Soils Lesson Plans

These lesson plans loosely coordinate with the I Dig Dirt activity book available for download on the Conservation Education page. The lessons are designed for students at approximately the eighth grade level although portions of each lesson could be modified for other grade levels.

• Soil Factors Lesson Plan: Use hands-on examination and discussions to teach your students about soil factors including drainage, root depth, texture, structure, permeability, slope, and how sodium and calcium affect soils.
• Watershed Components Lesson Plan: Through demonstration and discussion, students will learn what a watershed is, the components of a watershed, and how vegetation and erosion affect watersheds.
• Plant Growth Lesson Plan: By developing and conducting an experiment, students will learn what the nine plant growth factors are and how they affect plant health.
• Land Use Lesson Plan: During a presentation by a local soil scientist, students will learn how the soil factors affect land use decisions. With this information, they will develop a land use plan and defend their plan before a student "planning board."

Last Modified: 08/16/2005