The purpose of this resource is to measure near-surface soil temperatures. Students measure soil temperatures at 5 cm and 10 cm depths using a soil thermometer. Students will be able to perform a soil thermometer calibration, carry out soil temperature measurements accurately and precisely and record and report soil temperature data. Students will be able to relate soil temperature measurements to ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to understand that variations in landscape can affect soil properties. Students investigate variations in the soils around their school to discover that soil properties like moisture and temperature exhibit considerable variability across a single landscape. They also identify factors such as slope, shade, plants, compaction, which affect the appearance of soils and ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to introduce the different particle sizes of soils and the properties which each contributes to the soil character. Students make mud pies by adding water to the various soil components, letting them dry and observing the pie's characteristics. Students sift soil to remove organic materials and pebbles. They then sift the soil with smaller meshed sieves to separate ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to use a land cover type map to make environmentally sound decisions. Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to understand that soil, under different environmental conditions, plays a role in the decomposition of organic materials. Students use bottle experiments to observe changes in the decomposition of vegetable scraps. Students vary temperature, moisture, and light conditions to determine the conditions that best facilitate the decomposition of organic material in soil. ... Full description.

The purpose of the ESS activities associated with the GLOBE 1987 Global Patterns Poster is to help students understand the broader global context for local GLOBE measurements. Students discover patterns in global maps of environmental data, interpret those patterns, and draw conclusions and make predictions based on them; communicate those interpretations and predictions; and develop an understanding ... Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan teaches young students about the different kinds of soil. This includes what soil is, layers of soil on the Earth, and the properties of these soils. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating themes ... Full description.

Designing a filter that turns black, salty, muck into drinkable water is a tall order. In this video segment, ZOOM cast members take cues from what they know about natural sediment filters, use similar materials to create their own water filters, and evaluate which combinations of materials make the fastest, most efficient filters. The segment is four minutes fifty-four seconds in length. A background ... Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan teaches young students about the living and non-living components of soil. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating themes necessary to raise the activity to a higher cognition level. The major motivation ... Full description.

For anyone who has never experienced an earthquake, it is very hard to imagine the ground moving beneath your feet. But that's exactly what happens when huge sections of Earth's crust crack or slip past one another. The results can range from nearly imperceptible to totally devastating. In this video segment adapted from a ZOOM television broadcast, cast members demonstrate how to make a seismometer, ... Full description.