Objective:

Keywords: Structures and Processes, Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics, habitat, adaptations

Time: 1 Period.

Lesson 1 - Worm Observations

Lesson Name: Soil Decomposers

Grade Bands: 3-5, 6-8

Lesson Objectives:

Students will be able to identify the organic components of soil.
Students will be able to identify decomposers.
Students will be able to relate the organic parts of soil to nutrients for plant growth.
Students will recognize the role decomposers play in cycling of organic matter for soil health and plant growth.

Keywords: Structures and Processes, Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics, habitat, decomposers, cycling of matter and flow of energy

Time: 1-2 Periods.

Lesson 2 - Soil Decomposers

Lesson Name: Mystery of the Missing Undies

Grade Bands: 3-5, 6-8

Lesson Objectives:

Students will explain what happened to the underwear buried in biologically active soil.
Students will understand that not all soils harbor the same levels of biological activity.

Keywords: Structures and Processes, Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics, habitat, decomposers, cycling of matter and flow of energy

Time: 1-2 Periods.

Lesson 3 - The Mystery of the Missing Undies