Oklahoma Conservation Commission

Conservation Education

Soil Education

One of the most important, and often overlooked, of our natural resources is THE SOIL. Most of our food is grown or raised in the soil. Raw materials for our clothing and shelter come from the soil. Soil also provides a place for our homes and communities. What would life on Earth be like without healthy, productive soil?

Conserving the soil is not an easy job. In 1982 wind and rain eroded over 113 million tons of soil in Oklahoma. Much of that soil ended up in our streams, rivers, and lakes. In 1997 the amount of soil lost in Oklahoma was 68 million tons. This reduction in soil loss is a direct result of conservation practices being implemented by many Oklahomans. Through education efforts, all Oklahomans can learn to appreciate and conserve our precious soil.

Websites
Curricula
Video & CD-ROM
Reading List
Activities from Existing Programs

Websites

The Dirt on Soil
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/soil/index.html

Soil Education
http://soils.usda.gov/education/main.htm

Just for Kids - Soil Biological Communities
http://www.blm.gov/nstc/soil/kids/index.html

Soil and Water Stewardship Week
http://www.nacdnet.org/p\\ubaff/stewardship

The Great Plant Escape
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/index.html

SK Worm Answers Your Questions about Soil Stuff
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/education/squirm/skworm.html

Underground Adventure from the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL
http://fmnh.org/ua/default.htm

"Ag"-tivities for the Soil-Minded Citizens
http://www.florence.ars.usda.gov/kidsonly/hb.htm

K-12 Teaching Resources and Activities (by Dr. Dirt)
http://www.wtamu.edu/~crobinson/DrDirt.htm

Curricula

Grades K-4	Dig In! - Hands-on Soil Investigations. 2001. NSTA Press. ISBN 0-87355-189-3
Grades 1-4	Rocks & Soil - Thematic Unit. 1992. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. ISBN 1-55734-265-2
Grades 2-3	Soil Science - Delta Science Module. Delta Education.
Grades 4-8	The Topsoil Tour. LaMotte
Grades 5-6	Erosion - Delta Science Module. 1998. Delta Education. ISBN 0-87504-117-5
Grades 5-6	Terra Firma - Land and How We Use It. 1997. Creative Publications. ISBN 0-7622-0276-9
Grades 6-9	Conserving Soil. National Association of Conservation Districts

Video & CD-ROM

Science Court: Soil
Tom Snyder Productions - http://www.tomsnyder.com

This package is one of a series of titles designed to teach fundamental concepts in elementary and middle school science. A humorous courtroom drama provides the vehicle for demonstrations and explanations as lawyers battle over a case. The trial is being covered by courtroom correspondent, Jen Betters. The students, working in cooperative teams, act as courtside commentators. At various breaks in the trial, Jen leads the students through a review of the facts, a hands-on activity, and a prediction about what will happen next. At the end of the trial, the students predict how the jury will vote.

Package includes:

Videotape version of the Science Court: Soil episode of the critically-acclaimed TV show Science Court as seen on ABC-TV
CD-ROM version of the Science Court: Soil episode
Teacher's guide with reproducible student sheets and hands-on activities

The Living Landscape
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/CTIC/Catalog/YouthEducation.html

An interactive computer game that takes learners of all ages through various best management and conservation practices to turn a rundown farm and landscape into an environmental showplace! Point and click on various areas of the farm to answer related multiple choice questions. With each correct answer the farmscape changes to show the improvement made (complete with sound effects!). Once you make it through the set of questions correctly, the farm is set in motion with animation.

Bill Nye the Science Guy - Farming episode
http://dep.disney.go.com/educational/store

Farmer Bill discovers why farmers really dig their soil, and Chris Ballew, of the rock group Presidents of the United States of America, sings a special version of the band's hit, "Peaches."

The Science of Soil
http://www.teachersvideo.com

What is Soil? What are soil horizons? What is the difference between loess and loam? How many different kinds of soil are on Earth? What causes erosion? What is soil conservation? Why is strip cropping beneficial? This thorough, instructive program dishes up the "dirt" on soil!

Reading List

Amazing Dirt Book, The. Paulette Bourgeois. Addison-Wesley. 1996
Beneath Your Feet. Seymour Simon, Daniel Nevins. Walker and Company. 1977. (ages 7-9)
Dirt. Steve Tomecek, Nancy Woodman. National Geographic Society. 2002. (ages 6-8)
Dirt Is Delightful! Janelle Cherrington, Andy Yerkes, Joe Ewers. Simon & Schuster Children's. 1999. (Ages 3-6)
Dirt: The Scoop on Soil. Natalie M. Rosinsky, Matthew John. Picture Window Books. 2002. (ages 5-9)
Earth. Kate Petty, Chris Fairclough. Watts Franklin. 1991. (ages 8-10)
Earth, The. Andrienne Soutter-Perrot, Kitty Benedict. The Creative Company. 1993. (ages 6-10)
Erosion. Cherie Winner. Lerner Publishing Group. 1999. (ages 9-11)
I Love Dirt. Shelly Nielsen, Julie Berg. ABDO Publishing Company. 1993. (ages 5-12)
Life in a Bucket of Soil. Alvin & Virginia Silverstein. Dover Publications, Inc. 2000. (ages 9-12)
Living Blanket on the Land. Julian May. Creative Company. 1971. (ages 12 & up)
Living Earth. Eleonore Schmid. North-South Books. 1994. (ages 5-8)
Mud. Mary Lyn Ray, Lauren Stringer. Harcourt Brace. 1996. (ages 5-8)
Our Endangered Planet: Soil. Suzanne Winckler, Mary M. Rodgers. Lerner Publishing Group. 1993. (ages 9-11)
Science of Soil. Jonathan Bocknek. Gareth Stevens Audio. 1999. (ages 7)
Soil. Karen Bryant-Mole, Barrie Watts. Steck-Vaughn. 1996. (ages 5-9)
Soil. Christin Ditchfield. Scholastic Library Publishing. 2001. (ages 8-10)
Soil. Alice K. Flanagan, Linda D. Labbo, Terrance E. Young. Compass Point Books. 2000. (ages 5-8)
Soil. Chris Oxlade. Heinemann Library. 2002
Soil. Adele D. Richardson. Capstone Press. 2001. (ages 7-8)
Soil. Melissa Stewart. Heinemann Library. 2002. (ages 9-11)
Soil. Angela Webb, Chris Fairclough. Watts Franklin. 1977. (ages 5-8)
Soil: A Field Trip Guide. Little, Brown & Company. 1972. (ages 6-8)
Soil Science Simplified. Helmut Kohnke, D. P. Franzmeier. Waveland Press, Inc. 1995. (adult)
Soil Factory. Bob Devine. Moody Press. 1978. (ages 9-11)
Soil That Feeds Us. Eleanor B. Heady. 1972. (ages 7-8)
Story of Soil. Dorothy H. Allen, James M. Smith. Putnam Publishing Group. 1971. (ages 8-11)
We Love the Dirt. Tony Johnston, Alexa Brandenberg. Scholastic, Inc. 1997. (ages 3-6)
World Beneath Our Feet: A Guide to Life in the Soil. Jim B. Nardi, James B. Nardi. Oxford University Press. 2003.

Soil Activities from Existing Programs

Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
http://www.okcc.state.ok.us/ED/ED_projectwet.htm

The Life Box - discover the elements essential to life
Wetland Soils in Living Color (same as "Do You Dig Wetland Soil?" in WOW) - classify soil types using a simple color key

WOW! the Wonders of Wetlands
http://www.okcc.state.ok.us/ED/ED_wow.htm

Do You Dig Wetland Soil? (same as "Wetland Soils in Living Color" in WET) - physical features of wetland soil & soil color chart
How Thirsty is the Ground? - percolation tests of different soil types
Nature's Filter - wetland soil acts as a filter
Nature's Recyclers (also in PLT) - soil formation; what is in soil
A Rottin' Experiment - compare rates of decomposition in saturated/dry soil

Project Learning Tree (PLT)
http://www.oda.state.ok.us/natr.htm#PLT

The Forest of S. T. Shrew - diversity of roles within an ecosystem
Nature's Recyclers (also in WOW) - organisms are important in decomposing organic material
Field, Forest and Stream - comparing different ecosystems
Soil Stories - examining different soils

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom
http://www.clover.okstate.edu/fourh/aitc/lessons/index.html

Dark Days on the Prairie - interpreting stories from illustrations from the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma
Dirt Babies - craft activity illustrating importance of soil to life
Dirt Cake - recipe
Dust in the Distance - looks at area affected by the Dust Bowl
Is It Just Dirt? - examines soil and what soil provides humans
Let it Rain - effects of water erosion on soil
Look Out, Below - examining different layers of soil
Mud in the Water - build a soil erosion model
Oklahoma Dirt Shirt - use Oklahoma dirt to dye t-shirts
Save Our Soil - demonstration; amount of land available for food production
Scrumptious Soil - build soil profiles that are edible
Soak It Up - organic matter and water holding capacity

Utah Ag in the Classroom
http://extension.usu.edu/AITC/resources/soils.html

The Soil Chain - tracing common objects back to soil
Soil in My Food Web - soil & food web; importance of soil to life
What's in Soil? - components of soil
What Makes Up Your Profile? - how soils are formed; soil profile
Types by Texture - determining soil type by texture
Caring for the Land - cause and effect relationships and soil management using the Dust Bowl as an example
Perkin' Through the Pores - water holding and drainage capacities of soil; organic matter and soils
Keeping Soil in Its Place - types of erosion; splash erosion
How Much is Dirt Worth? - amount of land available for food production; economic value of soil
What Land Works Best? - how climate, water and soil type determine where plants and crops grow
Secrets to Healthy Soils - diversity of life in soil; soil fertility
The Rotten Truth - decomposition process; compost ingredients
Working Worms - earthworms mix and till the soil

Project Seasons
Shelburne Farms. Shelburne, Vermont. 1995. ISBN # 0-9642163-0-2

Soil Recipe - components of soil; importance of time in soil formation
Soil Trek - properties of soil
Soil Soakers - relationship between water holding and drainage capacities of soils
The Soil Chef - interactive exhibit where students create their own soil recipe
Soil Shakes - soil particle sizes and how they influence drainage and retention
The World Beneath Your Feet - interactive exhibit illustrating a large soil profile including plants and animals
Soil on the Run - soil erosion and how to control it
The Rotten Truth - decomposition process
Buried Treasure - soil micro- and macroorgansims and the decomposition process
Goldilocks and the Three Beans - interactive exhibit where students determine the perfect soil recipe for growing beans

Worms Eat Our Garbage
Flower Press. Kalamazoo, Michigan. 1993. ISBN # 0-942256-05-0

Air Spaces in Soil - how much air is contained in spaces between soil particles
It's a Dirty Job - crossword puzzle of reasons worm are good for the soil
The Dirt Cake Recipe
Soil Types - observe soil texture and color
Worm Growth in Soils - story about a science fair project with related activities
Living Soil - organisms that live in the soil
A Soil Profile - setting up a soil profile